Olive Garden Faces Customer Complaints Over Soft Pasta

Olive Garden, the United States' largest Italian-themed casual‑dining chain, has attracted repeated criticism that its pasta is overly soft and not cooked al dente. Diners report noodles that are mushier than expected, describing the texture as a "fine slurry."

Anecdotal accounts on Reddit suggest the restaurant prepares pasta in large batches, chills it, and briefly reheats portions when ordered. One commenter wrote, "When an order comes in, the pasta is reheated by dunking it in boiling water for a few seconds or heating it up in the sauce," a practice that may speed service but can lead to the perceived overcooking.