Olive Garden
reviews and complaints

I am 70 years old and handicapped so we often get take out when we are visiting my son in Raytown. ON May 2, 2017 we ordered 146.24$ worth of food from The Olive Garden in Lee's Summit. When they food was brought home, we were one whole meal short and the manager said it could not be refunded without the credit card. IF we were going to take the card back, we would have picked up the food. IF we had, all the other food would have been cold or one person would have been eating alone, Not what I want with a nice meal with the family. Finally, after some time the manager said they could send a gift card for the difference. After almost 2 months and 2 calls to the store, no gift card. To say we will probably no ever go there again, is an understatement. Makes we almost afraid to get take out from any Olive Garden. Very poor customer service!

We were a party of 5. Did the call ahead seating online. Arrived at the location and were being seated by a very nice hostess. We arrived at the table and "Manager Mike" was busing the table. Now whether they were short staffed and that's why he was busing - not sure- he turned around and made such a scene because the hostess sat us and he wasn't ready. It was totally uncalled for. If he was not happy with what she did he should have asked her to step away. It was a distraction for all the customers in the restaurant to hear. It made me feel very uneasy. I just needed to tell someone to possibly prevent this type of situation from happening again. Thank you! Karen

On Monday, may 29, our family was scheduled for family portraits, it was also our daughter's and son in law's wedding anniversary.
We didn't know at what time the photographer would be done, as our group includes 6 adults and 5 children, when it looked like we were close to wrapping things up, I thought I would call and make reservations at Olive Garden in Naperville, on 59th Street.
When I called, they were not open yet, and our group would be arriving in about one hour, so the woman on the phone, whom sounded oriental, was very rude and said; "To make reservations, you have to call 2 hours ahead"
I answered, "But you are not even open yet"
She; "If you come in, you'll still have to wait"
After this interchange, needless to say, we went to a different restaurant.
Your Olive Garden on 59th St. in Naperville, Il.missed out on a $350 bill, which is what we paid that day, and also lost our family as customers.
The food is great, now you need to train your managers in customer service!
Marcela Calkins
[protected]

We were at the Secaucus, NJ Olive Garden (500 Route 3) on 5/28/17 at 13:24:34. Check #21069, Waiter Favian. I was at Olive Garden yesterday with my wife and father-in-law. It was a very unhappy experience for me. First of all when I walked in the person at the entrance commented on what I was wearing. When we were seated it took awhile for us to even get drinks because the waiter never came. He did not get us our meals in a timely manner. We had to keep motioning him to get his attention. My salad was dripping with dressing, my main course (Stuffed Chicken Marsala with garlic mashed potatoes) was terrible. The chicken was burnt and the mashed potatoes were tasteless. I sent the entree back and got Five Cheese Ziti, which was just ok. All in all, I was very disappointed with this restaurant, the food, and the waiter. I tried to complain on Olive Garden's website and it wouldn't let me put in the location of the Olive Garden I had dined in and it wouldn't let me submit without a location

My daughter and I went to the Fairfield Ohio location on May 7 for her Birthday her choice of Restaurant our server soner K check # 825264. Was extremely rude he ask if we were ready to order 3 times within one minute to begin so the 3 time we said we will order our appetizer he literally bend over the table in between her and I to put the order in on the ziosk which would of been fine but turn it around pick it up anything bent over the table put it in upside down we just looked at each other over him of course we ask for a lunch menus were told the one we have is the same and walked off as I was telling him I know its somewhat different. We order our appetizer comes them our entrees come 2 min later. Every time we tried to talk to him to ask for something he either talked over us or walked away .He was the worst server I have ever encountered. I have been a server for 38 year's. Ten years was at Olive Garden which I tried to tell him but he walked off as I was talking that's when I ask for a lunch menus he replied as I said there the same I know different but again he walked off as I was talking. We ordered dessert ourselves he replied well that's the one thing that I do need to do because I have to get it myself! I have never complained in my life on a server but we ruined our dining experience not only her Birthday but we rarely see each other to have dinner together at all. I also had two different phone coupons he said both were fake and would not accept neither ! REALLY I was shocked fake phone coupons. ! Horrible experience.

Hello, last night my boyfriend and I went to Olive Garden, it was the worst experience ever! Probably I won't even go back. It sad to see our server being rude and a total discriminator and a [censor]! Sorry but when I give him the wine cup I said I don't drink but my boyfriend does and he is 28 years old still ask for his ID. I don't mind him but he was just all rude about it. Then our drinks came out 10 mins later. Our server disappeared then ordered an appetizer that came out 30mins no salad nor soup... We then ordered our dinner and steak sooo dry, my chicken Alfredo (chicken was dry) he were at Olive garden about 2 hours. Only to send our food back. Then it came out cold. But I ate it since we still got charged for it. I won't be going back. We would go every 2 weeks but as of yesterday it changed my mind. Good luck!

