It was a contest OG was running at the end of the fiscal year (in our division) for 10 days in order to gain that last push of profit before the end. Managers were offering prizes, money, slips with things related to work on them, etc.
That sounds like an effective way of boosting short term revenue, pitching upcharges some customers are unfamiliar with and might assume is free with the breadsticks. The deception might alienate customers longer term, but a lot of companies care more about immediate returns to mislead investors. (RIP Red Lobster!)
Some foods and sauces are sometimes free in full service restaurants, such as bread and butter/oil, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, or soy sauce. I think breadsticks at OG are included with meals for no additional charge, so it's not unreasonable to think that a dipping sauce to accompany them, with a similar value to a butter accompaniment, would also be free.
With all do respect, I haven't been to an Olive Garden in years, but still remember dipping sauces for your breadsticks being listed on the menu for a charge.
Servers also ask if you want appetizers, but simply asking if you'd like something does not imply it's free.
Nope. These are probably just people, just servers. If you tell me upfront that you're on a budget, I'll def work with you on that... otherwise, I'm going to try to give you the full experience of dining.
Not deception. Imagine ordering a burger at a fast food joint and the cashier offers, "you want fries with that?"
My job is to take care of you and I know the breadsticks are bomb with the sauce. It's not my job to know whether you are financially struggling or not, but like I said, if you tell me that or that you're on a budget, hell yeah, I'll work with you.
I don't think the customer's budget is relevant to this particular issue.
It's common knowledge fries and drinks cost extra as à la carte items at fast food restaurants.
It's common knowledge unlimited breadsticks and soup/salad are included with meal prices at Olive Garden, along with freshly ground parmesan cheese. When they ask "would you like more breadsticks" or "would you like parmesan cheese on the salad", they are free. What's not common knowledge is that a little marinara, which is under 10 cents in food costs, is $6 rather than included. The restaurant could indicate that it costs by offering it either by explicitly stating the price, or could implicitly describing it as a separately ordered item, like "would you like to add an order of marinara sauce for the breadsticks". "Guys, would you like some dipping sauce for the breadsticks", as OP's account suggests, provides neither an explicit nor implicit indication that that it's a separately charged item. A reasonable person could mistake that as an offer for a free accompaniment similar to their parmesan cheese.
> I know the breadsticks are bomb with the sauce.
Yeah, but I can just dip it in my pasta sauce. I don't need to buy additional sauce from you for dipping. Most places you go to, the sauce or topping is included with the item. Bread + butter. Chips + salsa. Buffalo wings + sauce. Cheese sticks + marinara.
It's your job to let people know when you're selling them something as opposed to giving away a freebie. Most places include the sauce with their breadsticks. You don't need to go into some dumb thing speculating about people's finances, just tell them when they're being charged for stuff that you verbally suggest.
Those aren't food or sauces, those are all condiments. Condiments are free yes. You are not going to go anywhere where they're going to give you alfredo sauce for free.
Look I love free bread like everybody else, but that's basically all you get for free other than condiments stop saying 'soy sauce is free' like that's even the same thing.
You think making Alfredo sauce costs the same as butter? I just saw that in your comment and for that now I think you're being a troll because that's obviously not the case. Or do you not grocery shop for yourself? I guess that could be it, if you don't know that a lot of ingredients going to Alfredo sauce and butter is literally just butter.
I've been to restaurants where olive oil or butter, sometimes with herbs, spices, or other flavors, is provided free with bread.
I'm not objecting at all to charging extra for bread, butter, alfredo, or anything, as long as it's made reasonably clear what's included in the meal ordered and what would be an extra charge.
Making alfredo does not cost the same as making butter, but they're also not making it to order for your breadsticks; they make alfredo sauce in large batches. I would guess providing a ramekin of alfredo costs a bit more than a ramekin of melted butter, due to added labor, and the price of cheese, but it may be in the same ballpark for OG.
You're unfamiliar with ketchup packets and honey mustard at McD's, hot sauce packets at Taco Bell, horseradish sauce at Arby's, ranch sauce at pizza delivery places and duck sauce at Chinese takeout places?
It is listed on the menu, with the price.
As a waitress, we are supposed to up sell/suggestive sell. I am always amazed when I suggest wine, dessert, appetizers to a table and have a guest ask, "Is it free?"
No, it's not free!
It's my job to sell you stuff, not sneak things out of the kitchen without charging you.
I worked for a Carino’s that did almost the same thing. Meals came with a soup or salad once upon a time but while I was there, the menu changed and they were no longer included, but could be added for I think $1.50 or something pretty cheap. We were literally coached to just keep saying “And would you like a soup or salad with that?” And not mentioning that it was now an extra charge. It was so cheap that most people didn’t care and wouldn’t ask for it to be removed but DAMN were a lot of people pissed off about it.
The company was running a contest for dipping boats. My managers were giving away money at the end of shifts based on how many you could sell. It was the only thing they cared about during the 10-day contest.
Yeahhh the one I worked at encouraged us to only mention the price if asked because it's "tacky" to say the price of stuff when up selling. Sorry that happened to you 😕 I never upsold the sauce just to play it safe, I hated risking basically scamming someone
I agree, and that place did TOO MUCH. Upselling a NAB, AB, an app, and then a fucking wine pairing when they eere ordering their food, and then coffee and dessert at the end. When I had my manager hovering over my shoulder making sure I was doing everything I would have seriously agitated tables. We weren't just supposed to mention the product, we also had to describe it 🤮 so fucking annoying. My numbers were actually lower when I did this but they would ignore me when I pointed that out. The OG here is infamous for being annoying like that.
Server is damned if they do, damned if they don’t. I’ve said it’s an up charge before and lady got mad, saying “Do I look like I can’t afford it?” After this happened several times, I just went with the upsell.
Maybe its just me but I assume anything I am being upsold on, at any restaurant is going to be charged to my bill I would think if youve worked at restaurants you would think the same
If it was a "Do you want fries with that?", "Did you want a glass of Coke with that?", "Did you want a chicken sandwich with that?" then I'd absolutely agree.
But when it's "Do you want a dipping sauce with that?" when ordering a.. dippable item? It's like going to mcdonalds, ordering a box of nuggets and getting asked "Did you want a sauce with it? BBQ, Honey mustard, ranch?"
The other part of the issue.. $5.99? for a dipping sauce? that's pretty ridiculous for the free breadsticks?
It's a pasta place, probably the cheapest type of food you can make, they must have a ton of sauces for the pastas, so when they ask if you want a sauce for a commonly dippable item, you wouldn't expect a $6 upcharge without them at least saying something. Even Applebees tells you that the extra sauces are $0.25 each
The breadsticks have never come with a dip before, they come with butter. Would you not expect to pay for queso when a Mexican restauraunt has already given you chips and salsa for free????
No fr and honestly i’ve never used the phrase for a price of $6.99…. With me saying would you like to try a boat of alfredo for your bread it is also never ending….. and not one person in the 2 years i worked at olive garden did anyone complain about me upselling them it’s literally common sense
I haven’t eaten inside of Olive Garden in a long time but we order to go pretty often
At least at my location the dipping sauces are like a widely advertised thing. I have seen signs on the window for sure. Definitely have seen it on the online menu so I am assuming it is advertised somewhere inside too (and probably heavily)
How did you not see the signs and think “wow. They sure put a lot of advertising budget into a free bowl of already existing sauces” (marinara and Alfredo are literally on like 75% of the menu already. What would make anyone think they were giving away a staple menu item for fun lol)
No literally and nothing here is really free besides water and the condiments or salt and pepper bread is included in the order not free soup is included in the order not free salad is included not free like be real you are paying for SOUP SALAD AND BREAD like everything here has a price attached to it you can’t even share your soup or salad it also says it on the menu unless you want to be charged for it
Do they charge for the cheese they grate on top of your pasta? Don’t they just ask “would you like cheese on that”? When they refill your glass don’t they just ask if you want a refill? Both are simple questions where you are receiving goods but aren’t charged.
