Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Elgin

So I visited Olive Garden on Two Notch Rd recently and my experience was the worst ever. I sat at the bar and my server was Makayla H. She took my order and I ordered the Soup n Salad along with the Zuppa Toscana. She tells me that it might not be right when it comes out because a new person is making it. I said well can I request someone that’s not new to make it because I really looking forward to that soup all evening. So it comes out and immediately when I look at it I knew it wasn’t right. I said yeah this ain’t it and she was being dismissive as if she wasn’t trying to hear me but kept asking me do I want cheese on it. I said no I don’t even know if I’m going to like this so I tasted it and it was the worst thing ever. It was full of water with the meat sitting on top with potatoes dumped onto it. I said no I don’t want this and she said well we can’t do nothing about it I was like wow this is the response to this and she asked me if I wanted another soup I was like not really but since I’m hungry yes. So I ordered another soup that wasn’t good and I asked for the manager. He came and I explained to him the issue and he said they fired the guy that was making the soup and I told him you guys shouldn’t even be serving this soup to anyone because it’s not right and they knew it wasn’t right. Anybody who eats Zuppa knows how it supposed to look and taste and the fact that they was trying to get people to eat something that wasn’t right is startling. Then he repeats what she said “there’s nothing we can do about it” all of our soups are prepared ahead of time and already made, so I ask so they’re not fresh and he says yes, then I said you just said that they’re premade and already ready. I said okay never mind I’ll just write a review. The employee was rude and dismissive just like her manager so I assume this is how you guys handle issues at this location. This is unacceptable as a frequent customer who tips very well. I was about to not tip Makayla because of my experience but I didn’t allow that treatment to affect my professionalism and tipping discipline. I do expect this to be addressed nonetheless as this is getting out of hand with unprofessionalism in the restaurant business. Totally unacceptable. I will be writing to...

Perhaps the worst dining experience I've had started as soon as I walked in the door. Two hostesses stood there chatting before greeting me and as I was waiting on my boyfriend to arrive, they sat me early, I left his description and went to a table that wasn't clean and half of it wasn't even available to sit in as the table next to it had a man with some type of cart and his family.

Our server came well into 7 minutes of sitting down and would not have spoken to us had we not said something first for the entire meal. We saw her once to take a drink order, once more to give drinks and take our food order and she passed by towards the "end" of our meal and left before we could speak to her or a manager. Our entire appetizer sampler was undercooked: cold and mushy calimari, soft fried cheese that had no crunch and was pale in color, and stuffed mushrooms that weren't cooked to temperature. They were also either out of their peppercorn ranch or watered it down severely and when we asked the waitress for the right one, she said "sorry I don't know what's wrong with it". We both ordered the "create your own tour of italy". While my significant other enjoyed his, I lost my appetite first bite of the shrimp scampi. The pasta was overcooked and it tasted like unsalted tomato paste and not a bright scampi like one would have assumed. I ate 3 of the four ravioli and didn't touch anything else on either the appetizer or entree plates.

I feel that now is the appropriate time to address that a manager finally did a "table check" but not to ask if we needed boxes for our full plates or how we were enjoying our meal and service, but to ask us if we were ready to pay and run off after directing us to the kiosk.

I tried waiting for 10 minutes for someone to come around again before angrily paying the tab and leaving, to not even hear one of the 20 staff members up front give a farewell.

I've never had such a poor dining experience and I'm happy to know I won't be...

I had enjoyed getting take-out from this location in the past and have done so many times. I always tipped well above average. About two weeks ago, despite Olive Garden no longer having my favorite, toasted ravioli, I decided to use their on-line ordering and get something from them. It was about 9: 50PM or so. After putting in everything I wanted and the payment/card info, I get a message on my screen saying that my pickup time was not available, had expired, or words to that effect. I tried calling the restaurant on the phone but kept getting disconnected or received no answer. I finally took it as a sign that I was better off not eating there for that night.

Tonight, about the same time, I try on-line ordering again. I get the same response on my screen that my pickup time cannot be assigned, has timed out or whatever? WTH? I tried calling again, this time I got an answer. I explain to the lady what happened and ask what is the problem with their system. She says that if I ordered after about 9.45PM or so, the system will reject my order because my order might not be ready until around 10:45PM and that is too close to closing. They close at 11:00PM. I told her that I guess they no longer want my business and she did not respond. I disconnected. Funny, I bet I could walk in with three other people at 10:15PM and be served, no questions asked, but if I place my on-line order over an hour before closing, it is rejected. This bit of stupidity is the last straw. No more Olive Garden for me.

As to "discussing the issue with Guest Relations", that tells me even more about the "culture" of this restaurant. Guest Relations will give me lip service, offer me a discount card, and nothing will change. Thanks, but no thanks. There are other places that are more deserving of my business. If the owner or manager cannot or will not fix the issue, that is a...