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| - It did not surprise me that there was a wait at a new location, but there were probably 8 employees behind the hostess station looking like they had no idea where they were. After our name was on the waiting list, (40 minutes) I could not find a place to sit, so I thought there may be room to sit in the ladies room. On my way to the bathroom I had to wade through about 50 servers milling about in the aisles. This is a big location, but there is no way they need a staff of 200 inexperienced servers to stand around looking confused in groups of two.
We did wait less than the predicted time, but I think that was due to the fact that the people in line before us were no where to be found when their names were called. We were seated at a decent table, but the building is loud and overcrowded, so we couldn't hear each other talking. That makes a meal awkward enough, but we were also being interrupted constantly by servers delivering items to our table that were meant for other tables.
Our server was nice and tried his best, but I think in general they trained these servers to up sell and serve wine samples, but not on practical things like table numbers or order timing. When I saw the new menu, it made more sense since they are obviously all about the money, money, money. The prices have gone up! I suppose they need more money to help them pay the cost of the new building and maintaining an army of untrained servers to run around being useless and blocking fire exits all the time.
Our entrees were served before we had a chance to eat our salad and the appetizer came out 10 minutes after that. I guess they were going for a reverse dining experience. The food came out so fast and inappropriately timed that I felt we were being rushed out. Combined with the loud atmosphere and the numerous people stopping by the table it felt like eating at a parody of a good restaurant.
The food itself, while served way too quickly, was also not very good. I am a fan of Olive Garden, so I am not sure if they changed the menu or it is just being executed poorly. The salad was gross and rubbery, my fettuccini was bland and my boyfriend's ziti was so salty he was draining Lake Mead with all the water refills.
The appetizer was okay, but honestly I'll eat pretty much anything as long as you deep fry it. Additionally, it is hard to enjoy an appetizer when it comes out after you've already started your actual meal. With that much food on the table you start to realize how much you are pigging out right now. Nobody wants to be reminded of the call to Jenny Craig they will have to make as a result of this one meal. The server did apologize for this, but no one offered to take the appetizer off the bill... or even to take it back. Just shut up and eat your pile of food, fatty.
Even though there were people everywhere throwing food at us and asking us how we were doing at the beginning of the meal, they all disappeared at check time. I guess they get yelled at a lot for those sneaky upsells? The manager came by after several minutes, but we just wanted to give them our money and leave by then. Honestly, this Olive Garden needs to call its birth mother and get some guidance about how to win at being a real restaurant. Maybe we will try it again in a year. Until then I think we will stick with the Red Robin right next door.
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