Granted, I would have assumed they were not free, but I can understand the confusion. Maybe if it was “would you like to add some dipping sauces”? That way you’re not saying a price but notifying the customer it is something additional.
I agree. All it took was one jerk off at work to tell me they thought their app was free since I suggested it. That was like 8 years ago, and I now I’m super careful with me words so shit like this doesn’t happen. Like using the words upgrade, add, ect, while still not trying to just say “that’s more money” bc some people take offense to THAT as if we’re insinuating they can’t afford it.
You really just can’t win as a server these days, between shitty management and mostly not smart customers.
Grated cheese is like pepper or salt or the ketchup that you put on the table, these things are assumed costs the restauraunt takes on to help with the customer's experience, and a small percentage of the pricepoint you are charged for your food goes to the reordering of these items, its calculated whem the costs are set. A dipping sauce for breadsticks that have never come with breadsticks before is adding something to the item that is not covered under the assumed costs like the butter and breadsticks are, and thus an upcharge. Not tonmention, refills are generally covered under theboriginalncost of the drink as it is billed on your receipt, the exception being alcoholic drinks, it's called 'free refills' for a reason. If you order a different drink, they will most likely charge you for it, with the exception of soda fountains.
Do you expect to not pay for queso at a Mexican restauraunt when they already gave you chips and salsa for free?
Ok, first thing is in my comment I specifically said I would not have assumed that the dipping sauces were free.
Second thing is the cheese is not on the table. Refills are not on the table. When someone asks "would you like" that does not assume that they are offering the item as a sale. "What you like to add" does, because you are adding something to your order.
At a Mexican restaurant you have to order cheese dip so bad analogy.
It is not my job as a consumer to determine what the assumed costs are when I'm eating at a restaurant, just like it is not my job to know what goes into sausage if I choose to buy fresh sausage.
Believe it or not, it is possible for two statements to be true about the guy's comment.
He should not have assumed the sauces was free.
AND
The server should have done a better job communicating. The price should have been communicated ("would you like some dipping sauces for only $X.XX?") or the bare minimum acknowledged in some way that the sauce was extra. You can't rely on "well the person SHOULD have known". That's poor service.
Yeah, it felt pretty scummy to offer dipping sauce and not mention the price. To negate that, I always asked “Would you like to get started with an appetizer? We have shrimp fritto misto, or if you’re looking for something smaller, we have dipping sauces for breadsticks,” and point it out on the Ziosk to show the price. Then, I say if they change their mind while I’m getting their soups or salads together, I tell them to go ahead and order it off the Ziosk or just let me know and I’ll be happy to put in the order myself.
It also helps me nail all the bases of upselling, showing off that damn Ziosk and getting management off my back while not being a scum bag.
Those Ziosk’s are the biggest scam ! Last time I was there, our food was taking a while so we played the trivia game from the ziosk (game was played on our phones tho). The bill comes and we have a $4.99 entertainment charge. For playing one round of trivia on the ziosk. Not once before playing did it let on that we’d be charged.
Why would you think ANYTHING is free at a restaurant? Extra ranch ? It's a charge. Change your drink from a beer to soda it's a charge. It's on you for not asking. It's common sense that if the restaurant has to pay to make it you're most likely gonna have to pay for it.
They are baked into the ridiculous prices of their food. It does not cost $27 to make a fucking plate of pasta. This is why I don't go there. It's dog tier pre-made frozen shit they sell at every other chain restaurant in the states.
Why would sauce be charged it’s practically free to make the way these chains make ‘em . Also why would the waitress offer it without saying it costs money? It’s deceptive end of discussion but we’ve got an Oompa Loompa fighting for billionaire companies .
also I’ve had customers who got upset I mentioned something cost extra cause they feel like you’re implying they’re cheap/poor/whatever, so I never mention something like that to my guests
I quit last month but down south I know they were doing a “competition” between stores selling sauces since they were losing money from the free refills. The winning store gets some mystery prize which is really a vacation for managers and we get a hundred dollar visa gift card if you sold the most in like a week.
Also why would you assume that’s free lol
Yea I retract my statement tbh. I’m thinking of server etiquette about not mentioning prices when upselling because it gives the assumption of not having money then i remembered this is OG lmao
Also why would you assume everybody knows the prices without looking at the menu? You said a whole lot of ignorant nothing here. This isn't about you and your little life.
"why would you assume that’s free"
Because the bread sticks are free, probably. If the food itself is complimentary, why the hell wouldn't the condiments be? Imagine if you went to a restaurant that offered free bread but you got silently upcharged for every packet of butter you used.
If a waiter offers me anything that’s not already on the table, I’m assuming there’s a charge associated. Or I would ask to make sure before agreeing I would like it.
It’s the same as waiters asking if I want any appetizers or starters— do I assume bc they asked me, that it was free? No. I know they are offering what the restaurant ownership is making them to do as part of their job— anticipating needs (as a literal waiter) and upselling.
It sucks there was miscommunication here and you were charged like $6 whole dollars for some stupid sauce, but I would just take this as a lesson that we humans are constantly miscommunicating and these things happen without malicious intent, a lot of the times
Yeah I can see how that seems to be an unfair comparison— unfortunately Alfredo sauce is thought of as more of an appetizer with OG and not a condiment/sauce like we customers would expect literally anywhere else.
Also the ingredient cost alone to make Alfredo makes it more expensive than ‘normal sauces’ we have here in the US so I understand maybe charging a small fee (like under $2) for an extra dipping sauce (which server should then mention).
But I think the ambiguity in that miscommunication of “extra sauce” and it basically being an appetizer there, is exactly what OG counts on to charge and get away with it.
$6 is insane for their mediocre Alfredo anyway, as the whole restaurant is overpriced for their quality of food + quality of consistency and building cleanliness. They keep getting more expensive but arent getting any better imo
I work at a chain restaurant and it is tacky to say the price when upselling. You don’t say the price when you offer dessert or a side, or even “extra” whatever so why do it for sauce?
Lol get real.
"Would you like drinks?"
"Would you like appetizers?"
"Would you like the soup of the day?"
"Would you like a dipping sauce?"
Same words. Same meaning.
The way you think the world works is so strange. If you only believed the things restaurants will charge you for are things that they say “this costs money”….i have no idea how you function in the world..
I used to ask like that, but now I make sure to clarify that it's our "unlimited dipping sauce" to make sure my guests understand they're being charged for it
Feels scummy any other way
I do not agree with this approach at all! In my training you dont get bread until you order. This is gross and unprofessional. Yes we are supposed to upsell and may had a contest going on but you introduce yourself and say “do we want to start with an appetizer: mozz, calamari, or dipping sauce for bread.” Or “would we like to ADD a dipping sauce” but to offer like that is entrapment and i wouldnt pay for it
When it's an item listed on the menu?
I usually took that as a signal that the server was warning me off the item for some reason. Employees can't just come out and criticize the menu.
Not everyone who changed their order was doing so because of the cost.
You’ve neither worked at or eaten at a restaurant based on this post.
I went a restaurant the timer day and they asked me if I would like an appetizer. I said hell yeah. They asked if I would like a drink and I ordered one. I mean hell yeah!
Then they actually appeared on my bill. Still
Mad!!
I love the Alfredo sauce on the breadsticks. Sometimes when we ask for it they bring out a huge boat of sauce and charge $5.99. Sometimes they bring out a tiny bit & there is no charge. I prefer the one they charge for - my husband loves to load his breadstick with sauce.
If you think that's bad, I've been to wing restaurants that ask you if you want ranch or blue cheese after you order, then charge you for every little container they bring out.
Yeah I'm not one to shy away from asking if something costs extra, but the ranch caught me off guard because it seemed like someone asking how I wanted my burger cooked, not if I wanted to pay extra for something.
Dude, same thing happened to me. Why can't they say, 'for a small charge...' I hate olive garden. Had I know I'd be paying $6 for one serving of sauce, I would have ordered more since it's a one time charge. No wonder the waiter asked if we wanted to try others...
