The suspense is killing me.
We recently dined at The Olive Garden. We love The Olive Garden, and we thought they loved us. They were always nice to us, and seemed to enjoy our company.
But now I’m not so sure.
After our last visit, I used the online feedback forum to say something like this…(as the reply I received did not quote my original message, I will be recreating to the best of my ability):
We enjoy eating out with our 7 daughters. We generally find our servers to be cheerful, competent, and eager to please, and we generally tip 20-25%. Many restaurants reserve the right to add a mandatory gratuity to the bill for larger parties, but it has never been done to us. Never, that is, until our last visit to The Olive Garden.
On August 19, we visited your Round Rock location with our 7 daughters. Our children were neat, quiet, and well-behaved. They made very few requests of our server. We received many compliments on their behavior and appearance from both patrons and staff.
When our bill arrived, we discovered that a “mandatory gratuity” of 18% had been added. This was insulting to us and unfortunate to the server, who would have received significantly more had the tipping been voluntary.
Our server maintained that the mandatory gratuity was store policy and the decision was not in his own hands.
If this is true, our family will need to reconsider patronizing The Olive Garden…
Here is the reply I received:
Dear Kim:
Thank you for your interest in Olive Garden and allowing us an opportunity to respond.
We have noted your comments concerning the addition of a gratuity to your check. As indicated on the inside panel of our menu and on your guest check, we add an optional gratuity to each guest check on parties of eight or more. The 18 % gratuity is to ensure our server receives the tip amount that is generally considered “standard” for service that meets expectations. As you might imagine, the potential gratuity from each party becomes very meaningful to your service provider. One way you can let us know how we did is by how you reward your service provider. We hope that all of our servers warrant at least a standard tip, however, should you feel a tip is unwarranted, please discuss your concerns with the manager on duty. Of course, if you felt the service was exceptional, you can also leave an even more generous tip to reflect your delight.
Again, thank you for sharing your comments. We consider you a valued guest and hope you will continue to think of Olive Garden for your dining occasions.
Erich
Olive Garden Guest Relations
Is it just me, or does it look suspiciously like a form letter?
Needless to say, we were less than pleased with the response above. My dear husband drew up his own reply and sent it to me for polishing. Here is what we are sending to Mr. Guest Relations:
Erich,
I’m sorry, but I disagree. If the mandatory gratuity were a safeguard for the server, you would add no more than the minimum acceptable tip. If The Olive Garden were truly concerned about protecting servers, you might even tip the server yourself when his customers fail to do so.
But a mandatory gratuity of 12-15% would still be offensive to me because we are a neither a “party” nor a “group.” We are a family. I’m disappointed that The Olive Garden does not recognize the difference.
An automatic additional charge (of 18%, no less) is not a gratuity:
A favor or gift, usually in the form of money, given in return for service.
This is a surcharge:
An additional sum added to the usual amount or cost.
This is a penalty for bringing our 7 daughters to your restaurant. The couple in the next room whose toddler screamed incessantly was not required to pay a surcharge. Their child (just 1) made everyone’s meal less pleasant. But there were no additional charges on their bill because of that.
We know many large families; nearly all of them train and require their children to behave well in public. Large families recognize that children must be trained to behave well. We don’t want restaurant managers to cringe when we enter.
We spent $120, with no dessert or alcohol. Our children were quiet and undemanding. We made very few requests of our server: 1 drink refill/child. 1 extra plate. 2 boxes for leftovers. We checked the floor for dropped items before we left. We used the restroom several times, but were careful to dry the counters and pick up stray paper towels – which were there before we arrived. Perhaps the surcharge helps with the water bill?
Let me close by reiterating: we understand that most restaurants give servers the right to add a “mandatory gratuity” to larger parties. However, this was the first time the large party surcharge has ever been imposed upon us. Until our last visit to your restaurant, we have always been treated as family.
We will miss our Olive Garden dining, but we are looking forward to eating in an establishment where our family is treated like family.
Sincerely,
The Coghlan Family
Would anyone care to hazard a guess on the reply we will receive this time? Has anyone else dealt with this problem? We hate to give up The Olive Garden – it really is my favorite restaurant – but this is the first time we have ever felt…well…discrimination against large families, for want of a kinder term.
As the apple among the trees of the wood, so is my Beloved among the sons. I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.
