Yet another Olive Garden server is bringing attention to the chain’s workers’ struggles with the never-ending soup and salad deal. However, her TikTok is causing customers to feel self-conscious about what they order at the chain.
TikToker Courtney @courtneyyyh.04, who works at Olive Garden, created a slideshow to highlight humorous yet frustrating scenarios she often encounters while on the job. Her first slide mocks customers who demand breadsticks and salad as soon as they sit down. While the Olive Garden breadsticks and salad are infamous, they aren’t exactly complimentary. One has to order a meal in order to get them.
Courtney then mocks customers who order the “never-ending soup, salad, and breadsticks.”
She then notes that customers will ask for Caesar salad and complain to her about the cost of menu items. “I’m actually just a server and have no control over the prices,” Courtney explains in her TikTok. And while the chain doesn’t offer Caesar salad as a menu item, it offers Caesar salad dressing in some stores. Courtney admitted in a comment that “Olive Garden is sending mixed signals.”
The server then says there are customers out there who try to order their breadsticks without butter and salt. These customers are presumably trying to get the breadsticks made fresh by ordering them this way.
Courtney then takes aim at customers who ask for more complimentary mint chocolates at the end of their meals and low tippers. Courtney mocks how low tippers make big promises they don’t keep. “‘You were such a great server and took great care of us! We’re gonna take good care of you,’” Courtney mocks them saying before they leave only $6 on a $134 check.
Courtney’s TikTok is causing some customers to question their orders. “Am I not supposed to order soup and salad? JFC,” one viewer commented.
“Oh man, I don’t feel safe going to Olive Garden anymore,” another said.
Are other servers relating to this?
However, many Olive Garden servers empathized with Courtney’s struggles.
@Zach H commented, “I told my manager I wasn’t available on Sundays because the post-church crowd was the worst.” @nolanjared added, “The $6 tip is sick.”
An article on the Daily Dot further highlights the challenges Olive Garden servers face with the “never-ending soup and salad” deal. A server described the exhaustion of serving large groups that constantly ask for refills but leave meager tips. Examples include a server dealing with a table of six, making repeated trips to the kitchen, only to receive a low tip. This mirrors the original frustrations raised by Courtney where she received a $6 tip on a $134 bill.
These experiences showcase the imbalance between the effort required and the compensation received by Olive Garden servers.
Why is tipping a major issue?
Servers often feel underappreciated, especially when large groups order the inexpensive deal and tip poorly.
@cydthekid remarked, “I never knew it was frowned upon to just get soup and salad… I’ll pay whatever; it’s just what I want.”
Has this changed how servers feel about their job?
The ongoing challenges have left many servers exhausted. @cassiethome, also an Olive Garden server, commented, “All of these things are so true.”
@Kenzie joked, “If I had a dollar every time someone mentioned the commercial or made me use a WHOLE block of cheese…”
There is a unique bond with these servers as they call out flaws within their jobs in hopes that the general audience coming to Olive Garden will understand their perspective.
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