NWR: Olive Garden- is it rude?

Are you doing that to save money? I think you might be able to work something out where only a limited amount of dishes are available. But I'm not really about their soup or salad, so I'd just be eating breadsticks.

Do you have a Maggiano's near you? They do family style eating, my FH did his bachelor dinner there for about $30/pp for pretty much all you could eat food.

I don't think it is fair to just limit the food to soup, sald, and bread, I think your guests deserve more so I would choose another place maybe cheaper such as a buffet.

I plan events for my company all the time and I can tell you that most places will work a menu out with you where you can have actual entrees (or soups) for a certain $ amount per head.

Get one of their menus and come up with a sample menu that fits your budget. Then work with the olive garden to host your event the way you want it that will be most cost effective for you.

I just checked the OG menu. The soup/salad/breadsticks deal is $6.95. There are several other menu items under $10. For an additional $90 ($3 x 30 guests), I think you could offer your guests a much nicer, more enjoyable lunch/reception. Talk to the catering/general manager at the restaurant, see if you can get a discount or special pricing.

If you can let us know what you're trying to accomplish and with what budget, we may be able to help you more. Me personally, I'd rather go to just a cake and punch reception (since I love cake) than to sit eating carbs.

I went to an at home wedding a while back with about 30ish people and they got deli trays from Publix and drinks. I can't imagine they spent more than a couple hundred bucks. If you'll be spending about $250 at Olive Garden, you can spend that and maybe a little more for appetizers from the local grocery store that'll at least give you more variety.

I guess when I think "Olive Garden" I think "pasta." So when I showed up and you were only going to let me eat soup, salad, and bread, I would be a little annoyed. I agree with others that I would try to offer a limited menu of items or see if they can cater a buffet. Or look into other options.

Okay...

After looking at the menu, luckily the lunch menu is priced really reasonable.

I think I'll do the cut off at $8.75 an entree and make up a menu around that.

I agree with Amy. I know here we have a delicious independent Italian place where you can get your own are of the dining room for your party, and the portions are huge with reasonable pricing.

What budget are you working with that you're trying to keep the food costs so low? Or are you dead set on Olive Garden?

Another option might be one of those all-you-can eat salad bar places (souplantation comes to mind). In addition to having a TON of salad options, thy usually have several soups, pastas, breads, and dessers to choose from. I think the PP is usually around $10 for lunch.

In the town I am in, there are no other restaurants with food at those prices...

And we both love OG, so that's why we chose that place to eat.

We dont have a lot of money for this wedding at all, so keeping this minimal is best.

Is OG going to do a reservation for 30 or a private party at all? We don't go often but I've never seen it there.

I don't think OG takes reservations, at least the one in my area doesn't. I understand that is your favorite and you want to keep cheap. But my suggestion would be if you want to feed your guest lunch would be finding a nice restaurant in your area and making reservations. Or having a desert reception after wards. It will cost you the same price.

I mean not to be mean, but if I was attending a wedding and gave a gift and was going out to lunch I wouldn't want someone to tell me that I would have to keep my meal under $9.00 dollars and remember that price doesn't include drinks either.

Edit: I looked up your date and it is a Saturday, OG will not do that big of a party on a weekend especially during their busy lunch times which if the weekends.

They said they've had a party of 60 before, so 30 shouldnt be an issue!

Are you going to allow your guests to order beer/wine/cocktails/menu beverages?

I love OG also, but it's not really a cheap place for a group. It's so easy for the "little" things to add up, beverages or sauce to dip your breadsticks, an appetizer or two...

I would definitely agree with the other ladies here that you should talk to the restaurant and see what type of private dining menu they can create for you, and how to incorporate beverages/sides/appetizers/desserts into that, or specifically exclude them from your parties ability to order. They might let you bring in your own bottles of wine for a corkage fee.

Good luck and enjoy!!

Hubby and I enjoy OG so much that we even order their breadsticks and appetizers to go and serve them with our own homemade pasta dishes!

I would offer more than just soup, salad, and breadsticks. If it were me, I’d be fine with that. But the men might be a little hungry after that meal… :-/

My suggestion is that you ask to talk to the GM You and your FH love the OG. There is meaning behind why you want it there, I see I just encourage that you talk to the person in charge. Usually, a place wants your business. Set up a time to make arrangements and negotiate for a group price. Get a slip that indicates the time, the price they can do it for you. I am sure they can work something out, where maybe you choose a few huge pans of lasagna or a certain pasta dish choose from. My photographer worked with me because we are on a tight budget. We originally we weren't going to have pro pics. I got engagement pictures from her, so impressed. We have no bridal party, a shorter wedding. She customized a package just for us and our needs. Point to my rambling? You don't know unless you ask the person in charge and say something like: This is what I can spend and want

Want more than just soup, salad, atc. Ask: What can you guys do for us? Good luck!

Maybe, they can also do pitchers of a certain pop or beer. You can get a set price on that. See if you can bring your own cake.

I agree. If I were invited to the OG, I think pasta, even for lunch. I would go with the punch/cake reception over this. Frankly, as a guest, I would pay the difference to eat more than soup, salad and breadsticks.

You might want to talk to OG and see if they can do up a family style menu for you and your guests. But soup and salad is sort of teasing folks.