5/27/17 Saturday, lunchtime
Olive Garden Tampa Palms, New Tampa, FL 33647
The manager denied knowing that the price of the all you can eat soup, salad, bread sticks had increased by 20% from $7.49 to $8.99 and then blamed it on the fact that we did not ask for the lunch menu as he claimed that only dinner menus are provided on weekends. This is a flat out lie as we have been going to his exact location for years for lunch on Saturdays and have never needed menus to order as we get the same every time from the same waitress in the bar area. Today we noticed the bill was $8.99 pp for the soup, salad, bread for the first time ever. We asked our (same) waitress if the price had gone up and she said that it had. We asked for the manager and that is when we got the run around like it was our fault about the menus (which again, we never use or even ask for) and then he made up an excuse that the waitress had been giving us "deals" for $7.49 pp in the past and that the computer was now not letting her do this hence the $8.99 pp. The whole time he was rude and made a big deal out of us asking for clarification and never admitted (like our waitress did) that the price had gone up. We felt really bad for our waitress (whom we really like and was just telling the truth) and feel that the manager was rude, condescending and lying. We feel like never going back to this location and probably won't.

On 5/25/17 at OG at 5410 E Broadway in Tucson, Oz approx 4:20 pm, client number 58487 table 82 Nathan E server.
My mother and I went to the early meal. She ordered Eggplant Perm and I ordered the Alfredo. Both meals were not hot.Hers parm came out hot the 2nd time. My alfredo was still not hot. The waiter stated, "we don't keep that sauce as hot as the other ones." The 3rd time it came out was hot enough to eat but not exceptionally hot. Alfredo is a cream sauce that I have had many times at this restaurant, and it is not typically served tepid by the OG.
This is the first time I have ever had this much trouble at my local OG. The manager never came and apologized, the waiter did not seem that interested in dealing with us. He hardly, came around, never cleared the dirty soup dishes. The place was not max busy and you have done better in the past.

If you want to speak with me you can call Helen @ [protected] or email me @ [protected]@comcast.net

To whom it may concern;
I was stranded in san juan puerto rico and decided to order food to go since my hotel was next door I was there on may 21, 2017 however can't believe it took over an hour to get my food. The location of the restaurant was at bulevar roman baldorioty de castro, san juan 00907, puerto rico. I talked to the manager at that restaurant and he said I don't know why it took so long didn't even apologize or give me any discount for waiting.. I've never had poor customer service until I was at that restaurant in san juan puerto rico.

My name is james vansickle address is 106 e waterloo st. Canal winchester, oh 43110 my email address is [protected]@att.net

On Saturday May 20 went to olive garden with my family to celebrate high school graduation, The server took almost as long to take our order as the wait to be seated 30 minutes b4 our order to be taken. Our food was terrible, , even the breadsticks were not cooked correct. Now the mascotta was delicious as usual but I paid over$ 155$ for this dinner and I do understand graduation is a busy time but that's no excuse for this meal. My step daughter, the graduate actually cried and said her perfect day was destroyed by this incident. Confused as I wonder if we should return.

I had placed an order to be car side pick up at 8:50 pm and when I got there I called as my email said to do however the girl that answer told me you don't do that but she told me she would check and 15min later after being on hold And no one came back I got out of my car and went inside the restaurant and when I approach the counter that had 4 ladies there and I let them know the situation they just looked at me with no response so I went ahead and ask the lady with a blue shirt instead of the rest wearing black shirts to cancel my order and she just said ok. She ask my name and she said it was done and that my credit card would not get charged.
There was no care whatsoever of even sorry we left you on the phone, not what can I do to fix this...nothing . Nothing . Nothing at all.
So I went down the street to Applebee's and spend my money there for my family of 5.

