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Olive Garden: American flag display would disrupt dining experience
October 12, 2011 9:23 AM
AP / WPEC-CBS12.com
ANNISTON, Ala. -- Officials with the parent company of Olive Garden restaurants say they're sorry if a decision regarding an Alabama Kiwanis club's desire to display the American flag caused any concern.

The comments come after 80-year-old Marti Warren of Anniston said she wasn't allowed to bring an American flag into an Olive Garden for a planned Kiwanis Club banquet in the east Alabama town of Oxford.

Warren learned the night of the banquet that she wouldn't be allowed to display the flag or the Kiwanis banner in the restaurant, she said.

"I was so angry," she told WBRC-TV. "I felt like I had been slapped in the face."

Orlando-based parent firm Darden restaurants said in a statement that "like all Americans we have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the American flag and everything it symbolizes."

The Oxford Olive Garden lacks a private dining area, which led to the decision, company officials said.

"To be fair to everyone and avoid disrupting the dining experience for all other guests, they're unable to accommodate flags or banners of any type in the dining room," according to the statement.

Without a flag at the Kiwanis banquet, Warren said she asked club members to close their eyes and picture the flag waving in the wind as they said the pledge of allegiance.




Read more: http://www.cbs12.com/articles/garden-4735966-flag-olive.html#ixzz1abyMSQtt

Haven't been there in over 9 years, after the [bleep] tried to feed me raw chicken and then argued with me about it.

After reading the statement from Darden (parent company of Olive Garden), it's not clear if it's a company-wide policy to not allow flags, or banners - or if it's unique to the Oxford, Al restaurtant.

Safe to say, I'd bypass the Oxford facility.

I think it's just great when a business tells you in many ways they don't want you business. I always comply.

I have never eaten there before,what have I missed?
Someone told me they serve soup and pasta and when i eat out I get a steak.

I ate at an OG once, in Weatherford, TX. Ordered spaghetti, and Italian sausage, which was served after a very nice salad. Their sauce was so-so, and the sausage left much to be desired.

Ironic that at least this particular Olive Garden won't allow the flag of The United States of America, but is quite eager to accept United States currency.

Fuggem, I don't give a [bleep] for Italian food anyway!

Omit.

I am Italian, and Olive Garden food isn't. We ate there twice years ago and decided it wasn't up to snuff. When I order chicken or veal and get a processed cutlet or order fettuchini alfredo and get all my pasta stuck together in a white paste, I tend to give up on a place.

More likely a corporate decision. We took our au pair there last year for her birthday, and my wife quietly mentioned it was the girl's birthday and if they could do anything. They replied (almost word for word to the statement above) they had recently stopped doing the birthday thing, because it "disrupted" other diners.

As if Olive Garden is a formal dining experience.

3rd tier Italian fare.

I ate at one in Mobile, AL several years ago... didnt like the food and havent been back!

yea, I'll let darden restaurants know tomorrow all my paper tender has the US flag.

That's too bad, i hate to hear that as a Kiwanis member. We've met weekly in three different locations over the years, a steak house, a Chinese restaurant and the country club. They all had no issue with the US flag being displayed, when we did the pledge. We also bow our heads while a member says a prayer in public. No one says anything about that either. These locations are locally owned and not nationally owned, it might make a difference.

Disappointed to read this as Anniston is my home town. I didn't realize the Obamination of America had reached had reached that deeply. Screw Olive Garden/Darden restaurants!!!

I always thought their food sucked anyway!

never darkened the door of an "Olive Garden"....we have too many real good Eye-Tie restaurants here to bother with the strip mall imitations.

but now I'll start deliberately boycotting them.

I made the mistake of going there one time for lunch. It's a good thing I never moved here for fine dining outside the home.

If I recall correctly, your home town was quick to jump on the "assault weapon" ban concept in the 90's.

Here is a link to Olive Garden corporate trying to apologize. Maybe they had Mexican waitstaff and got mixed up with what country they were in?
They announced something else a month ago. I posted it here. will have to go find it.

http://www.olivegarden.com/default.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/company/contact_us/faq.asp[/url]

Oh yes, last month Olive Garden and their affiliate restaurants (Red Lobster + others) owned by the Darden Family announced they would be working on a more healthy recipe lineup in accordance with what Moochelle thinks is necessary.

Better than most would give.

They had good lunch specials the couple times I've been there.