[katski]

TOP NOTCH.....ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Excellent service, excellent food, and I am glad they do not have a scale for before and after the meal!!

GREAT JOB OLIVE GARDEN

[hedoman]

Originally Posted by gryoung

Please forgive my pornography analogy. Rubicon had asked me to define what I meant by "mediocre" food at Olive Garden and I chose to borrow the famous quote from US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart who described his test for pornography, "I know it when I see it." Since then the analogy has been used to refer to someone's subjective judgement in the absence of clearly defined parameters. Perhaps I should have simply replied to Rubicon with the commonly accepted definition of mediocre, "average."

Rubicon, If you don't know mediocre food when you eat it, I can't help you, and yes taste is always subjective. And yes I vote for restaurants with my feet. If I don't care for the food, I don't go back. Not every situation requires that you involve restaurant management.

It's Ok as, by Rubicon's own admission, they don't elect to eat out or go out very often. So I don't know why they even comment on these things

We on the other hand eat out quite a bit and I find OG just as statisfactory as I always have. This time of year there is a wait which sours some but the food is always consitently good. Want 5 star dinning ,go to Orlando or Ocala. For a very picky eater OG meets my expectations

[kathy and al]

The most obvious thing to do is just avoid returning to OG in the future. Making a generalized comment about the restaraunt is really not sufficient. I will vote along with almost every other poster that the OG is just fine and doesn't fall to the level of disappointing or on the decline. Strictly my own opinion. Can't wait to return again soon.

[Posh 08]

Originally Posted by Skybo

Not to worry gryoung, I immediately recognized and understood your “I know it when I see it” reference. And yes folks....the term “I know it when I see it” IS a very well known historical quote about pornography.

Anyway, I agree that we can perceive a decline in quality and/or service without having a specific example to state or complain about. Unfortunately, those kinds of general observations don’t seem to go over well here, not when it comes to restaraunts anyway.

"If it walks like a duck" .......

[anlashokna]

I'll make a couple comments here as well. On our recent trip to the villages we ate Olive Garden there. I love Olive Garden but won't eat at our local one because they had a HEP scare that caused thousands to go get shots.

So we thought we'd give the one in the Villages a shot. And were disapointed. Service was extremely slow The appetizer Mozzerella Fonduta was overcooked and a nice layer cheese grease on top of the cheese. Never seen that before. The meals themselves which were pasta dishes were okay. Not exceptional and I can actually say I do remember the last time we ate at an Olive Garden and the food was EXCEPTIONAL. That was in TN.

And I noted this before on another forum we got home to find an additional large "tip" added to the check even though we lined through on the receipt and left a cash tip. So beware of that folks. Luckily we never use a card in restaurants that is tied to checking accounts and it was easily disputed. Will be watching that for now once we get down there and eat out.

[ricthemic]

Originally Posted by anlashokna

I'll make a couple comments here as well. On our recent trip to the villages we ate Olive Garden there. I love Olive Garden but won't eat at our local one because they had a HEP scare that caused thousands to go get shots.

So we thought we'd give the one in the Villages a shot. And were disapointed. Service was extremely slow The appetizer Mozzerella Fonduta was overcooked and a nice layer cheese grease on top of the cheese. Never seen that before. The meals themselves which were pasta dishes were okay. Not exceptional and I can actually say I do remember the last time we ate at an Olive Garden and the food was EXCEPTIONAL. That was in TN.

And I noted this before on another forum we got home to find an additional large "tip" added to the check even though we lined through on the receipt and left a cash tip. So beware of that folks. Luckily we never use a card in restaurants that is tied to checking accounts and it was easily disputed. Will be watching that for now once we get down there and eat out.

We also use to love olive garden, macaroni grille, carrabas, outback up north and here. I say use to because pre-recession they were all a great value. IMO not now and I find no need or desire to "speak to the manager" it is not his fault and there is nothing he can do except offer a credit. I will say, IMO Bonefish (same owners as outback and carrabas) is still THE BEST.

[SALYBOW]

I definitely think Olive Garden has gone down. I drive all the way to Little Joeys for Italian. Sometimes we even go to Pasta Faire in Bellview. Yummy also

[MLBellis]

I love the OG....what I do not like is in all places, the help going on smoke breaks in their aprons.... I worked in many food chains in the past, & was taught, to take off your aprons when you leave your work area…. I have not idea what happens to the aprons when they leave or come to work wearing them. Talk about contamination!