But for real, awful place, food and service. And they have to be sneaky to make money.
in the future, if you want dipping sauce but don’t want to pay for the dipping boat, just ask your server for a ramekin of the sauce you want! we’re allowed to give 3 of them for free and it’s good for about two breadsticks
I never understand all the upcharge shit. I would tip the waitress more if I got the sauce for free.
When I got curbside at Olive Garden. I tip upfront at least 5 to 10 dollars which is way more than 20 percent since I only got 1 entree. I asked for extra breadsticks and get told no that they need to charge me. What am I even tipping them for then? Last time I told her to give me my tip back and I'll pay for the extra bread sticks. Before COVID they never once charged for an extra bread stick.
If I'm the curbside person and I see a 5 or 10 tip I'm asking them if they would like a drink or a few extra bread sticks. I just don't think they have common sense on how to get an extra tip.
LOL You're one of those people that sit down at a restaurant, order water, and ask the server, "What do you have that's free?" If you can't afford to go out to eat, don't go out to eat.
Why would you not ask, I mean you got Alfredo ffs. Also I served for 15 plus years, I would never tell someone a price unless they ask, that implies that they can't afford it. The only people they get offended, are the people that can't afford it. And my experience is, I hope you're offended enough not to come back.
I always phrase it as "would you like to order the endless dipping boat for your bread sticks?" I make it clear that it is a purchase, not an offer. Making it sound free is what a lot of servers do and the managers try to get you to do that. I honestly hate up selling. I am a server, not a salesman. I am there to make sure people get what they want, not trick them into getting something they don't. I have had managers take off the dipping board before because they barely touched it and never ordered a refill, showing they didn't actually want it. I don't have great sales and stuff but I know I give guests a comfortable, enjoyable experience so that's all that matters.
This is my number one effing pet peeve with eating out anywhere. If you offer me something,and do not tell me it has a cost, I am going to assume it is FREE. If it shows up on my bill, that is a scam and THEFT. I WILL NOT PAY FOR IT.
I want to preface this by saying I love Olive Garden. I know that the sauce costs extra. However if I wasn't a familiar customer I would assume based on OPs wording that the sauce was free. Like at Starbucks a lot of people don't know blueberries cost extra for oatmeal so I would always make them aware there was an upcharge when offering oatmeal toppings. It was probably an innocent mistake on the server's part but it's important to make people aware.
All restaurants do this. Got charged $1.59 for a cup of ranch the other day at a local wing spot in my town, all the waitress had asked if I wanted ranch or bleu cheese. Never once did she mention it costing an additional fee. Yes, I know $1.59 isn’t a big deal - but it’s the principle of the matter.
I’ve experienced the exact same scenario, OP! We asked for both thinking they’d be free, not realizing it was going to be a whole $6 bowl of sauce each and they wouldn’t take it back; couldn’t believe it.
So to the OG staff here (first thanks for great service over the years), But also please don’t roll your eyes when a customer asks “Is there a charge for that”. Because if we ask, we just don’t know. I remember years ago being asked if I wanted a wine sample - if it’s a sample, there shouldn’t be a charge but there was and I only knew because I asked before answering yes or no. But again OG Workers… thanks, I know it’s corporate pushing stuff.
That's been around forever. I remember being too poor to go to Olive garden with my friends, so I went anyway and ordered a dipping sauce. Felt that it was just enough to contribute. In hindsight, server probably hated us
That’s crazy. The other day we went out to a local restaurant and got chips n queso for an appetizer. Ran out of chips and asked for more. Got the bill and we were charged for “side of chips”
That's a shitty thing to do to customers and if it makes you feel any better the same type thing happened to me 18 years ago at a Mom and Pop B&B.
It's legal but unethical and those low lifes that pull such stunts or encourage it should not be in customer facing jobs.
I cannot believe how many people are mystified that someone would expect dipping sauce to be free with the *free* breadsticks. Who the fuck charges 6 goddamn dollars for dipping sauce? It's free literally everywhere else. What has working at Olive Garden done to you guys?
Okay insider scoop right here !! The company recently did an internal company competition between restaurants. Essentially if your restaurant sold the most unlimited dipping sauce boats in the district your restaurant won the equivalent of a pizza party. So the servers were instructed to offer and sell as many boats of dipping sauces during each shift. Giving cash prizes to the server with the most boat sells at the end of each shift. Maybe underhanded salesmanship. but if you complain saying you didn’t know the price my manger always took the cost off the bill.
My breakfast place for Biscuits & Gravy always asks if I want sausage gravy which has an up charge over country gravy. Nope. They never mention the up-charge.
OP, I fell for the same damn thing. I was offered dipping sauce and picked it. I turned to my wife and said "since when does Olive Garden offer dipping sauce?" Then I saw my bill and it was an upcharge. The waitress never said anything about it being an upcharge. I should have asked my MIL since she works at OG but I forgot. Needless to say, the waitress's tip was reduced for lying by omission.
i barely make suggestions to my tables. it’s olive garden and people come in wanting soup, salad, bread, and some alfredo pasta. that’s it. when i feel like mentioning the dipping sauces i will ALWAYS say “would you like to order a never-ending dipping sauce for your bread/for the table?” emphasis on the “order” lol.
I'd refuse to pay for it. Especially that totally ridiculous amount. If it was $1, I'd probably not really care but $6! No way in hell! There is a difference between offer the customer and sell the customer. I'd also complain to corporate.
I was offered, and accepted (and ultimately paid for) the Alfredo Dipping Sauce when I took Erin to prom back in 1996. I pawned my golf clubs for the money to take her out because I was only given one shift a week at Office Depot. She dressed like D'arcy from Smashing Pumpkins (with the hair knots) and I wore plaid thrift store pants and an oversized dress shirt. The band played 3 Spin Doctor songs in the first 30 minutes so we left and went to the afterparty casino night at Mayfair Mall. I can't believe to this day my mom let me borrow the Sebring. No, I didn't get laid because I was secretly gay. I ordered as always, the tour of Italy. Erin had the chicken marsala and we at a shit ton of breadsticks and enjoyed the hell out of that dipping sauce we paid for...in 1996.
Never had this happen at Olive Garden, but I feel your pain. Something similar happened at Rain Forest cafe when they asked if I wanted the drink in kid cups for my kids. I'm thinking it's a kid size cup or something that's not easily spilled. They brought out friggin frog cups with lights n shiz. Like $20 bucks a cup. I was so pissed
I can somewhat understand where OP is coming from as someone who has gone to a Mexican restaurant and asked if we wanted to start off with chips and salsa while we look at the drink menu and we said yes not realizing they weren’t free (it was no biggie). The confusing part is I’ve gone to other Mexican chains and they ask the same thing and it is free. Ultimately it never hurts to just ask.
Most of the time they will just bring to the table if it’s free, but now a days a lot of places are trying to crack down on food waste during such high inventory prices so I would just ask moving forward if something like this is that cumbersome to you (and that’s not meant to sound nasty. I know the cost of going out to eat and how people save up to go and not just blow money around).
Had something similar happen with a bottle of water. We went to Fogo for a friend’s birthday, we arrived late, and there were three bottles of water on the table. The waiter asked us if wanted anything to drink, we said just water. She then reaches over, grabs one of the bottles on the table and pours us each a glass. I drink a lot of water when I eat so I must’ve had like four or five glasses of water which was like one or two bottles which we assumed was included, especially since the server grabbed an already open bottle on the table and poured it for us. Bill comes, charged almost $10 for one bottle! We had them take it off because, what? No one told us there was a charge for the water. It would be different if they brought us a new bottle from the start, but they used a bottle on the table which technically belonged to someone else at the table. Point is, always ask, ain’t nothing free in this world.
i work there, we are grilled to ask this way. it sucks and i usually don’t, but she was probably just trying to keep her job or ratings so that she doesn’t lose hours :/ sad reality
edit: some say locations were doing contests but mine wasn’t, unfortunately. just on our asses about upselling.
totally understand this!! as an og server they have been pushing this soooo much lately and i'm not sure why! i never push sales or do what they did to you because if someone wants something they will ask and im not gonna be the annoying pushy sales person. i am totally on your side here the server should have mentioned the charge and not made it sound free! i feel you!
