Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Cedar Rapids

We went back to Olive Garden because it's been over a year since we went there.The soup was delicious and the bread sticks were good, however, the salad wilted and black. Also, they leave the stem of the lettuce in there salad bowls. I was a former food prep and I know that you don't leave something like a stem or lettuce in a salad because that could be a choking hazard with a little kid, someone who blind, or some one who is eating their salad and talking to their friends and family. When I told the server and manager about the lettuce stem in the salad bowl, they acted like it's no big deal. Also, the server Alexis asked me if the entire salad is wilted and black? I said, no, but it needs to be entirely fresh. We had lunch at 11:30am and the lettuce is black and wilted? That lettuce needs to be prestinne, especially when Olive Garden raised their prices through the roof! In addition we ordered the artichoke and pita appetizer and the pita was harder than a rock, the manager said, they pita is supposed to be like a potato chip, well it was harder than a rock. Pita bread is supposed to be soft. So we had them remake the piita appitizer and there was still in places of the pita hard spots.I appreciate the manager taking our salad back and being diligent about making sure there was no wilted and black lettuce, and lettuce stems. The manager even brought in the quality control gal in. We didn't want a free meal, just a pleasant and desirable meal to eat. They could have gave us a free dessert or maybe a coupon for a free appetizer for our next visit to the Olive Garden. Also, we used that kiosk machine on the table to pay our bill and it didn't print out our receipt. We paid $35.00 for our meal and the kiosk ran out of paper. Go figure. When I talked to the manager and told her every year, we go to Olive Garden something goes wrong and since Covid the Cedar Rapids Olive Garden has slipped several notches. The manager said, you have a right to your opinion; that statement made me feel like my opinion didn't matter. We will not be returning to the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Olive...

I've been to Italia [Italy] spending ample time eating at different places my guides recommended. Italians like to eat, they like the entire family to eat together, this is no joke folks large groups of ten to twenty swarm in. Why am I bringing this up? Please continue to read.

It's my granddaughters Graduation night, the family and friends a group of twelve, made reservations at The Olive Garden! Here's the issue. Everyone ordered a pasta dish. Mine the pasta with meatballs, my wifes the pasta with shrimp and so on. All the pasta, mine and my wifes orders were angle hair, my daughters linguine... it made no difference each and everyones noodles were semi warm, stuck together, and over cooked! BLAH! The breadsticks were wonderful, the salad was over dressed with dressing! Due to their consistent performance when I've traveled I frequent many Olive Garden restaurants throughout the United States and never had such an awful meal. I waited at our table for over twenty minutes for the manager who never arrived. The family was getting very inpatient with me so I begrudgingly agreed to leave before voicing my opinion. We left without taking any of the leftovers with us!

In fairness to The Olive Garden everyone has an off day. Yes you were extremely busy. I didn't ask how long the wait was with or without a reservation however seeing the packed foyer I imagined it to be more than I'd agree to do. In so far as the time spent waiting for the manager I find it to be repulsive and unacceptable! Our server assured me she had told her immediate supervisor I'd requested to speak to...

Tap dancing...what a show!!!! I didn't know that I was paying for more than just an Italian experience with my meal. I entered the establishment with a rumbly in my tumbly and a mission without permission; eggplant was on my mind and nothing more. We were seated immediately, to which I proceeded to leap into the air and click my heals together knocking the food off of someones table; that never happens because I'm white and white man can't jump or so I'm told. I apologized and walked away like nothing happened; I didn't want the couples look of horror to ruin my night. Once we were seated our waiter...or waitress, I'm not sure exactly, started singing everything they were saying. After they paused for a second to breath I belted out a five minute ballad about eggplant that was accompanied by an equally impressive rock guitar solo played by my date. Our server was impressed, I mean of course he/she was, it was an epic moment. After about 30 or so minutes of salad eating and appetizer munching my eggplant arrived. Before we were graced with its presence our water-tress tapped a dance so impressive that my date and I had to give himer a standing ovation. The rest of the night involved munching on the most delicious eggplant from all of Italy. Nom nom nom. I even made sure that I got some stuck in my beard so I'd have some left overs for later. I'm only now wishing the eggplant was my date so I'd have a piece of it forever. I can only imagine how amazing its kisses are...unf. Olive Garden of Cedar Rapids your experience will be in my heart and soul for the rest of forever. Keep...