Secrets About Olive Garden You Never Knew

If you are ever in the mood for enough pasta to feed a small country, you might consider stopping at the Italian casual restaurant chain Olive Garden.

With its slogan, “When you’re here, you’re family,” Olive Garden tries to provide an authentic Italian-American experience that the whole family can enjoy.

One employee spoke with Pop Sugar about the things the public might not know about the eatery that serves 220 million guests per year.

Chicken Alferdo Is The Most Popular Dish

Olive Garden’s customers really love the creamy goodness of the chicken alfredo. The employee detailed that not only is that the most popular dish, but its components are individually popular.

Guests seem to prefer the fettuccine noodles, and they tend to select grilled chicken as the protein on their dish.

In addition to the chicken alfredo, the shrimp scampi is another incredibly popular menu item.

They Have A Culinary Institute In Italy

Although it might seem odd for a casual dining establishment to have a European culinary institute, the employee said that Olive Garden takes managers to the Tuscany region each year.

At the institute, they learn about Italian culture and cuisine in addition to meeting Olive Garden’s industry partners.

Working At Olive Garden Has Its Perks

If you work at Olive Garden, you might find yourself stuffed with pasta frequently. Olive Garden employees receive unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks for only a dollar.

Also, their meals are always 50% off no matter if they are eating before, after, or during their shift.

Gluten-Free Pasta Is Available

For those with dietary restrictions, Olive Garden does its best to address its customers’ needs. Gluten-free pastas are available upon request, and other menu items will happily be substituted if necessary.

Can’t eat the breaded fried chicken in the Chicken Parmigiana? They will gladly swap it for grilled chicken instead.