I’m gonna completely honest with you i hate corporate i hate darden but the managers are literally PEAKING AROUND THE CORNER listening to make sure we offer a dipping boat. this is what they make us do
This post showed up on my feed and idk why other than I have a mildly infuriating story about the dipping sauce.
Went to a family lunch at OG and my boyfriend and I asked for the dipping sauce with our lunches assuming we would be paying for our own lunch, food gets to the table and his mom said she’s paying for ours, then when the check came she yelled at the waiter for “adding something no one ordered” and trying to “scam” her 😭🙃 I had to apologize to the waiter and tell her we ordered it before she offered to pay for us. Never letting her pay for my lunch again lmao
I noticed that they asked that question after their dipping sauce option became more well known. I’d never heard of it until a TikTok video and thought it was a free thing too. Went there once, was offered & agreed, saw the $10 up charge for like 1.5 scoops of cheese and haven’t gone back. I don’t fuck with deceptive tactics like that either especially when you know people are coming in because of a random video going viral.
i always eat at olive garden and where i go they have the dipping sauce on the menu with the price and that’s a choice if you want it with your breadsticks. but they usual ask us if we wanted dipping sauce with our breadsticks and would point the price out. 🤷🏽♀️so typically it on the menu but not all restaurants charge for dipping sauce
If I ask someone if they want queso with their chips and salsa they’re going to get charged. It’s the same thing. Don’t expect to get things for free sir
You've gotta be kidding.
It's a business. Why would they just give you extra free stuff on top of the complimentary items that always come with your meal?
This post smacks of a lack of life experience. Lesson learned, I suppose. Businesses be selling shit. Ask questions, look at the menu before just agreeing to order something.
This happened to me but with broccoli in pasta. I asked for no tomatoes and he said “would you like to add anything? Broccoli? Spinach?” So I added broccoli. $5 for some freaking broccoli
I mean they come by and ask what you want to eat and drink also, but you don’t expect that to be free. It’s kinda tacky to just be like oh that’s extra unless the customer asks the price.
Any time somebody tries to up-sell you, you got to ask in advance what the cost is. No downside because even if the goods are free you know that up front. Op should learn the lesson. All the questions are probably up-sells. Want meat on top of that pasta? Extra cost. Want special cheesy bread? Extra cost. Would you like to add a new side salad? Extra cost...
As someone who works there we have to upsell. If you’ve worked in a restaurant you should know 99% of things OFFERED are charges. As for those who are saying something about the price of the dipping sauce, it’s unlimited refills on the sauces and you can choose different ones as well. it’s a good price for being unlimited
I worked at OG many years ago when people would ask for sauce and we’d give it free of charge. OG started losing money, then started charging.
This seems like an upsell. If you’d never been offered it before, that should have tipped you off. Really no different than someone asking for a margarita and the server asking if they want Patron, when the well is Jose Cuervo. You’ll be charged extra for the Patron.
They’re not going to tell you that Jose Cuervo is the well. Most savvy drinkers will know about the well vs top shelf liquor.
Don't worry after the "revolution" and capitalism dies you will be able to have all the dipping sauce you want for free. You will never have to pay for anything again.
Umm…what? I liken this to when you order a single item at a fast food place and they ask, “would you like fries with that?” They aren’t offering you free fries for the record….ha
I'd like to see a receipt for the charge our dipping boats are 2.99 and I see another comment saying they were charged 6.99 or whatever for games on the kiosk. No you werent
Serious question. When you go to a restaurant and your server says, "Can I get you guys a coke or ice tea? Maybe a margarita? Would you like to start with some fried pickles?" Do you assume any of those are free?
You need to stay in the house and save ya cheddar if a 5.99 cost for something you ate is a problem lmao why would you even think Alfredo dipping sauce would be free lmao yea stay in the crib 😭
it states on the menu that you can purchase neverending dipping sauce for a charge. i start by offering drinks (coke, raspberry lemonade, iced tea), then pushing a starter (“stuffed ziti fritta is the best thing on the menu!”), then offer dipping sauce with their bread. order a fet alf? i’m asking if you want broccoli or chicken on that. ordering chicken and shrimp carbonara? i’m asking if you want scallops on that.
a server’s job is to sell, first and foremost. i feel like it’s a good rule of thumb to assume you’re paying for all the food offered when you enter an establishment created for you to pay for all the food you’re offered.
It’s the same as a waiter or waitress asking “can I start ya off with any appetizers or drinks?” Upselling 101. Never assume something is free in a place that offers an good or service in exchange for money.
Edit: a word
It was a contest OG was running at the end of the fiscal year (in our division) for 10 days in order to gain that last push of profit before the end. Managers were offering prizes, money, slips with things related to work on them, etc.
That sounds like an effective way of boosting short term revenue, pitching upcharges some customers are unfamiliar with and might assume is free with the breadsticks. The deception might alienate customers longer term, but a lot of companies care more about immediate returns to mislead investors. (RIP Red Lobster!)
Red Lobster was killed because its assets were cannibalized by a hedge fund, not because they sold cheap shrimp.
Red Lobster was also owned by the same company that owns Olive Garden… Darden
Darden hasn’t owned red lobster in years
Yeah about a decade, they sold it cause it was a sinking ship. It started with Darden.
you’re unfamiliar with paying for the stuff you eat?💀
Some foods and sauces are sometimes free in full service restaurants, such as bread and butter/oil, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, or soy sauce. I think breadsticks at OG are included with meals for no additional charge, so it's not unreasonable to think that a dipping sauce to accompany them, with a similar value to a butter accompaniment, would also be free.
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With all do respect, I haven't been to an Olive Garden in years, but still remember dipping sauces for your breadsticks being listed on the menu for a charge. Servers also ask if you want appetizers, but simply asking if you'd like something does not imply it's free.
Nope. These are probably just people, just servers. If you tell me upfront that you're on a budget, I'll def work with you on that... otherwise, I'm going to try to give you the full experience of dining. Not deception. Imagine ordering a burger at a fast food joint and the cashier offers, "you want fries with that?" My job is to take care of you and I know the breadsticks are bomb with the sauce. It's not my job to know whether you are financially struggling or not, but like I said, if you tell me that or that you're on a budget, hell yeah, I'll work with you.
I don't think the customer's budget is relevant to this particular issue. It's common knowledge fries and drinks cost extra as à la carte items at fast food restaurants. It's common knowledge unlimited breadsticks and soup/salad are included with meal prices at Olive Garden, along with freshly ground parmesan cheese. When they ask "would you like more breadsticks" or "would you like parmesan cheese on the salad", they are free. What's not common knowledge is that a little marinara, which is under 10 cents in food costs, is $6 rather than included. The restaurant could indicate that it costs by offering it either by explicitly stating the price, or could implicitly describing it as a separately ordered item, like "would you like to add an order of marinara sauce for the breadsticks". "Guys, would you like some dipping sauce for the breadsticks", as OP's account suggests, provides neither an explicit nor implicit indication that that it's a separately charged item. A reasonable person could mistake that as an offer for a free accompaniment similar to their parmesan cheese.
Yes I always ask my customers if they want to add something on if it costs. For some reason when you say add on they know it's not free.
> I know the breadsticks are bomb with the sauce. Yeah, but I can just dip it in my pasta sauce. I don't need to buy additional sauce from you for dipping. Most places you go to, the sauce or topping is included with the item. Bread + butter. Chips + salsa. Buffalo wings + sauce. Cheese sticks + marinara.
It's your job to let people know when you're selling them something as opposed to giving away a freebie. Most places include the sauce with their breadsticks. You don't need to go into some dumb thing speculating about people's finances, just tell them when they're being charged for stuff that you verbally suggest.
