Olive Garden Employee Shifts Aren't All Sunshine And Breadsticks

Working at a bustling chain restaurant comes with lots of challenges, but staff also receive some nice bonuses for all their hard work. For instance, Olive Garden provides its employees with free meals during shifts to ensure they stay sufficiently fueled when serving customers. However, an anonymous former employee reported to BuzzFeed that the restaurant was not so generous with staff when it came to its famous breadsticks.

The person claimed that Olive Garden prohibited employees from indulging in breadsticks at work due to the item's popularity. The concern was that staff members would eat too many breadsticks during their shifts, thus potentially depriving customers of their share. The anonymous worker also claimed Olive Garden would enact punishment on those who broke the rule, although they failed to say what exactly that entailed. It should be noted that practices at different locations are likely to vary, so others may not share the experiences of the commenter. 

Olive Garden employees seem to have varied experiences when it comes to free food availability. As for what happens to leftover breadsticks, Olive Garden asks staff to discard any remainder left at the end of the day to make way for a fresh batch the following day. In some cases, employees may be allowed to eat the remaining breadsticks, but it typically depends on the policies at a specific restaurant.

According to a question posted on Indeed, a former server from Oregon stated they were permitted to eat breadsticks during their time at Olive Garden "as long as you aren't busy and are in the break room." However, a former hostess at the chain claimed that staff was not allowed to eat or drink during shifts, although many did despite the rules. Yet another person, also a former host at the chain, said there was no free food but that employees enjoyed a discounted rate on meals.

While Olive Garden is beloved for its boundless portions and variety of classic pasta dishes, virtually all guests consider the chain's breadsticks as a highlight of their meal. The chain reportedly provides hundreds of millions of breadsticks every year to its customers, who can't get enough of the buttery, carb-loaded goodness.

While the deliciousness of Olive Garden's breadsticks plays a significant role in its popularity, there's also a scientific explanation for why people crave bread. Carbohydrates unleash the brain's feel-good chemicals, which can alter your mood and leave you feeling more upbeat, according to a medically reviewed article on WebMD. This may explain the popularity of Olive Garden's endless breadsticks among customers.

While the restaurant is quite generous with its breadsticks, at least for its customers, it also imposes rules on how many each table will get. With the initial order, servers are instructed to provide one breadstick per guest at the table, along with a single bonus breadstick. For all subsequent orders, the table will receive one breadstick per person. It just goes to show that Olive Garden breadsticks are a hot commodity among guests, as well as the restaurant's staff.