Olive Garden's Viral 'Tattooed' Breadstick Response Is Deservedly Weak
Olive Garden typically offers a delightful experience, with huge portions, fancifully fun alcoholic beverages, an array of appetizers (some better than others), and tableside cheese grating. Customers are also huge fans of its breadsticks. However, one Olive Garden patron got an unexpected surprise back in November when they went in for a carb-y bite.
@fartbubble69420
As seen in the TikTok video above, there were two letters, "O" and "K," as well as the number "6" actually printed on the breadstick. Over the image of the tattooed breadstick, the user, @fartbubble69420, wrote, "guys why is there letters on my olive garden breadstick (sic)." Naturally, commenters chimed in with their speculations, including one who reasoned that the printing from the label on the bag in which the breadsticks arrive to restaurants could have transferred to it.
The Olive Garden declined a request to comment from Today. But it did respond — somewhat underwhelmingly — to the actual video from its own verified TikTok account, saying, "We are concerned to see this. Can you please send an email ... with your full name, and the location you went to?" After its initially tepid, somewhat reserved reply, the chain followed up and compensated the customer with a gift card. That might seem like a weak response overall, but was the initial complaint really worth all the brouhaha and news coverage? We'll call it even.
Olive Garden's response got some positive feedback from the internet
In a follow-up video just four days after the initial breadstick incident, the customer posted a screenshot of an email sent from Olive Garden that contained a $100 gift certificate for their troubles. Some of the commenters were very appreciative on their behalf. "THEY CLOCKED THATTT," one user said, while another responded, "olive garden does NOTT playyy." However, other users joked that Olive Garden gave the gift certificate so the customer wouldn't sue.
@fartbubble69420 Replying to @Olive Garden #olivegarden
While we suppose we should give credit to Olive Garden for actually paying the customer, we're not sure we'd want a gift card to the very same restaurant that gave us a suspicious tattooed breadstick if we were in Fartbubble's position. However, given that the tattooed breadstick issue was relatively minor, perhaps Olive Garden's response was actually perfectly suited to the moment.