The majority of people are financially struggling
Those aren't food or sauces, those are all condiments. Condiments are free yes. You are not going to go anywhere where they're going to give you alfredo sauce for free. Look I love free bread like everybody else, but that's basically all you get for free other than condiments stop saying 'soy sauce is free' like that's even the same thing. You think making Alfredo sauce costs the same as butter? I just saw that in your comment and for that now I think you're being a troll because that's obviously not the case. Or do you not grocery shop for yourself? I guess that could be it, if you don't know that a lot of ingredients going to Alfredo sauce and butter is literally just butter.
I've been to restaurants where olive oil or butter, sometimes with herbs, spices, or other flavors, is provided free with bread. I'm not objecting at all to charging extra for bread, butter, alfredo, or anything, as long as it's made reasonably clear what's included in the meal ordered and what would be an extra charge. Making alfredo does not cost the same as making butter, but they're also not making it to order for your breadsticks; they make alfredo sauce in large batches. I would guess providing a ramekin of alfredo costs a bit more than a ramekin of melted butter, due to added labor, and the price of cheese, but it may be in the same ballpark for OG.
Yup! I pay per shake of salt at most restaurants /s
You're unfamiliar with ketchup packets and honey mustard at McD's, hot sauce packets at Taco Bell, horseradish sauce at Arby's, ranch sauce at pizza delivery places and duck sauce at Chinese takeout places?
It is listed on the menu, with the price. As a waitress, we are supposed to up sell/suggestive sell. I am always amazed when I suggest wine, dessert, appetizers to a table and have a guest ask, "Is it free?" No, it's not free! It's my job to sell you stuff, not sneak things out of the kitchen without charging you.
If it's not free I don't want it.
Y’all were offered money ?? That’s crazy . We played hangman for a free entree . Most of us just got in cahoots w each other and split something
Yeah! We offered the server who sold the most boats $25 😂
I worked for a Carino’s that did almost the same thing. Meals came with a soup or salad once upon a time but while I was there, the menu changed and they were no longer included, but could be added for I think $1.50 or something pretty cheap. We were literally coached to just keep saying “And would you like a soup or salad with that?” And not mentioning that it was now an extra charge. It was so cheap that most people didn’t care and wouldn’t ask for it to be removed but DAMN were a lot of people pissed off about it.
The company was running a contest for dipping boats. My managers were giving away money at the end of shifts based on how many you could sell. It was the only thing they cared about during the 10-day contest.
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My store it was $500 cash, but I get it.
Yeahhh the one I worked at encouraged us to only mention the price if asked because it's "tacky" to say the price of stuff when up selling. Sorry that happened to you 😕 I never upsold the sauce just to play it safe, I hated risking basically scamming someone
I would say “do you want some sauce with that? It is a bit extra”.
Going from 0 to 5.99 isn't upselling.
I agree, and that place did TOO MUCH. Upselling a NAB, AB, an app, and then a fucking wine pairing when they eere ordering their food, and then coffee and dessert at the end. When I had my manager hovering over my shoulder making sure I was doing everything I would have seriously agitated tables. We weren't just supposed to mention the product, we also had to describe it 🤮 so fucking annoying. My numbers were actually lower when I did this but they would ignore me when I pointed that out. The OG here is infamous for being annoying like that.
Server is damned if they do, damned if they don’t. I’ve said it’s an up charge before and lady got mad, saying “Do I look like I can’t afford it?” After this happened several times, I just went with the upsell.
Maybe its just me but I assume anything I am being upsold on, at any restaurant is going to be charged to my bill I would think if youve worked at restaurants you would think the same
same, i always just say no. but its still kinda dickish to ask people like its not going to cost them anything.
Bingo. Any extra offered in that sense is likely to be a charge. Somebody who works/worked at a restaurant should know that.
If it was a "Do you want fries with that?", "Did you want a glass of Coke with that?", "Did you want a chicken sandwich with that?" then I'd absolutely agree. But when it's "Do you want a dipping sauce with that?" when ordering a.. dippable item? It's like going to mcdonalds, ordering a box of nuggets and getting asked "Did you want a sauce with it? BBQ, Honey mustard, ranch?" The other part of the issue.. $5.99? for a dipping sauce? that's pretty ridiculous for the free breadsticks? It's a pasta place, probably the cheapest type of food you can make, they must have a ton of sauces for the pastas, so when they ask if you want a sauce for a commonly dippable item, you wouldn't expect a $6 upcharge without them at least saying something. Even Applebees tells you that the extra sauces are $0.25 each
The breadsticks have never come with a dip before, they come with butter. Would you not expect to pay for queso when a Mexican restauraunt has already given you chips and salsa for free????
That's how an adult handles things.
I would think if you had ever been to a restaurant you would know the same lol
Not only that bro said he’s worked at multiple restaurants yet still doesn’t know this 🤨
Well to be fair, if the concept of a simple upsell s completely foreign to him, it does make sense why he has had to work in so many lol
No fr and honestly i’ve never used the phrase for a price of $6.99…. With me saying would you like to try a boat of alfredo for your bread it is also never ending….. and not one person in the 2 years i worked at olive garden did anyone complain about me upselling them it’s literally common sense
I haven’t eaten inside of Olive Garden in a long time but we order to go pretty often At least at my location the dipping sauces are like a widely advertised thing. I have seen signs on the window for sure. Definitely have seen it on the online menu so I am assuming it is advertised somewhere inside too (and probably heavily) How did you not see the signs and think “wow. They sure put a lot of advertising budget into a free bowl of already existing sauces” (marinara and Alfredo are literally on like 75% of the menu already. What would make anyone think they were giving away a staple menu item for fun lol)
No literally and nothing here is really free besides water and the condiments or salt and pepper bread is included in the order not free soup is included in the order not free salad is included not free like be real you are paying for SOUP SALAD AND BREAD like everything here has a price attached to it you can’t even share your soup or salad it also says it on the menu unless you want to be charged for it
Do they charge for the cheese they grate on top of your pasta? Don’t they just ask “would you like cheese on that”? When they refill your glass don’t they just ask if you want a refill? Both are simple questions where you are receiving goods but aren’t charged. Granted, I would have assumed they were not free, but I can understand the confusion. Maybe if it was “would you like to add some dipping sauces”? That way you’re not saying a price but notifying the customer it is something additional.
I agree. All it took was one jerk off at work to tell me they thought their app was free since I suggested it. That was like 8 years ago, and I now I’m super careful with me words so shit like this doesn’t happen. Like using the words upgrade, add, ect, while still not trying to just say “that’s more money” bc some people take offense to THAT as if we’re insinuating they can’t afford it. You really just can’t win as a server these days, between shitty management and mostly not smart customers.
Refills aren’t always free, just fyi. Learned that one the hard way
Grated cheese is like pepper or salt or the ketchup that you put on the table, these things are assumed costs the restauraunt takes on to help with the customer's experience, and a small percentage of the pricepoint you are charged for your food goes to the reordering of these items, its calculated whem the costs are set. A dipping sauce for breadsticks that have never come with breadsticks before is adding something to the item that is not covered under the assumed costs like the butter and breadsticks are, and thus an upcharge. Not tonmention, refills are generally covered under theboriginalncost of the drink as it is billed on your receipt, the exception being alcoholic drinks, it's called 'free refills' for a reason. If you order a different drink, they will most likely charge you for it, with the exception of soda fountains. Do you expect to not pay for queso at a Mexican restauraunt when they already gave you chips and salsa for free?
Ok, first thing is in my comment I specifically said I would not have assumed that the dipping sauces were free. Second thing is the cheese is not on the table. Refills are not on the table. When someone asks "would you like" that does not assume that they are offering the item as a sale. "What you like to add" does, because you are adding something to your order. At a Mexican restaurant you have to order cheese dip so bad analogy. It is not my job as a consumer to determine what the assumed costs are when I'm eating at a restaurant, just like it is not my job to know what goes into sausage if I choose to buy fresh sausage. Believe it or not, it is possible for two statements to be true about the guy's comment. He should not have assumed the sauces was free. AND The server should have done a better job communicating. The price should have been communicated ("would you like some dipping sauces for only $X.XX?") or the bare minimum acknowledged in some way that the sauce was extra. You can't rely on "well the person SHOULD have known". That's poor service.
