A recent TikTok video by Ruth (@yuh1005) amassed 1.4 million views as of Friday, stirring up a debate over Olive Garden’s unlimited pasta policy.
The video, a montage of shots from her time with friends at the restaurant, is overlaid with a text card stating, “Olive Garden unlimited pasta but we got yelled at twice by the server and manager for sharing.” This revelation has turned the comments section into an oddly aggressive battleground of opinions, dividing users into two camps: those defending Olive Garden’s policy and those criticizing it.
Team Olive Garden stands firm, with one supporter stating, “Is this not common knowledge? I’ve only been to Olive Garden twice but knew I can’t share the endless options with my partner.” Another comment, presumably from a restaurant worker, reads, “If people at my work share the endless food I just charge them both and if they say something we pull up the cameras.”
Olive Garden’s website clearly outlines the rules: the Never-Ending Pasta Bowl (NEPB) meal is for one person and cannot be shared.
@yuh1005 my b fr
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On the other side of the fence, some users find the policy too rigid. One commenter expressed, “…its like why do u care I paid for my meal let me do what I want with it.” Another, claiming to be a server at Olive Garden, shared, “I did not get paid enough at OG to actually tell people to not share but yeah it’s a rule.”
The crux of the matter lies in understanding and respecting the restaurant’s policies, which are often clearly stated on their website or menu. While some may view these rules as trivial, they are in place for a reason, often related to business models and pricing strategies.
The takeaway from Ruth’s video and the ensuing debate is straightforward: If you choose to share an unlimited meal, do so discreetly. However, if caught, it’s best to accept the consequences and pay the piper.
Some have documented their successful attempts at taking advantage of the Olive Garden’s never-ending pasta bowl. One woman was able to fill up several Ziploc bags and Tupperware containers filled with the starchy, saucy goodness from the Italian-style casual dining chain.
Others have also managed to finagle some extra servings out of the never-ending pasta bowl, like this social media user who said she was able to nab 11 extra bowls of pasta on the sneak tip.
The meal deal is a hot topic of contention on TikTok, with users discussing the economics of ordering the meal in the first place. One woman even broke down how many bowls one would have to eat in order to make it financially worth it.
Unsurprisingly, opting for the at-home variant is inevitably cheaper, but if you try and get multiple people to share the same bottomless buffet of food, then the value shifts greatly. This makes it understandable why Olive Garden management would take issue with multiple people sharing these bowls. If gone unchecked, they could very well put a restaurant in the red monetarily, or, at the very least, greatly cut into the profits.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Olive Garden via email and Ruth via TikTok comment.
Update 10:45am CT, Nov. 21: Another customer recently shared a similar experience they had while at Red Lobster. TikTok user Marlin (@facen4ward) detailed what he referred to as “one of the worst experiences I’ve had at a restaurant in a long time,” where, he says, he and his family were made to feel “uncomfortable” after they ordered the endless shrimp deal.
He said that they were “told that if [they] were caught sharing the meals … they would charge [them] for more endless shrimps.” He said the manager was “policing us looking to see if we were sharing food” while they tried to enjoy their meal.
Many viewers felt that sharing food at a restaurant is a common practice and that “that’s the fun part.” However, some argued that with endless deals specifically, sharing is understandably looked down upon.