For Olive Garden, the menu is worth more than new decor

Yahoo Finance ^ | July 9, 2014 | Chris Nichols

[C19fan]

With Darden Restaurants' (DRI) announcement that a remodel for its Olive Garden division has started, the main takeaway is a simple one — it's nowhere near to giving up on the Italian-themed chain. The other takeaway is that this latest attempt to spur customers to take a seat at its tables may well mean activist investors, who've been vocally at odds with management, received another reason to complain.

[C19fan]

As someone who grew up in the NYC Metro area I am repulsed by the thought of going to a chain Italian restaurant. The struggles of Olive Garden is more due to the collapse of the middle brow. Higher end restaurants are booming while what were formerly middle class people downgrade as their wages have become stagnant at best.

[Don Corleone]

Bush’s fault. No question about it.

[skinkinthegrass]

The 3 Italian sausage w/meat sauce is great!
.. so is the heartburn afterwards. 😂

[molson209]

Do they still have small portions ? The last time I ate there was like 22 years ago

[Jack Hydrazine]

Donald Trump says that Amanda Knox can be a big star,
after she was released from an Italian jail.

The Olive Garden wants her in their new ad
campaign...............................

Behind Salad Bars!

[enraged]

We only have one OG in our area. It is packed Friday through Sunday. The food is just ok but they are swamped every time we try to go. Not waiting an hour for a table there.

[cicero2k]

When traveling across the country we seek out OG as the local Italian places are uneven in quality.

However, they are comparing OG to Chipolte. Apples and Oranges as far as cost. OG with tip is double Chipolte.

[Jack Hydrazine]

A man gave a waitress a $1,000 tip so she could take a trip to Italy. It was an Olive Garden waitress whose dream is to one day try Italian food.
- Conan O’Brien

[1rudeboy]

Olive Garden serves Italian food? Who knew?

[McGruff]

Olive Garden is to Italian food like McDonald’s is to a hamburger. Epic Failure by both.

[Red Badger]

Their time has past-a....................

[Political Junkie Too]

I am repulsed by the thought of going to a chain Italian restaurant.

By comparison, I wonder how Macaroni Grill is doing?

-PJ

[Cincinatus]

There's nothing inherently wrong with a "chain" Italian restaurant. Olive Garden may be mediocre, but Maggiano's Little Italy is usually great. My test for a real Italian place is to ask if they have spumoni for desert. If they don't, they are probably lousy.

[DoodleDawg]

Olive Garden serves Italian food? Who knew?

Italian-ish.

[Jeff Chandler]

but the company is convinced Olive Garden can win in an arena where the likes of Chili's, Applebee's and Romano's also hold ground.

They are competing in the Noisy Restaurant With Mediocre Food niche.

It's not difficult to cook better food at home.

[Responsibility2nd]

An hour wait at Olive Garden?

Must be an oasis of restaurants in your area. ANY restaurant - good or bad.

~Sheesh~

[Jack Hydrazine]

An Indiana Olive Garden was shut down after nearly 400 people became sick from eating its food.

The health inspector who found the bacteria responsible commented, “Well, I suppose technically it’s E. coli. But it’s a little bland, and I certainly wouldn’t call it ‘homestyle Italian’ E. coli.”

[Jack Hydrazine]

Definition of

‘olive garden’ - A cheap italian restaurant chain originating in Florida. Usually occupied by disgruntled managers and apathetic servers. Not a bad place to work. You dont even have to be sober. Majority of food is in soup/salad/breadstick form. The servers must S.I.E. (Suggest, Inform and Endorse) menu items and introduce themselves by name (which is really tacky)
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=olive%20garden

[Dr. Sivana]

Do they still have small portions ?

The soup-salad-breadsticks lunch is still all you can eat.

[Jack Hydrazine]

I got kicked out of Olive Garden once..
Why?
I ate too many breadsticks
How many?
OLIVE them.