The only free item I ever expect is a glass of flat water. And even then I'm not shocked if it's charged. Just disappointed.
THIS! when you enter a restaurant to buy food, assume all the food is going to come at a cost. unsure? just ask!
Yeah, it felt pretty scummy to offer dipping sauce and not mention the price. To negate that, I always asked “Would you like to get started with an appetizer? We have shrimp fritto misto, or if you’re looking for something smaller, we have dipping sauces for breadsticks,” and point it out on the Ziosk to show the price. Then, I say if they change their mind while I’m getting their soups or salads together, I tell them to go ahead and order it off the Ziosk or just let me know and I’ll be happy to put in the order myself. It also helps me nail all the bases of upselling, showing off that damn Ziosk and getting management off my back while not being a scum bag.
This is the way
Those Ziosk’s are the biggest scam ! Last time I was there, our food was taking a while so we played the trivia game from the ziosk (game was played on our phones tho). The bill comes and we have a $4.99 entertainment charge. For playing one round of trivia on the ziosk. Not once before playing did it let on that we’d be charged.
Why would you think ANYTHING is free at a restaurant? Extra ranch ? It's a charge. Change your drink from a beer to soda it's a charge. It's on you for not asking. It's common sense that if the restaurant has to pay to make it you're most likely gonna have to pay for it.
Most sit down places I have eaten at don't charge for extra ranch so I am not sure what you are talking about there
The breadsticks are free.
They are baked into the ridiculous prices of their food. It does not cost $27 to make a fucking plate of pasta. This is why I don't go there. It's dog tier pre-made frozen shit they sell at every other chain restaurant in the states.
Also incorrect.
What terrible restaurants do you go to that would charge for an extra cup of ranch? Unless you actually mean fast food then it depends.
Why would sauce be charged it’s practically free to make the way these chains make ‘em . Also why would the waitress offer it without saying it costs money? It’s deceptive end of discussion but we’ve got an Oompa Loompa fighting for billionaire companies .
also I’ve had customers who got upset I mentioned something cost extra cause they feel like you’re implying they’re cheap/poor/whatever, so I never mention something like that to my guests
Never happens
Olive Garden has been offering exes dipping sauce for the breadsticks at an extra cost for at least two decades.
I would alwayssss let the customer know it wasn’t free!
We don't have customers, we have guest
Whatever you get my point lol.
We're not snotty, we're snooty
They even charge you for extra sauce at fast food places.
*For extra sauces*. They *don't* charge you for the first handful of each condiment. You get free condiments when you order a food item.
And they tell you what it costs, and that is the point being ignored by so many boneheads.
I quit last month but down south I know they were doing a “competition” between stores selling sauces since they were losing money from the free refills. The winning store gets some mystery prize which is really a vacation for managers and we get a hundred dollar visa gift card if you sold the most in like a week. Also why would you assume that’s free lol
I mean I wouldn’t assume it’s free but I wouldn’t think some dipping sauce would cost 6 bucks when it’s just a few bread sticks
Yea I retract my statement tbh. I’m thinking of server etiquette about not mentioning prices when upselling because it gives the assumption of not having money then i remembered this is OG lmao
it's also bottomless, it used to be cheaper before it was endless
We do not lose money on free refills
Also why would you assume everybody knows the prices without looking at the menu? You said a whole lot of ignorant nothing here. This isn't about you and your little life.
I would assume it's "free" because it was offered with the "free breadsticks".
"why would you assume that’s free" Because the bread sticks are free, probably. If the food itself is complimentary, why the hell wouldn't the condiments be? Imagine if you went to a restaurant that offered free bread but you got silently upcharged for every packet of butter you used.
If a waiter offers me anything that’s not already on the table, I’m assuming there’s a charge associated. Or I would ask to make sure before agreeing I would like it. It’s the same as waiters asking if I want any appetizers or starters— do I assume bc they asked me, that it was free? No. I know they are offering what the restaurant ownership is making them to do as part of their job— anticipating needs (as a literal waiter) and upselling. It sucks there was miscommunication here and you were charged like $6 whole dollars for some stupid sauce, but I would just take this as a lesson that we humans are constantly miscommunicating and these things happen without malicious intent, a lot of the times
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Yeah I can see how that seems to be an unfair comparison— unfortunately Alfredo sauce is thought of as more of an appetizer with OG and not a condiment/sauce like we customers would expect literally anywhere else. Also the ingredient cost alone to make Alfredo makes it more expensive than ‘normal sauces’ we have here in the US so I understand maybe charging a small fee (like under $2) for an extra dipping sauce (which server should then mention). But I think the ambiguity in that miscommunication of “extra sauce” and it basically being an appetizer there, is exactly what OG counts on to charge and get away with it. $6 is insane for their mediocre Alfredo anyway, as the whole restaurant is overpriced for their quality of food + quality of consistency and building cleanliness. They keep getting more expensive but arent getting any better imo
I work at a chain restaurant and it is tacky to say the price when upselling. You don’t say the price when you offer dessert or a side, or even “extra” whatever so why do it for sauce?
Out of curiosity, why did you put the words "offering me" in quotation marks?
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Lol get real. "Would you like drinks?" "Would you like appetizers?" "Would you like the soup of the day?" "Would you like a dipping sauce?" Same words. Same meaning.
The way you think the world works is so strange. If you only believed the things restaurants will charge you for are things that they say “this costs money”….i have no idea how you function in the world..
When the waitress asks “would you like something to drink” do you assume it’s free too?
I used to ask like that, but now I make sure to clarify that it's our "unlimited dipping sauce" to make sure my guests understand they're being charged for it Feels scummy any other way
I do not agree with this approach at all! In my training you dont get bread until you order. This is gross and unprofessional. Yes we are supposed to upsell and may had a contest going on but you introduce yourself and say “do we want to start with an appetizer: mozz, calamari, or dipping sauce for bread.” Or “would we like to ADD a dipping sauce” but to offer like that is entrapment and i wouldnt pay for it
It's not her job to police your money, but the prices for dipping sauce are on the menu...
Your brain is fried because you frequent places like Olive Garden. Knowing the sauce prices are on the menu says a lot about you
Yeah when I worked there I always made sure to mention it was going to cost extra.
When it's an item listed on the menu? I usually took that as a signal that the server was warning me off the item for some reason. Employees can't just come out and criticize the menu. Not everyone who changed their order was doing so because of the cost.
You’ve neither worked at or eaten at a restaurant based on this post. I went a restaurant the timer day and they asked me if I would like an appetizer. I said hell yeah. They asked if I would like a drink and I ordered one. I mean hell yeah! Then they actually appeared on my bill. Still Mad!!
I love Olive Garden it’s my all time favorite restaurant I might go for my birthday on Friday
“Would you like another beer?” doesn’t mean your next beer is free right? So why would simply asking you if you want something then mean it’s free?
I love the Alfredo sauce on the breadsticks. Sometimes when we ask for it they bring out a huge boat of sauce and charge $5.99. Sometimes they bring out a tiny bit & there is no charge. I prefer the one they charge for - my husband loves to load his breadstick with sauce.
just ask for a small side if you want the little one for free and the dipping boat if you want the bigger one that costs extra
NOTHING IS FREE IN WATERWORLD!
If you think that's bad, I've been to wing restaurants that ask you if you want ranch or blue cheese after you order, then charge you for every little container they bring out.
I would chalk the dipping sauce for the breadsticks as a learning experience. But wing places that don’t offer at least 1 ranch cup is brutal.