This was the worst device I have ever had. A 2 hr dinner turn into a 4 hr desaster! We hat to wait an hr to get out table (not full restaurant!) when in fact we were wait on a waitress to clock in an not the one we ask for! Everything was delayed, forgotten, took for ever, not severed in order, 3 hrs to get 3 drinks, 1 hr to get salad, an appitizers were served first, sauces were out. Dont waste your time going to the olive garden at eastwood mall in bham ala.! 🖕🏼! It suck more that service at ralleys

Dear Management,

My husband and son took me to Olive Garden on Saturday, May 13, 2017 located at Hanover, Pennsylvania. My husband and sons meal was fine. I ordered spaghetti with meat sauce, slice sausage pieces, meatballs, and sauteed peppers and onions. They brought the wrong thing out. It was some kind of spiral noodles with sausage links on the side. I sent it back asking for what I ordered. I told three different waiters my order. We had a new waiter, and he had someone helping him, and the waitress that brought the food out. Now I must say they were all nice and understanding and wrote down what my order. So my husband and son got their food and finished it about 20 min later. My order still wasn't out. Of course they offered me some of theirs, but it wasn't what I wanted. They waiter finally brought my order, and it was awful! The peppers were huge chucks, slices, the chef burned the sausage! No chef should serve a customer food that is burned! The peppers tasted like they were just tossed in the sauce instead of cooked! I told the waiter I didn't want it, and he offered to get me something else. I told him no, and he said he would get the manager for me. He came back and said the manager told him to take it off my bill. The manager should have come to our table so that I could speak with him! I really don't care if they were busy! I had a complaint, and it should have been addressed! So I ended up having a salad, two mush, and two cheese sticks for my Mother's Day dinner! Oh and we drove through McDonald's and got me a cheeseburger! I'm very unhappy about this! It was a waste of time and money to go there the day before Mother's Day! We frequently go to this Olive garden, and are usually satisfied, but this night was a big disappointment!

Sincerely,
A very unhappy customer!
Angie Sanford

I am writing to complain about the customer service I received this week at the Olive Garden in Reno. I am a senior woman and the waiter called me sir. I ordered soup and he asked if I would like cheese, I said yes, he sprinkled about 1/4 teaspoon on top and said" isn't that enough"?
My biggest complaint is the payment machines you have on the table. I go to a restaurant to be waited on, not to wait on myself. I want service when I go out to eat. In order to use my debit card, I am forced to use the machine on the table. Those machines are not secure enough for me to use and being forced - again feels like I am being forced to wait on myself.
So I paid my bill using cash, the waiter took my cash. My bill was $ 25, I had $40 cash and the waiter asked if I wanted change? Did he seriously think I was going to leave him $15 as a tip? Then it took him 10 minutest to bring me my change back. All in all, not a pleasant experience and I don't think I will be back. I do not want to hear from the manager. I have complained about these machines in the past, heard from the manager and he assured me that we aren't forced to use them, but the waiters don't seem to know that. So- basically you have now lost a customer!

I had to be at work at 5:00pm and I decided to place a to-go order at Olive Garden in Fayetteville I was starving so when I picked up the order it was nice and hot everything was their in the bag and the customer service was excellent. When I got to work at chuck E cheese around the corner I tasted the pasta and it was terrible I got the angel hair Alfredo pasta with no meat it tasted like their was no salt it was very blend tasting their was no flavor and I'm very disappointed because I haven't eaten the rest of it everything is still their in the bag I just took a couple of bites and couldn't finish it because it's that bad. So maybe change your infridenta with that certain pasta or something and I don't live far and me and my family always eat at Olive Garden so I was expecting it to taste good as usual but today was just a bad day .

I recently had a birthday party for my mother at your Eatontown, NJ location on 5/14. I called on 5/4 to ask about reservations and the manager told me they would be happy to help with the party and that all I had to do was call the day of to be put on the waitlist because they don't do reservations. He said I may have to wait 5-10 minutes but it should be no problem. I called again on 5/11 just to be sure because I knew it was holiday. The hostess told exactly the same thing: 5-10 minute wait but that I should come a few minutes early to be sure. I called at 8 am on 5/14 to be put on the waitlist and was told again 5-10 minute wait. Everyone presented as if it would be no problem to host this party of 20 people on mother’s day. I arrived for my 6pm "waitlist appointment" at 5:40 and was told it would take 25-35 minutes. It was a surprise party and I arranged for my family to get there at 6 and my mother at 630pm. So waiting a few minute longer was no big deal because we should be seated by 6:20, at the latest and I confirmed this with the hostess when I entered. 6:30 came and all of my family was there and we were still waiting. I stalled my mom because we were told that we were waiting for another family to finish and the room had begun to be set up. The hostess asked the manager if we could go back but he said no because he didn't want the other family to feel uncomfortable. So I waited another 10 minutes and tried to stall my mother. Then there was no more stalling and I got upset because she was on her way and we were still not seated. So the manager took us back to put the decorations up while the other family finished. I asked if it were possible just to have my family come back so the surprise wouldn't be ruined because my mother was on her way. The manager said no because the other family would be uncomfortable. There were already 3-4 tables in place and set at this point so at the most 1-2 people would be standing if he let us all enter the room because my mother was coming with the rest of the party. So I expressed my frustration to the managers that we were 45 minutes over the time that was discussed and that I called 3 times to make sure this was not going to be an issue. And I was told no problem. The manager denied that we had the discussion and said they were doing the best that we can because it’s a holiday. I told them I understand which is why I called 3 times to be sure. I told the managers if it was going to be an issue they should have told me the first time I called so that I could make other arrangements. The managers were not apologetic and got upset that I was raising my voice out of frustration. I was not disrespectful or cursing or threatening to these people and I am typically a calm and understanding person. But I was livid at their responses. I was told that if I didn’t stop yelling that they wouldn’t help me. I walked away in that moment because I didn’t want to lose it. But I was never approached later with any apology nor was I asked if my service was satisfactory. The one good thing about the night was your waitress. Unfortunately she was not enough to assuage my dissatisfaction with the way things were handled. Needless to say, my family & I will not be returning to Olive Garden. If there is no appropriate response to this complaint, I will be forced to post this complaint on various social media sites to warn other families of this disservice. You need to fix your waitlist policy and I would like an apology and compensation for 20 meals we ordered that night

