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Olive Garden Italian Restaurants

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Olive Garden Italian Restaurants

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Olive Garden Italian Restaurants Reviews

Updated Nov 30, 2023

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Found 9,401 of over 10K reviews
3.7
67% Recommend to a Friend
Olive Garden Italian Restaurants CEO Gene Lee
75% Approve of CEO

Found 9,361 of over 10K reviews

3.7
67%
Recommend to a Friend
75%
Approve of CEO
Olive Garden Italian Restaurants CEO Gene Lee
Gene Lee
2,591 Ratings

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Top Review Highlights by Sentiment

Excerpts from user reviews, not authored by Glassdoor

Pros
  • "money was good and if you were good at your job the more hours they gave(in 501 reviews)
  • "Great tips and coworkers.(in 437 reviews)
  • "I'm a student and they're great about giving me flexible hours to work around my schedule.(in 389 reviews)
  • "Pay was good for an entry level part time job Low hours commitment Fairly easy job at times(in 389 reviews)
  • "Flexible schedule to be able to work on other things like school and social life.(in 363 reviews)
Cons

Ratings by Demographics

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This rating reflects the overall rating of Olive Garden Italian Restaurants and is not affected by filters.

    1. 5.0
      Nov 29, 2023
      Server
      Former Employee
      Thousand Oaks, CA
      Recommend
      CEO Approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Free meals and you can get discounts on feed

      Cons

      Very fast paced, low hours, not many growth opportunities

      1. 5.0
        Sep 30, 2023
        Server/Waiter
        Current Employee
        Brooklyn, NY
        Recommend
        CEO Approval
        Business Outlook

        Pros

        Tips: Servers can make decent money in tips, especially during busy shifts. Discounts: Many Olive Gardens offer employee discounts on food, which can make dining out more affordable. Training: Olive Garden, being a part of a larger chain, typically offers structured training for new servers. Team Environment: You often work with a diverse team, and the camaraderie can be rewarding. Consistent Clientele: Being a well-known chain, Olive Garden often has a steady flow of customers, which can translate to more stable earnings for servers compared to lesser-known establishments. Flexibility: Servers often have some flexibility in their schedules, which might be ideal for students or those with other commitments. Benefits: Some locations may offer benefits, including healthcare, especially if you're full-time.

        Cons

        Physically Demanding: Being on your feet for long hours, handling trays of food, and dealing with the hustle and bustle of a busy restaurant can be tiring. Variable Income: Depending on the location, day of the week, or season, your tips (and thus, total earnings) might fluctuate. Stressful: Dealing with difficult customers, managing multiple orders, and working during peak times can be stressful. Corporate Policies: Some servers might find the corporate rules and guidelines to be restrictive, especially if they've worked in independent restaurants. Competition for Shifts: The best shifts (like Friday or Saturday nights) might be competitive, and new servers might get less desirable shifts initially. Potential for Low Tips: While some guests are generous, others might tip below average, affecting a server's overall earnings. Job Stability: Depending on the economic climate and other external factors, there could be layoffs or reduced hours.

        2
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        1. 3.0
          Oct 16, 2023
          Server
          Current Employee, more than 1 year
          Recommend
          CEO Approval
          Business Outlook

          Pros

          - Servers have very little sidework compared to other serving jobs. - The schedule is flexible. - There's an online system for posting shifts & taking posted shifts. - Darden restaurants have quite a few benefits, such as an emergency relief program called Darden Dimes.

          Cons

          - Rules pertaining to the job are mandated by corporate, not our general manager. For instance, we have to use the Ziosks (electronic tablet at the table) to ring in all drinks, appetizers, and desserts, even when it makes no sense to do so. - Because Olive Garden offers refillable soups, salads, and breadsticks, each server only gets three tables for their section. - By default, corporations don't trust their employees. Don't expect to be able to eat "kills" (entrees from the kitchen that are unservable because of mistakes)--corporate says all kills have to be thrown out.

          1. 3.0
            Nov 30, 2023
            Kitchen Manager
            Former Employee
            Edina, MN
            Recommend
            CEO Approval
            Business Outlook

            Pros

            fun coworkers if you like teens

            Cons

            management doesnt know what they’re doing- all family based so they give most money and best shifts to family

            1. 2.0
              Oct 11, 2023
              Server/Waiter
              Current Employee, more than 1 year
              Toledo, OH
              Recommend
              CEO Approval
              Business Outlook

              Pros

              Co-workers are generally easy to get along with, and you can occasionally make decent money if you don't mind quantity over quality with customers.