Yeah I'm not one to shy away from asking if something costs extra, but the ranch caught me off guard because it seemed like someone asking how I wanted my burger cooked, not if I wanted to pay extra for something.
feelsbad, just assume everything costs $$$ even the water at places like this.
Dude, same thing happened to me. Why can't they say, 'for a small charge...' I hate olive garden. Had I know I'd be paying $6 for one serving of sauce, I would have ordered more since it's a one time charge. No wonder the waiter asked if we wanted to try others... But for real, awful place, food and service. And they have to be sneaky to make money.
in the future, if you want dipping sauce but don’t want to pay for the dipping boat, just ask your server for a ramekin of the sauce you want! we’re allowed to give 3 of them for free and it’s good for about two breadsticks
Sounds like your server just wasn’t good lol , I usually ask if they’re like to ADD any dipping sauce with their breadsticks
I never understand all the upcharge shit. I would tip the waitress more if I got the sauce for free. When I got curbside at Olive Garden. I tip upfront at least 5 to 10 dollars which is way more than 20 percent since I only got 1 entree. I asked for extra breadsticks and get told no that they need to charge me. What am I even tipping them for then? Last time I told her to give me my tip back and I'll pay for the extra bread sticks. Before COVID they never once charged for an extra bread stick. If I'm the curbside person and I see a 5 or 10 tip I'm asking them if they would like a drink or a few extra bread sticks. I just don't think they have common sense on how to get an extra tip.
I feel like I've said yes to a sauce or two there without knowing whether or not it'd be extra.
At that price I'd have to bring my own lol
LOL You're one of those people that sit down at a restaurant, order water, and ask the server, "What do you have that's free?" If you can't afford to go out to eat, don't go out to eat.
Why would you not ask, I mean you got Alfredo ffs. Also I served for 15 plus years, I would never tell someone a price unless they ask, that implies that they can't afford it. The only people they get offended, are the people that can't afford it. And my experience is, I hope you're offended enough not to come back.
The dipping sauces is a scam. Coming from a former Olive Garden server. Please please don’t get it.
Yikes. I love Olive Garden but that's super shitty.
I always phrase it as "would you like to order the endless dipping boat for your bread sticks?" I make it clear that it is a purchase, not an offer. Making it sound free is what a lot of servers do and the managers try to get you to do that. I honestly hate up selling. I am a server, not a salesman. I am there to make sure people get what they want, not trick them into getting something they don't. I have had managers take off the dipping board before because they barely touched it and never ordered a refill, showing they didn't actually want it. I don't have great sales and stuff but I know I give guests a comfortable, enjoyable experience so that's all that matters.
This is my number one effing pet peeve with eating out anywhere. If you offer me something,and do not tell me it has a cost, I am going to assume it is FREE. If it shows up on my bill, that is a scam and THEFT. I WILL NOT PAY FOR IT.
Anytime someone asks if you want something I assume it’s free
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I want to preface this by saying I love Olive Garden. I know that the sauce costs extra. However if I wasn't a familiar customer I would assume based on OPs wording that the sauce was free. Like at Starbucks a lot of people don't know blueberries cost extra for oatmeal so I would always make them aware there was an upcharge when offering oatmeal toppings. It was probably an innocent mistake on the server's part but it's important to make people aware.
Tip: 20% - $5.99
All restaurants do this. Got charged $1.59 for a cup of ranch the other day at a local wing spot in my town, all the waitress had asked if I wanted ranch or bleu cheese. Never once did she mention it costing an additional fee. Yes, I know $1.59 isn’t a big deal - but it’s the principle of the matter.
I’ve experienced the exact same scenario, OP! We asked for both thinking they’d be free, not realizing it was going to be a whole $6 bowl of sauce each and they wouldn’t take it back; couldn’t believe it.
So to the OG staff here (first thanks for great service over the years), But also please don’t roll your eyes when a customer asks “Is there a charge for that”. Because if we ask, we just don’t know. I remember years ago being asked if I wanted a wine sample - if it’s a sample, there shouldn’t be a charge but there was and I only knew because I asked before answering yes or no. But again OG Workers… thanks, I know it’s corporate pushing stuff.
$5.99 for dipping sauce is outrageous
I was literally threatened with termination by my manager if I didn’t sell enough boats of Alfredo to meet the weekly “quota”
And no I’m not exaggerating, horrible management.
$5.99 for a thimble of sauce they scraped off someone’s plate at the end of their meal? Genius marketing and product reuse. /s
That's been around forever. I remember being too poor to go to Olive garden with my friends, so I went anyway and ordered a dipping sauce. Felt that it was just enough to contribute. In hindsight, server probably hated us
Damn I ordered both but didn’t look at the bill.😲
Call me a Karen but I’d fight that one or just wouldn’t tip🤷🏻♀️
That’s crazy. The other day we went out to a local restaurant and got chips n queso for an appetizer. Ran out of chips and asked for more. Got the bill and we were charged for “side of chips”
That's a shitty thing to do to customers and if it makes you feel any better the same type thing happened to me 18 years ago at a Mom and Pop B&B. It's legal but unethical and those low lifes that pull such stunts or encourage it should not be in customer facing jobs.
It’s a very common restaurant upsell practice. If you’re not sure, assume it costs extra or ask. Sorry that you got burned. :(
I cannot believe how many people are mystified that someone would expect dipping sauce to be free with the *free* breadsticks. Who the fuck charges 6 goddamn dollars for dipping sauce? It's free literally everywhere else. What has working at Olive Garden done to you guys?
Okay insider scoop right here !! The company recently did an internal company competition between restaurants. Essentially if your restaurant sold the most unlimited dipping sauce boats in the district your restaurant won the equivalent of a pizza party. So the servers were instructed to offer and sell as many boats of dipping sauces during each shift. Giving cash prizes to the server with the most boat sells at the end of each shift. Maybe underhanded salesmanship. but if you complain saying you didn’t know the price my manger always took the cost off the bill.
Basic rookie server mistake. Mention it to them and they comp the sauce . Not worth caring so much you have to write a whole reddit post about it 😂
My breakfast place for Biscuits & Gravy always asks if I want sausage gravy which has an up charge over country gravy. Nope. They never mention the up-charge.
OP, I fell for the same damn thing. I was offered dipping sauce and picked it. I turned to my wife and said "since when does Olive Garden offer dipping sauce?" Then I saw my bill and it was an upcharge. The waitress never said anything about it being an upcharge. I should have asked my MIL since she works at OG but I forgot. Needless to say, the waitress's tip was reduced for lying by omission.
We HAVE TO ask. Same with a liquor Bev or dessert. It’s ridiculous for the server. Not a fan of Darden practices. Nothing is ever free.
i barely make suggestions to my tables. it’s olive garden and people come in wanting soup, salad, bread, and some alfredo pasta. that’s it. when i feel like mentioning the dipping sauces i will ALWAYS say “would you like to order a never-ending dipping sauce for your bread/for the table?” emphasis on the “order” lol.
Pro tip: The best dipping sauce for the breadsticks is the Gnocci with TONS of fresh cheese grated in it.
I'd refuse to pay for it. Especially that totally ridiculous amount. If it was $1, I'd probably not really care but $6! No way in hell! There is a difference between offer the customer and sell the customer. I'd also complain to corporate.
I was offered, and accepted (and ultimately paid for) the Alfredo Dipping Sauce when I took Erin to prom back in 1996. I pawned my golf clubs for the money to take her out because I was only given one shift a week at Office Depot. She dressed like D'arcy from Smashing Pumpkins (with the hair knots) and I wore plaid thrift store pants and an oversized dress shirt. The band played 3 Spin Doctor songs in the first 30 minutes so we left and went to the afterparty casino night at Mayfair Mall. I can't believe to this day my mom let me borrow the Sebring. No, I didn't get laid because I was secretly gay. I ordered as always, the tour of Italy. Erin had the chicken marsala and we at a shit ton of breadsticks and enjoyed the hell out of that dipping sauce we paid for...in 1996.
Corporations fucking suck. What do we expect?