I came to dine in at Olive Garden in bossier on Saturday with my mom for Mother's Day my experience was horrible my order was made over twice and still was wrong instead of the manager trying to make it right.. I as a guest felt she was rushing me off the phone by saying I will send u a gift card instead . So I asked can we just come back tommorow and try this again I was told we will be booked on Mother's Day I felt really bad like my mom is not important instead of her saying I will find sitting for you both and the fact she never apologized Ouch! Then to top this off I spent $86.00 dollars and she send me a ten dollar gift card that was so degrading to me I hate I brought my mom to this establishment it was the worst Mother's Day weekend ever

Today may 15th I went olive garden in jackson tn store number 1652 check number 43271 @3:00 pm. It was the worst experience at olive garden, I have ever had across the usa. First the sever or bartender that helped us was eating and chewing every time he came to our table. To see food and spit with crumbs on a servers mouth was disgusting and as he talked bits of food came out of his mouth on to the table. Second he did not know any answers to our questions he kept saying well I don't know — I think, but never bothered to ask anyone. Third our calamari was very soft not crunchy. I questioned if it was done. I told the servers — several times I had a coupon but it was not applied until I told 3 more people when we paid the bill the comment that was said was "I never seen it" I tried to show it several times. We received bread sticks after asking several times. The salad was very dry we did not receive the vingeratte he promised. My soup did not come until I asked several times and it arrived after I tried eating my entree — it was cold. The entree was bad.. I have pictures of the manicotti it was just thrown on the plate nothing like the picture the taste was terrible. The cheese sticks did not have cheese inside and this time the calamari was so burned it crumbled. My other daughters pasta barely had pasta sauce... She had white noodles and we do not like a lot of sauce but this was ridiculous. The whole experience was bad and each time we asked for our food or certain portions of the food that was missing — when a server brought our food we were told our manager is coming we did not see a manager or our server just different people brought items to our table as our server prepared to go home. It
Seemed he was filling the ice at the bar. He had several silver cans like and he was putting them on the bar ignoring us. We waited to pay out ticket for approximately 15 minutes because it was wrong and we tried to get help with the bill. My children saved for this dinner — to treat me for mother's day and they left the restaurant in tears and very mad. We visit olive garden about 3 times a month with this experience I was left speechless. I have pictures if you would like to view them.

On May 15, 2017 my party of 40 people attended the Olive Garden establishment located at 2508 W. New Haven Ave. Melbourne Fl. We made prior reservations at this establishment 2 weeks in advance to let them know we were having a wedding party of 40 people. I called again a week prior to date to reconfirm. Then on the night of the wedding and dinner, I called the Olive Garden establishment at 630 pm and let them know we would be arriving at 730 and to ensure the tables were ready and again to re confirm. Everything was fine when I spoke to the lady on the phone who claimed to be the manager. Once my party arrived, the tables were not ready, the staff and management was extremely rude and rolling their eyes when I was speaking to them about the situation. They claimed no ine had re confirmed the reservations. We ended up finally being seated at 830 pm, which is an hour later than our planned reservation of 730. I would have liked an apology and someone who was not so rude and acted in a more professional manner. This was my wedding day and my wedding dinner and I planned to enjoy my dinner at this establishment.

Thank you,
Stacy McGee

I emailed as a wait list over an hour ahead and expected to be seated by the time I got to the restaurant. When I got there Dana said there was an 45 minutes to 50 minute wait with the wait list because of the overflow. I hadn't been here in a while and unfortunately won't be back. This restaurant has very poor planning. I hope others are not as misfortunate as we were.