Olive Garden sux, pissed me off to no end to pay $30 a head for bread, lettuce & noodles. My wife & daughter love it.

I'm not a big chain food resturant guy, but I've never had a bad meal at Carrabbas.

$30 per person...at Olive Garden?

Olive Garden is mo' better in my opinion. I could eat my weight in breadsticks & salad at OG. The tour of Italy has never disappointed.

I rarely go to either, but I'd put Macaroni Grill (mamas trio) right up there with OG.

Opinions vary though... & so it goes..

Forgot to mention drinks.....and dranks

I'm not a huge fan of Italian chains but every once in a while I get a hankering for Olive Garden and IMO it isn't terrible.

Tour of Italy is my go to when I go to the Olive. If you guys like the bread sticks they have these days then you would have killed for the ones they use to have. Them things were some kinda good!

I'm trying to figure out what the catch is to their Pasta Passport, where for $200 you and another person get an all inclusive trip to Italy. I realize that there will only be 50 sold total, but there has to be a catch.

I don't think there is a catch, they are basically giving away a trip for 50 as an advertisement.

We probably eat at Olive Garden once a year and every time I regret it.

I've got no interest for unlimited pasta for a few weeks, because I would get really fat, but I do have an interest in a trip to Italy.

Probably the only catch is actually being able to get one of the 50 spots.

Just so I understand, bread and salad make it a good restaurant?

About the only thing that I think is actually really good there is their sausage, potato and kale soup. Zoupa Tuscana?

But I figured out how to make it at home better, so we never eat there anymore.

Their breadsticks are horrible. They are like garlic hot dog buns. WTH?

Their salad ain't bad, but if I was going to go to a chain for a salad it would either be Ruby Tuesday's salad bar or one of the salads at Zaxbys.

Same here. Carrabbas in Columbus, Ga is one of my favorites. Been eating there for over 5 years and never had a bad meal. Two blocks away is the Olive Garden which i also frequent which is okay but not nearly as good as Carrabbas.

Again, to each his own.

I've tried Olive Garden 3 or 4 times, but honestly I had rather have a dang McDonald's hamburger.

Me either but admittedly I order the Tuscan Filet every time. It's the best steak I've had at any chain restaurant and I would have never tried it if my father, who is very picky, hadn't told me about it. Outback is owned by the same company and their steaks suck so I was shocked Carraba's was that good.

They must be raking in the money.

Bread = inexpensive
Bread 'seasoning' = synthetic, inexpensive
Soup = few inexpensive pasta noodles, chopped up veggies = inexpensive
Salad = incredibly inexpensive, pre-bagged, dumped in a bowl, swirled with dressing

Sell it at not a high price, in volume, people think it's good = Money

The sum of the parts, [salad, breadsticks, tour of Italy (one plate with generous portions of chicken Parmigiana, lasagna, and fettuccine)] yeah, make it a good restaurant IMO. I can honestly say I've never had a bad meal there. That said, I don't keep them in business. In the last 5 years I've probably been 3 or 4 times.

I've never had a meal there that made me want to go back, but I'm sure I like food other people don't like.