Via iStockphoto / @emmagracedentonnn TikTok
A Texas woman vented her frustrations after an Olive Garden server kept giving her and her sister the wrong items.
Receiving the wrong order at a restaurant can ruin a customer’s dining experience—especially when that customer is on the reserved side or a people pleaser, as they are unlikely to voice their concerns to a server.
TikToker Grace Denton (@emmagracedentonnn) is now expressing regret for not speaking up during her recent Olive Garden dining experience.
“If you live in Sugar Land, Texas, I need to tell you about this experience I had at Olive Garden yesterday that I can’t stop thinking about,” Denton begins her video that was posted on Sept. 9. “I should have complained and been a little bit of a Karen, but I didn’t.”
What Happened At This Olive Garden?
“So, yesterday, my sister and I were running errands. She’s 22 and on the spectrum,” she specifies. “And she really wanted Olive Garden.”
Once they were seated, she says she ordered for herself and her sister. “‘She’s gonna get a lunch portion of fettuccine alfredo with shrimp on top,’” she recalls telling the server. “‘I think we’re both gonna do the gnocchi soup.’”
Within a few minutes of placing their orders, the server displayed the first of several red flags. He brought them a salad instead of the soup they ordered to go with their entrees.
“OK, we ordered soup, but we’ll eat the salad,” she says. “It’s fine.”
But when the server delivered her the shrimp scampi to her sister, instead of what she ordered, that’s where Denton drew the line.
“‘I ordered her the fettuccine alfredo with shrimp on it,’” Denton recalls correcting the server.
His response? “‘This is what it comes with shrimp. Just try it,’” Denton claims.
The shrimp fettuccine and the shrimp scampi are different dishes. According to Olive Garden’s website, the shrimp fettuccine consists of fettuccine noodles, sautéed shrimp, parmesan, cream, garlic, and butter. The shrimp scampi contains angel hair, sautéed shrimp, garlic sauce, asparagus, and tomatoes.
“She tries it, and I can tell she’s a little bit frazzled. She’s like, ‘It’s fine,’” the content creator recalls of her sister’s reaction to trying the wrong dish.
The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back
After he grated the signature Romano cheese onto their pasta and walked away, Denton says she sensed something off.
“I had a weird feeling while we were eating, and there was a lady drunk at the bar. It wasn’t even noon yet,” she recounts. “I’m not getting a good vibe here, and we need to get out of here.”
Despite the string of errors, the server dropping off the incorrect drink refills was what sent her over the edge. “This guy has no idea what he’s doing, and it’s just making s—- up,” she says.
As soon as a manager arrived to check on them, she says she failed to seize the opportunity to address the issues. Instead, she says she paid the bill, left a poor tip, and bailed.
“I should have complained because that was so rude,” she says. As a result, Denton doesn’t intend to return to that location.
“I don’t think I would be going to that Olive Garden again,” she says. “I just had such a bad vibe and bad experience that I don’t wanna go back.”
‘Hearing This Makes Me HEATED’
Denton’s story garnered over 88,000 views. Many unanimously agreed she had every reason to complain.
“Never feel bad about complaining for something that you are paying for,” one viewer commented.
“Voicing valid complaints is NOT being a Karen,” a second concurred.
“Noooooo you should have complained!! As a server, hearing this makes me HEATED!” a third stated.
Meanwhile, others shared what they would’ve done in her shoes.
“I would’ve spoken up once the salad hit the table. That’s just me though,” one commenter shared.
“As soon as he said ‘just try it,’ I would’ve immediately asked for the manager. That’s insane behavior,” another revealed.
@emmagracedentonnn I guess there is an end #olivegarden #fyp #sugarland #foodreview
Olive Garden Enters The Chat
It seems that Denton’s video landed on the Italian restaurant’s FYP. It replied to her comments section. “This is disappointing to hear, Emma. Please send us an email at social@olivegarden.com so we can help,” they wrote.
And that’s exactly what Denton did. According to a follow-up video, she says she reached out to Olive Garden and sent documented evidence. “I so happened to be taking a video of everything we got because I was doing Never Ending Pasta,” she says. “The goal was to order rounds of food and rate them. I did have video of the food.”
It’s unclear how Olive Garden rectified the problem. BroBible reached out to Denton via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment. BroBible also reached out to Olive Garden via email.
How To Complain At A Restaurant
As a rule of thumb, it’s best to notify your server of mistakes right away. Be sure not to touch the dish or eat it because it could make it challenging to have the issue fixed. From there, Eater recommends requesting resolutions, such as replacing or removing the meal from the bill. However, if your server is being disrespectful, the outlet suggests speaking to the manager. More often than not, they will find a way to remedy the problem.