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Two Maine customers shared in a viral video on how they score free wine samples at their local Olive Garden.
Wine and pasta go hand-in-hand. This is why Olive Garden offers a whopping 14 wine options. To help customers make their beverage selection, the Italian chain offers samples of its wines.
A pair of Maine Olive Garden customers showed how they took advantage of the little-known perk on a recent trip to the restaurant.
TikToker Crystal (@rystalkrainismaine) films her ex-husband, Issac, sitting across from her in an Olive Garden.
“Can I get you started with something to drink?” a server asks him.
“Yes, we would both like three free samples of wine. I don’t know all your wines,” he responds.
Then, the server guides him to flip to the back of the menu, where there is a list of whites and reds to choose from. “Can we do the the Moscato Primo Amore and then the Moscato Castello del Poggio?—one of each,” he says.
When the server points out he can order another, this “puzzles” him.
“Wasn’t that three?” he asks, adding. “Let’s do a Sweet Pink.”
After the server leaves, Isaac smiles mischievously. Why? Because that’s the schtick.
In order to score free wine, Isaac recommends pretending to “not know what they have on tap” and “ask if they do free samples.”
“Every person gets three free samples of wine at Olive Garden,” he says. “If you have a really good waitress, she’ll fill half the cup up with wine.”
But he says the cherry on top is having a partner who doesn’t drink. “You get them three free samples, so you get six free,” he says.
Then, six half-filled wine glasses appear on the table. From there, Isaac pours “Crystal’s” glasses into his own and downs them. Then, the customers enjoy their Tour of Italy and Gorgonzola Alfredo and rate the plates.
Olive Garden Servers Weigh In
Crystal’s clip garnered over 25,000 views, and the hack seemed to collectively strike a nerve in former and current Olive Garden employees.
“I worked at Olive 4 four years and this was annoying. Getting ppl so many samples for them to not get any wine. So hopefully [you] tip accordingly. Buttt I was also a trainer. We [were supposed] to turn the glass on its side and no wine fall out 1oz per sample,” one viewer commented.
“I hate when people come in just to get samples and not get any wine,” another said.
“Coming from a bartender… i hate you,” a third remarked.
Are The Olive Garden Wine Samples Free?
Meanwhile, other employees claimed there is a small charge per sample.
“Yeah no. At my og, it’s limited to three samples per check and they’re 35 cents each,” one commenter stated.
“BTW it’s not free. It is a sample charge in VA,” a second said.
Crystal emphasized in the comments section that these samples are complimentary in her state of Maine. As proof, she also posted a photo of the bill with a $0 on each 10-ounce pour and wrote, “Just for everyone who says they charge for samples, this is Maine not charging. It is free.”
It seems Olive Garden does offer patrons over 21 the chance to taste 10 ounces of wine in order to find the flavor suited to them. This is to encourage customers to buy a full glass or a bottle. However, senior vice president of marketing Jaime Bunker told USA Today the state determines if the samples are free of charge.
Before you order the wine samples at Olive Garden, be sure to ask your server about potential prices.
BroBible reached out to Crystal via TikTok comment and direct message. BroBible also reached out to Darden via press email.