Bowing to prssure from the Olive Garden lobby
November 13, 2007 | 6:09 am
When I lived in Pittsburgh I lived relatively close to an Olive Garden. I could never understand why there were long lines out the door on most any given night. I even tried it once to see what all the fuss was about and said “Humph.” Another blogger tried it to years ago, took a few cheap shots, and is now paying the price:
In the course of the post, I made a few jabs at the restaurant, mostly about the “authenticity” of the chain restaurant’s food and ambiance — but nothing very threatening. At the time of the post, the restaurant chain had a commercial on TV where some Italian-American family brings their grandma straight off the plane from Italy — to Olive Garden — and Grandma feels right at home, even though I doubt her local trattoria in Sicily gives a guest one of those grimy “buzzers” that vibrate when your table is ready….For two years now, I’ve been getting comments and emails angry about my opinion of Olive Garden, as if I attacked Jesus himself. I don’t know who these people are, or WHY they are so passionate about the Olive Garden.
The ppor guy even made a list ranking the top chain restaurants and sandwiched Olive Garden in between Cheescake Factory and Denny’s (Denyy’s?!?!?) at number two. Yet he still got a horde of hate, being accused of everything from perpetuating poverty among the waitress class to having half a brain.
Yet Citizen of the Month still seems to be itching for a fight, having posted this video:
Fee "Nick" Ulee wrote:
November 13, 2007 at 1:40 pm
That’s beautiful.
I don’t understand how Olive Garden survives in places like Boston, Chicago, or Pittsburgh, where you can find a good Italian restaurant about every three blocks.
People truly are sheep.
Christine wrote:
November 13, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Funniest video I’ve seen in a long time, and from someone who grew up on real Italian food, totally true. I put it up on my own blog.
bluecells » Blog Archive » Bowing to prssure from the Olive Garden lobby wrote:
November 13, 2007 at 7:56 pm
[...] can read the full story here Filed under: [...]
Christine/cgrrrl wrote:
November 13, 2007 at 10:14 pm
This is too funny. But perhaps even funnier was the rave I saw awhile back on Denver’s Craigslist rants and raves where someone was asking for a good Italian restaurant recommendation and someone responded with a rave about the Olive Garden, and no, they weren’t being facetious, and no, apparently they weren’t even aware that it was a chain. They said something like: It’s good, it’s local and I think it’s even family-owned.
While I couldn’t find that Craigslist gem I did find these two, though not nearly as funny. Can you see why I want to move back to Boston?
http://denver.craigslist.org/rnr/450991528.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/rnr/455763228.html
P.S. Love the video. Thinking of sending it out to my own large, loud, arguing, obnoxious Italian family.
Jonathan Potts wrote:
November 13, 2007 at 10:15 pm
The temptations of chain restaurants are strong when you have a kid, because they are child-friendly, and you’re not alienating the other customers (as much) when you bring a child there. But why people should have such allegiance to any restaurant is beyond me. I suppose people assume that if you are making fun of some place they frequent, you are making fun of them.
Nick, you are right on. There are tons of neighborhood Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh. Some are so-so but many are excellent. Even where I grew up, near Greensburg (a small town 35 miles or so from Pittsburgh) there are several good, family-owned Italian restaurants that should shame anyone who stands in line at Olive Garden.
Even if they do have kids.
Christine/cgrrrl wrote:
November 16, 2007 at 12:56 am
That’s hysterical. I love the video.
I have a large Italian extended family and it’s pretty damn accurate. Oh, and I’m the black girlfriend.
A few months back someone posted a rave on Denver Craigslist about Olive Garden. (Now do you see why I want to move back to Mass?) They said something to the effect of, It’s cheap, it’s good, and it’s locally owned. Apparently they weren’t aware that it is a chain. I couldn’t find that post but found these two:
http://denver.craigslist.org/rnr/455763228.html
http://denver.craigslist.org/rnr/450991528.html
Poor Olive Garden, looks like you are destined to be the butt of jokes nationwide.
Interestingly enough, when I lived in rural Maine, they put in a Red Lobster in Augusta - which went out of business in less than a year or so. They put in an Olive Garden and the lines were out the door. Mainers might know their seafood but don’t know spumoni from ravioli.
Jen wrote:
November 17, 2007 at 8:20 am
” I suppose people assume that if you are making fun of some place they frequent, you are making fun of them.”
I think that’s issue right there, in a tidy little nutshell.