85 year old Marilyn Hagerty’s Grand Forks Olive Garden review went viral. The Herald columnist has been doing what she’s doing for decades, so what did she do differently that made this particular review go viral?
Nothing.
She wrote it just like she’s written all her other reviews before: with an informative and unpretentious tone. The reason this particular review went viral was because sites like Gawker posted the story and Twitter and Facebook were flooded with comments, many sarcastic and meant to poke fun.
Being a jaded city-girl that does not like to admit to frequenting chain restaurants (even if I secretly like them), I have to admit that when I first read Hagerty’s review I found it funny because I never ever hear anyone in San Francisco praising a place like the Olive Garden. This city is full of hipsters and foodies and the Olive Garden just isn’t a place worth mentioning in a conversation about places to eat in the Bay Area. Still, I found Hagerty’s review refreshing, her writing style appealing and obviously there are plenty of people that enjoy endless bowls of soup, salad and bread sticks.
So be honest, do you like the Olive Garden?
It’s funny how something that is prosaic and repetitive like this restaurant chain called Olive garden sounds, I presume something like LaPorchetta in Australia, can then be made more interesting because something touches the heart of people through Marilyn’s writing. It goes ‘viral’ and becomes almost subversive. Weird.
I am from New Orleans. We love being food snobs. However, my Cajun mama loves Olive Garden, especially because it’s near her house in a smaller town where she lives. I like Olive Garden because my mama likes it.
My mama likes it too, but she says they need to put more olives in the salad or she’s going to start calling it the 3 olives only garden.
It is not my first choice by any means but I will happily go there. My SIL love loves Olive Garden- even had her rehearsal dinner there.
I have had some meals at OG that I loved and others that were just OK. The salad is great.
However, I find little Miss Marilyn endearing and just plain adorable.
I think too many people forget when they put things online or tweet them that the whole world may very well hear/see it.
I find her quite charming myself.
I don’t eat there very often, but when my in-laws are in town we eat there with them, and I always enjoy it!
I actually do love the olive garden!!! I love that bread!!! And after my husband purposed to me and the original fancy restaurant he wanted to take me to was crowded and had a two hour wait!! We ate at the olive garden in times square!!! LOL
I heard about this and it’s so strange how some things catch on! I love Olive Garden, always have. And like her, I can identify with having a “nice” chain restaurant in a dinky little town.
I didn’t know about this internet sensation. Thanks for posting this I enjoyed the CBS interview at the linked page. One comment by the CBS anchors stuck in my mind, “foodies vs. flyover states”. I think it is absolutely crazy to divide the country between the coastal and middle states. Rural vs. urban, I understand but there are many large cities with many restaurants in the middle states.
You are absolutely right. The division is just a form of snobbery.
Yes. I love The Olive Garden. But I especially love that there is a sincere gracious lady out there loving what she does at 85. May we all be so lucky!
🙂
Traci
I just loved that! And do I dominate the unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks on occasion? You bet!
I think it depends on which Olive Garden. I can remember being at the Olive Garden only twice. The first time, I was with my then-husband on an anniversary in the Times Square Olive Garden and it was awesome. The second time I was with family and I think we were in… I don’t remember where, but it was some ghetto somewhere, and oh, my god, I’ve never had that much grease in my life, not even at the neighborhood chicken joint.
Honestly, The Olive Garden is ok. Not my favorite, but chain restaurants are about all we have in this area. But while my feelings for the Olive Garden are lukewarm at best, I love Anthony Bourdain and plan on marrying him someday.
The Girl with the Flour in her Hair
Take a number! I plan on being the next future ex Mrs. Bourdain.
This is funny. I read her review before your post and thought, “What’s the big deal?”haha Of course, I live near Green Bay, where a new Olive Garden would be seen as something special. The only unique food I’ve ever had in Green Bay was at a summer festival (on a paper plate). It’s sad, I know. I should look a little harder…