Turns out the online king of fast food secrets can still be surprised with new restaurant fun facts.
In addition to its neverending soup, salad, and breadsticks deal, Olive Garden is known for its small but effective cheese grater.
You’re not getting the full Olive Garden experience if you’re not anxiously worried that you’re taking too much time to stop your server as they continuously grate a small mountain of parmesan at your table over your meal of choice. (Because what Olive Garden dish isn’t elevated by a generous portion of cheese sprinkled over it.)
The viral video starts off with a stitch from creator Bo (@bo_gjerness), who shared they went to Olive Garden for their birthday and asked the server if, by chance, they sell the cheese grater the servers use in the restaurant.
“They do!” the TikToker says, as they excitedly held up the white handheld grater like a trophy.
Seeing this, Jordan Howlett (@jordan_the_stallion8), AKA the president of the Fast Food Secrets Club, was skeptical but excited to find out if his local Olive Garden would also sell him the device.
He was so excited that he woke up at 6 a.m. to go to the Italian food chain after watching the video the night before.
“I haven’t even seen my family yet. I need to see if this is true. I’m so excited. I’m the first one here,” Howlett says, standing outside his local Olive Garden.
At least in New York, many Olive Gardens don’t open until 11 a.m. That means Howlett may have had to wait for five hours before investigating the cheese grater claims.
However, many hours later, Howlett is back home with an Olive Garden plastic bag in his hand, filming in his now iconic bathroom mirror to share his update.
“I was 95.7% sure that that was not gonna work,” Howlett says.
He explains that when he finally got into the Olive Garden and found a manager all he could utter were the words “cheese grater.”
The manager sold him a cheese grater and sent him home with a to-go container full of cheese blocks so he could immediately try out the device when he got home.
“$15 cheese grater. $100 in Parmesan on the house,” a commenter said, noting just how much cheese the restaurant gifted him.
For those who want to buy their own grater without traveling to an Olive Garden, the plastic device is sold online by the brand Zyliss for $22.95. The description lists it as “the restaurant industry’s favorite table-side cheese grater.”
Once assembled, Howlett is seen using the device with utter glee and even pretends to be an Olive Garden server at one point.
“I don’t think you guys understand how life-changing this is for me. I canceled all of my plans,” Howlett says.
The Daily Dot has previously on a number of Howlett’s videos, including how to make Baja Blast at home, revealing the McDonald’s Mcbrunch Burger, and three hacks for opening jars.
The video has gained more than 6.8 million views and over 10,000 comments in less than 24 hours.
@jordan_the_stallion8 Stich with @Bo #fypシ ♬ original sound – Jordan_The_Stallion8
Commenters shared that apparently, the pasta chain will sell patrons just about anything.
“Former Olive Garden employee – everything there as a price. One of my managers sold a painting off the wall once,” a top comment read.
“So I just learned that olive garden will sell you anything that is not bolted down, cheese graters, syrups, etc.” a commnenter said.
Others delighted at the things that now make people happy as adults—like cheese graters.
“I feel like part of becoming a adult is becoming ecstatic about being able to purchase a boss level cheese grater,” a viewer wrote.
“We are kids with money, nothing else,” another said.
Update 3:32pm CT, Oct. 20: Bo’s video seems to have started a trend, as Howlett is not the only creator to purchase a cheese grater from Olive Garden after her video went viral. Popular Houston-based food TikToker @waynedang, who boasts over 1.3 million followers, shared his excitement and disbelief after purchasing a cheese grater from Olive Garden for $14.99. Like Howlett, he received a container of cheese with his new purchase. “Take a look at how much cheese they give you,” the TikToker exclaimed. “I am in cheese heaven.”
He also gave a special shout-out to Bo for starting the trend and lauded Olive Garden for selling the cheese grater at a lower price point than Amazon. Amazon has the same cheese grater listed at $22.95.
The Daily Dot reached out to Jordan and Olive Garden for comment via email.
