Well, now I have to rant: Hey, I too own flip flops and I wear them at the beach of all places. You want to wear them at home? Fine. Just remember that when you set those fungi-ridden feet out-of-doors, you had better be heading toward some sand, or they're fair game for me stomping all over them. Agghghgh! I hate those things.

Anyway, back to the Olive Pit. I don't even hate the food so much (although it's been years since I've eaten it), it's the advertising. Pretending it's "like family" - well, I suppose it is - most families these days cook pre-frozen food and things they can flash-boil. Pretending they have these master chefs from Italy working for them that come up with these rancid meals. Pretending that every paisan and his seven brothers are beating each other up to see who can get a reservation so they can eat a meal just like Mamma made for them when growing up in Bologna. THERE'S NOTHING ITALIAN ABOUT THE OLIVE GARDEN! Don't believe me? Here's its history, straight from the own website:

Founded in 1982, Olive Garden is a division of Darden Restaurants, Inc. Olive Garden was originally developed by General Mills Restaurants, a division of General Mills, Inc. In June of 1995, General Mills spun off its restaurant division into Darden Restaurants, Inc.

That's right...developed by General Mills. You know, of the Venician General Mills famiglia.

Listen, is it better than eating at McDonald's? Most likely. Will you leave full? Well, since they won't stop returning with breadsticks, it seems likely. But don't insult what's left of my intelligence with this inane drivel about being "genuine". I give it the old Sicilian malocchio!