Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Alabaster

My review today is based more on attitude of staff & atmosphere rather than the food. We were attending a sales presentation where lunch was furnished to those attending. We arrived at 10:40 am( restaurant opens at 11). Our event sponser was waiting out front with all of his AV materials, paperwork, etc. trying to gain entry to set up for meeting. He told us he normally arrives 30" ahead to do this. He was having trouble getting his contact (the GM) to answer & allow him access. Finally at 10:55 he opens the door but tries to close it before we could enter & stated "We're not open yet"....I told him we were "aware"...just wanted to sit in outer vestibule due to the weather...he did so but locked the door again once we had entered. He then proceeded to hold a staff meeting which went on until 11:10 before he unlocked the doors again. By now other patrons were waiting outside to enter. Once inside, we told them we were there for a presentation but no one stepped forward to seat us....the GM gave us a thumbs over his shoulder "y'all are in the back room." There are 7-8 servers + the GM standing between us & our destination & still no one attempts to seat us??? Finally one of the servers awkwardly steps forward & escorts 4 of us to back area of dining room. Our presenter begins his talk but is unable to utilize any of his AV equipment because they failed to tell him there were no accessible outlets for his equipment. Our server was inattentive...showing up 20" later to obtain beverage orders, our salads were served without first bringing flatware & napkins, then as we were finishing, he began to pick up & clear items without first asking if we were "done"....I felt like he was rushing us to leave. Random servers kept cutting through the aisle we were on on their way to kitchen when we were the only ones back there & they were not serving our tables. The loud, cheesy Italian music made it difficult to hear our speaker since he was unable to utilize his microphone. The whole place just lacked any professionalism & the GM was just R.U.D.E. This company will never book a presentation there ever again! The food was average. And the service industry complains about no/low tips & restaurants are going belly up every day. Do better, Alabaster! Take a little pride in your work. Makes us rethink eating at OG or at least...

I used to love going here with my husband, but in recent years the food quality has really gone down. Not to mention they removed 2 of my favorite items from the menu! The Cappellini Pomodoro, which I loved so much! It was a lighter dish, less fat & calories, but full of flavor. Perfect in the warmer weather, and paired perfectly with the Moscato! And they also did away with the Bruscetta appetizer, which was our ABSOLUTE favorite thing to order. We ordered it every single time we went there, it was SO DELICIOUS! How do you remove such an Italian staple like that from your menu?! (However, the last time we ordered it they made it entirely wrong, which should have been an indication of things to come!) And it's not just the food that has changed. They also have switched several of the wines on their menu. I remember going there and enjoying a great meal with my husband, and enjoying a nice wine was one of the best parts. I love a really good Moscato, and they still have a couple of decent ones, but they no longer have the delicious champagne they used to. It was truly my favorite "less expensive" brand of champagne; I buy it myself anytime we have a special occasion, such as for New Year's Eve. It went VERY well in their Peach Bellini, which used to be so delicious & refreshing! I ordered one several months ago and the champagne they use now is not nearly as good. It's drier, not slightly sweet, and the bellini just doesn't taste the same. I am truly saddened and extremely disappointed. We actually got take out food from them a few days ago. I ordered the Fettuccini Alfredo with broccoli, which used to be delicious & flavorful. Now it's just incredibly bland, no flavor whatsoever. I couldn't even finish it. Such a disappointment. And in addition to lowering the quality of the food, they've raised their prices - it's absolutely ridiculous now! I don't mind paying more for a delicious, well-cooked, good quality meal, but this is just not worth the price. There's a saying: "There's nothing like a good meal, and that was NOTHING like a good meal." We paid upwards of $60 for dinner for 2 people, and for that price I could have gone somewhere else, gladly handed over $60 (or more!), and left happy and satisfied. It's such a shame. Won't ever be...

In most cases the food and staff at this location are on point. The last couple of times we ordered not so much.

Tonight Dec. 2, 2023 we ordered a nice meal for my husband and I to have in. I ordered a ToGo order online, paid for it through Google Pay, and was give the time of 6:35PM. Which is stated in the text to my husband for details for pick up as well as on our itemized receipt through their website and Google Pay. DESPITE me paying they charged my husband a 2nd time in a different amount handed him the food. He said multiple times are you sure this is it? We paid online already. The girls says "that happens all the time."

He gets home. I did not think to tell him what I ordered so he really didn't know what to check for and since they assured him multiple times this was the order. It was wrong. Entirely. Nothing we ordered but breadsticks and salad were in these bags Not only is the order not ours but we were infanct charged TWICE.

One for $83.23 The other for $81.21

Update is a sensible solution is found.

Also this is the first time in 3 years my husband and I have been completely alone with one another sans kids or other relatives. I am a stay at home mom to 3 kind in 3 different stages of life keeping me on my toes. I also was until recently the care giver for those duties were only needed off and on during our time living together but they mattered a lot. I was there the day he side at home with his family. I needed a break and this is how that break started so maybe I am emotional but it definitely is no longer a 4.5 - 5 star establishment for me because everything should have been checked thoroughly especially when my husband...