              Cons

              For every decent table, you will get three cruddy ones. Loads and loads of favoritism from management, though to be fair I haven't worked there for several years now, when it was owned by Darden, so this aspect may have changed. I haven't written a review before now, as it took me this long to surface from the well of despair the OG dropped me into. This is the place to work when your enthusiasm for the industry has evaporated.

              1. 4.0
                Nov 23, 2023
                Server/Bartender
                Current Employee, more than 1 year
                Frederick, MD
                Recommend
                CEO Approval
                Business Outlook

                Pros

                Great coworkers and down to earth management, easy table turnover so decent money, and decent benefits from Darden.

                Cons

                The endless soup/salad/breadstick/pasta bowl can be a LOT. But it’ll hone your skills on multi-tasking for sure.

                1. 4.0
                  Nov 29, 2023
                  Hostess
                  Current Employee, more than 1 year
                  Mount Pleasant, MI
                  Recommend
                  CEO Approval
                  Business Outlook

                  Pros

                  Flexible schedule, easy, nice people

                  Cons

                  Horrible hours, not enough pay, never stop hiring people even though they can barley give current employees enough hours

                  1. 3.0
                    Nov 30, 2023
                    Server/Waiter
                    Former Employee
                    Mobile, AL
                    Recommend
                    CEO Approval
                    Business Outlook

                    Pros

                    Can make some okay money as a server

                    Cons

                    The work environment can be stressful

                    1. 5.0
                      Nov 27, 2023
                      Manager
                      Former Employee, less than 1 year
                      El Paso, TX
                      Recommend
                      CEO Approval
                      Business Outlook

                      Pros

                      Management is very helpful They teach you everything Good money

                      Cons

                      Very very short shifts sometimes you leave after working 1 hour

                      1. 5.0
                        Nov 29, 2023
                        Server
                        Former Employee
                        Manchester, NH
                        Recommend
                        CEO Approval
                        Business Outlook

                        Pros

                        Good pay, managers are nice, easy job

                        Cons

                        Drama from a having a younger staff

                      Viewing 1 - 10 of 9,361 Reviews
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                      Olive Garden Italian Restaurants Reviews FAQs

                      Olive Garden Italian Restaurants has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on over 9,512 reviews left anonymously by employees. 67% of employees would recommend working at Olive Garden Italian Restaurants to a friend and 57% have a positive outlook for the business. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

                      According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Olive Garden Italian Restaurants employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.4 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Olive Garden Italian Restaurants. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

                      67% of Olive Garden Italian Restaurants employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated Olive Garden Italian Restaurants 3.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.6 for culture and values and 3.5 for career opportunities.

                      According to reviews on Glassdoor, employees commonly mention the pros of working at Olive Garden Italian Restaurants to be career development, benefits, management and the cons to be culture, workplace.

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                      Feel free to post any interview questions you might be asked and I’ll help you compose an effective response :)

                      ComEd

                      Got booted from my former position about 4 years ago, which I LOVED. I have the impression I was "kept" in sympathy. Now that I have my feet beneath me, I feel like I'm running in place. Over the past 2 years, I've probably applied for about 100 positions in other departments. True, a few were unlikely moonshots, but for the most part I didn't misrepresent myself. Am I the world's worst interviewer? Otherwise.. shouldn't I have been accepted elsewhere, by choice?

                      2
                      4 Comments

                      Administrative Assistant

                      I haven't worked since Jan. 2020 when my job as administrative assistant for the Hospitalist group was eliminated. I can't begin to count the number of applications submitted, interviews I've had, jobs that I was told were mine then they weren't, etc. Several jobs have fallen through or not panned out. I am not a job hopper and want to stay where I go. I have a zoom interview tomorrow for a front desk receptionist position at an oral surgeon's office. Any interview tips are appreciated.

                      7
                      5 Comments

                      Meta

                      Hey all, I’m looking for advice on program manager hypothetical interviews such as: “what would you do if X happened?” Is there a particular thing or core value that Bloomberg looks for? Thanks!

                      1
                      0 Comments

                      Glassdoor has 9,512 Olive Garden Italian Restaurants reviews submitted anonymously by Olive Garden Italian Restaurants employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Olive Garden Italian Restaurants is right for you.