I just don't get why people wait in line to get into this place. My family and I go here from time to time, but I think today's visit will be our last. We got a table right away, but we waited about 15 minutes before our waitress arrived. She apologized and said no one had told her that we were there. I ordered bruschetta and salad and my companions had soup and salad. Olive Garden's soups are pretty good, I'll grant them that. But the bruschetta was just awful. It was just toast with chopped tomatoes, no garlic, salt or olive oil at all. The breadsticks and salad were just ok; I don't see why people rave over them. Salad did have pepperoncini peppers, which were a nice touch. The waitress was polite but seemed to be either new or overwhelmed. She never refilled any of our drinks and just seemed sort of distracted. We left her a nice tip though. I've been a waitress and know how hard it can be, especially at a chain restaurant where the crowds and their demands are never-ending.
I'm no food snob, but Olive Garden seems to aspire to lowest-common-denominator, faux-Italian food for people who've never had the real thing and don't know what they're missing.