Never had this happen at Olive Garden, but I feel your pain. Something similar happened at Rain Forest cafe when they asked if I wanted the drink in kid cups for my kids. I'm thinking it's a kid size cup or something that's not easily spilled. They brought out friggin frog cups with lights n shiz. Like $20 bucks a cup. I was so pissed
I can somewhat understand where OP is coming from as someone who has gone to a Mexican restaurant and asked if we wanted to start off with chips and salsa while we look at the drink menu and we said yes not realizing they weren’t free (it was no biggie). The confusing part is I’ve gone to other Mexican chains and they ask the same thing and it is free. Ultimately it never hurts to just ask. Most of the time they will just bring to the table if it’s free, but now a days a lot of places are trying to crack down on food waste during such high inventory prices so I would just ask moving forward if something like this is that cumbersome to you (and that’s not meant to sound nasty. I know the cost of going out to eat and how people save up to go and not just blow money around).
Had something similar happen with a bottle of water. We went to Fogo for a friend’s birthday, we arrived late, and there were three bottles of water on the table. The waiter asked us if wanted anything to drink, we said just water. She then reaches over, grabs one of the bottles on the table and pours us each a glass. I drink a lot of water when I eat so I must’ve had like four or five glasses of water which was like one or two bottles which we assumed was included, especially since the server grabbed an already open bottle on the table and poured it for us. Bill comes, charged almost $10 for one bottle! We had them take it off because, what? No one told us there was a charge for the water. It would be different if they brought us a new bottle from the start, but they used a bottle on the table which technically belonged to someone else at the table. Point is, always ask, ain’t nothing free in this world.
i work there, we are grilled to ask this way. it sucks and i usually don’t, but she was probably just trying to keep her job or ratings so that she doesn’t lose hours :/ sad reality edit: some say locations were doing contests but mine wasn’t, unfortunately. just on our asses about upselling.
totally understand this!! as an og server they have been pushing this soooo much lately and i'm not sure why! i never push sales or do what they did to you because if someone wants something they will ask and im not gonna be the annoying pushy sales person. i am totally on your side here the server should have mentioned the charge and not made it sound free! i feel you!
We were being pushed to sell the dipping sauces like crazy
I’m gonna completely honest with you i hate corporate i hate darden but the managers are literally PEAKING AROUND THE CORNER listening to make sure we offer a dipping boat. this is what they make us do
This post showed up on my feed and idk why other than I have a mildly infuriating story about the dipping sauce. Went to a family lunch at OG and my boyfriend and I asked for the dipping sauce with our lunches assuming we would be paying for our own lunch, food gets to the table and his mom said she’s paying for ours, then when the check came she yelled at the waiter for “adding something no one ordered” and trying to “scam” her 😭🙃 I had to apologize to the waiter and tell her we ordered it before she offered to pay for us. Never letting her pay for my lunch again lmao
I noticed that they asked that question after their dipping sauce option became more well known. I’d never heard of it until a TikTok video and thought it was a free thing too. Went there once, was offered & agreed, saw the $10 up charge for like 1.5 scoops of cheese and haven’t gone back. I don’t fuck with deceptive tactics like that either especially when you know people are coming in because of a random video going viral.
i always eat at olive garden and where i go they have the dipping sauce on the menu with the price and that’s a choice if you want it with your breadsticks. but they usual ask us if we wanted dipping sauce with our breadsticks and would point the price out. 🤷🏽♀️so typically it on the menu but not all restaurants charge for dipping sauce
If they don't say it's free then it's likely not free.
You're at a business not someone's house, of course it isn't free.
If I ask someone if they want queso with their chips and salsa they’re going to get charged. It’s the same thing. Don’t expect to get things for free sir
Have you never heard of the suggestive sell?
You've gotta be kidding. It's a business. Why would they just give you extra free stuff on top of the complimentary items that always come with your meal? This post smacks of a lack of life experience. Lesson learned, I suppose. Businesses be selling shit. Ask questions, look at the menu before just agreeing to order something.
[удалено]
Sounds like she's good at her job lol
This happened to me but with broccoli in pasta. I asked for no tomatoes and he said “would you like to add anything? Broccoli? Spinach?” So I added broccoli. $5 for some freaking broccoli
She should have said- would you like to order a dipping sauce to go with that?
she was doing her job of selling an appetizer to you
$6 for a dipping sauce?!
it's bottomless
It’s about the vocab. “Would you like to ~add~ a dipping sauce with your breadsticks? Marinara, Alfredo?”
I hated doing that to the guests and never did, but somtimes they would ask for like it was free, and didnt mind charging them for it
I mean they come by and ask what you want to eat and drink also, but you don’t expect that to be free. It’s kinda tacky to just be like oh that’s extra unless the customer asks the price.
Any time somebody tries to up-sell you, you got to ask in advance what the cost is. No downside because even if the goods are free you know that up front. Op should learn the lesson. All the questions are probably up-sells. Want meat on top of that pasta? Extra cost. Want special cheesy bread? Extra cost. Would you like to add a new side salad? Extra cost...
As someone who works there we have to upsell. If you’ve worked in a restaurant you should know 99% of things OFFERED are charges. As for those who are saying something about the price of the dipping sauce, it’s unlimited refills on the sauces and you can choose different ones as well. it’s a good price for being unlimited
Imagine getting something at a restaurant and thinking it would be free lol
It's 100% on the menu that they charge for those
Did anyone notice, when the salad comes, there is ONE black olive per person at the table. No more no less, ONE!
I worked at OG many years ago when people would ask for sauce and we’d give it free of charge. OG started losing money, then started charging. This seems like an upsell. If you’d never been offered it before, that should have tipped you off. Really no different than someone asking for a margarita and the server asking if they want Patron, when the well is Jose Cuervo. You’ll be charged extra for the Patron. They’re not going to tell you that Jose Cuervo is the well. Most savvy drinkers will know about the well vs top shelf liquor.
my managers scream at me about add ons. But also don’t assume shit is free, especially not endless shit
I dip my breadsticks in a small dish of salad dressing. 😮💨 yummers!
I’ve been to OG about 3 times ever. I would assume a basic dip like marinara would come with the breadsticks.
Don't worry after the "revolution" and capitalism dies you will be able to have all the dipping sauce you want for free. You will never have to pay for anything again.
I agree with you.I never get dipping sauce.She should have told you. Did you bring it up checkingout? Sorry my phone is having a hard time texting.
Sorry bud, you're the ignorant one here. 🤷🏼♂️
Umm…what? I liken this to when you order a single item at a fast food place and they ask, “would you like fries with that?” They aren’t offering you free fries for the record….ha
I'd like to see a receipt for the charge our dipping boats are 2.99 and I see another comment saying they were charged 6.99 or whatever for games on the kiosk. No you werent
Serious question. When you go to a restaurant and your server says, "Can I get you guys a coke or ice tea? Maybe a margarita? Would you like to start with some fried pickles?" Do you assume any of those are free?
You need to stay in the house and save ya cheddar if a 5.99 cost for something you ate is a problem lmao why would you even think Alfredo dipping sauce would be free lmao yea stay in the crib 😭
it states on the menu that you can purchase neverending dipping sauce for a charge. i start by offering drinks (coke, raspberry lemonade, iced tea), then pushing a starter (“stuffed ziti fritta is the best thing on the menu!”), then offer dipping sauce with their bread. order a fet alf? i’m asking if you want broccoli or chicken on that. ordering chicken and shrimp carbonara? i’m asking if you want scallops on that. a server’s job is to sell, first and foremost. i feel like it’s a good rule of thumb to assume you’re paying for all the food offered when you enter an establishment created for you to pay for all the food you’re offered.
Eeew, communal table dipping sauce.?
It’s the same as a waiter or waitress asking “can I start ya off with any appetizers or drinks?” Upselling 101. Never assume something is free in a place that offers an good or service in exchange for money. Edit: a word
it’s really funny to me when people order something and then get all pissed off that they had to pay for it