Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Waterford

On March 13th, Friday night I had dinner here with my family. I had run a ton of errands this day. This was the day schools shut down and people were told to prepare for quarantine. Well on the 14th I woke up and realized my iPhonex was nowhere to be found ( it is no longer active, I use it as a camera; it has everything from engagement photos to my sons birth, vacations etc. PRICELESS moments) well when I tried to locate my phone via “find my iphone” it had already been powered off. I tried to retrace my steps but was unsuccessful in finding it, devastating! Well last night at 9:43pm it pings INSIDE Olive Garden, well AFTER CLOSE (9:00pm). I call immediately and get Allan, a manager, who informs me it is only him and one other employee, the kitchen manager working, and that “they” don’t have it (speaking for the other person without even asking him). Didn’t ask for my info, didn’t offer to check the lost and found, nothing. Well today I show up there with two police officers. The first thing the female manager offers to do is check the vault (which is their “lost and found”, not there, not surprised. I explain the situation to her while a couple other staff look on. They offer for me to check the booth.. my phone had gone missing ten days earlier ( and had been powered off the entire time until the alert the night before) but I check anyway. A back of house worker checks with me. While checking the officer asks the name of the kitchen manager that had also worked last night. That’s when the man that was helping me stands up and replies “it was me, I’m the kitchen manager” why wouldn’t you come right out and say that from the beginning?? His name was Nick, he did not provide it until asked. I ask him “did Allan ask you about a missing phone that pinged here after close?” His response.. “ I can’t remember, I was busy, If he talked to me I don’t remember” umm an hour after close you were too busy? Isn’t that kind of something that would stick out to you? Not a question you’re asked everyday! Bottom line is, I brought my business here, I brought my family here. I made a mistake and left my phone behind after a long day. It’s sad to know that it is obviously an employee, as no customers can dine-in and it was well after close. One of two employees, BOTH of which are MANAGERS, have my phone or know who has it. It is a huge let down, and I felt they had no intentions of following up, as I had to give my name and number, they didn’t even ask me. I will no longer be bringing my business or family to this location and I urge others to follow suit, if not, watch your belongings, they just might go missing!

Both officers agreed the situation was “fishy” and that it was obviously an employee but at that moment there was nothing they could do. I thanked them for their time and sadly went on my way. Shame on this establishment and the whole way they went about the situation, disgusting!

Here’s the kicker, after doing my research one of the “on lookers” (in the lobby) while I was explaining the situation was James Colon, the “man in charge” .. you know? the one responsible for the managers, guess he couldn’t be bothered to say one word. Never spoke up and declared his title, never said he’d get to the bottom of it, or that that behavior isn’t tolerated. Again,...

Well let's start from the beginning. We were seated, waited...5 minutes later a kind waitress came over greater us. I got a 1/4 sip of complimentary wine and she took our drink order. We waited....10 more minutes. My husband and I began to wonder if a coke and a water were specialty order drinks. It was a different lady that brought out our bread sticks, prior to us getting our drinks. The waitress asked us if we were ready to order, it's a shame that I hadn't made up my mind, cause as soon as I said I wasn't, she was gone...but we had questions...but she was gone. So we used google to answer our questions...then she came back 10 minutes later, took our order. My husband choose salad with his entree and I chose soup. She asked me what kind of soup to start. I got Zappa Tuscana. Our soup and salad came out timely. As we ate she stopped in, asked if we wanted more salad or soup. Salad was a no, soup was a yes. As soon as I said yes, she was off..I didn't get to tell her what kind I wanted next...I was wondering if she was going to buzz back through or if yes I wanted more soup meant that she assumed I wanted the same kind. So I looked at my husband a little dumbfounded, a little frustrated...a guy brought my soup to the table," it was a -drop it like it's hot " kind of moment. So now I have a bowl of soup that I didn't want, but it was hot like soup should be. It was nice and quiet, when all of a sudden two men employees started an argument that seemed to have stemmed from the kitchen and was carried out onto the floor in front of all customers seated near by to see and HEAR. And the words that we heard were not only vulgar but racial.. the table across from us had two young boys, and the mother was telling them to stand back against the wall. The table in front of them had four younger kids...and now put into the mix that some of these patrons and their children were of different races. Besides the "F" bomb being dropped multiple times, the ghastly " N" word was also hollered multiple times. The whole experience was frightening, but mostly it was a disgusting way to spend birthday meal. We pretty much lost our appetites after that. We didn't stay much longer after that but to get the waitress to bring us some to go containers and pay our bill. She was quite busy apologizing and explaining to patrons what had happened. We were extremely dissatisfied with the situation and the way it was handled. We learned that those two employees had just recently been involved in an altercation ruining a fellow employees party on Friday night, now all these people's meals and evening on Sunday...the waitress also stressed that she was just about feed up with working like that, and that she hopped that they wouldn't be coming back again.. Yes, I just said again..that is what she said. So kudos to the two LOSERS for acting like a couple of delinquents that just got their first job out of the ghetto. Now another reason why we were so disgusted was while leaving the restaurant, one of the two employees was still in the parking lot, hat on backwards, talking while a car had little children crying in it...another group of kids probably frightened by that monster...needless to say we won't be back there, and you better believe we will tell...

The restaurant was so cold. My father in law asked if we could be seated elsewhere or if the air could be turned down . Air was never turned down and everyone was super cold during our visit. I have been here before covid and always felt welcomed . This past time after covid. I felt like we were being rushed. We came for dinner, some party members ordered salad and some ordered soup. Soup came out way before salad and breadsticks. We told our family members to eat their soup. Salad came out as family members were finishing up soup and they didn't get to have a second bowl or even asked if they would like a second bowl. We didn't get to finish our salad before appetizers came out and they just cleared it. Didn't even ask if we were done or if we would like more. Dinner came and it was ok but nothing to write home about. My kids entree's were ok but the mac n cheese was cold after a few minutes due to it being so cold where we were seated. My daughters meal didn't come with her meatball and she was disappointed. Grapes that came with their food were gross and my kids tried to eat them but said they didn't taste like anything. I tried some and I said the same thing very weird squishy texture and not fresh tasting . Food was mediocre at best. I would try it again possibly but maybe for lunch instead of dinner. Dinner I felt was overpriced for portions and I didn't appreciate the staff clearing salad plates before we had a chance to...