OC at Olive Garden restaurant

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Has anyone here ever OC'd at a Olive Garden restaurant? I'm supposed to eat lunch with some folks there and am curious if they have any coporate policies against OC'ing.

Thanks,

Matt

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packin_NC_79 wrote:

Has anyone here ever OC'd at a Olive Garden restaurant? I'm supposed to eat lunch with some folks there and am curious if they have any coporate policies against OC'ing.

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This is probably a late post for your lunch, but...

According to http://www.vcdl.org/static/gue.html Red Lobster and Olive Garden are owned by Darden Restaraunts. It is known that Red Lobster has a policy against firearms and other weapons in their restaraunts.

Does this policy spill over to the other Darden facilties? It is certainly possible, given the restaraunts are owned by the same corporation. On the other hand, it's also possible that the corporation allows each of their brands to be run autonomously and allow them to set their own policies.

Further clarification is likely needed here, but I'd say it's safe to bet that Olive Garden does not allow firearms or other weapons on site.

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For what it's worth, I open carried at an Olive Garden restaurant in Newport News, VA with my wife and daughter a few weeks ago. It was pretty crowded, though I don't know if any staff or patrons even noticed. In any event, no problems.

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I have dined recently at Red Lobster restaurants in West Virginia and Pennsylvania and found no signage prohibiting guns. I carried concealed (neither WVnor PA has a restaurant or bar carry ban for either CC or OC) on both occasions, so I can't say what might have happened with OC.

My rule of thumb is, unless signs are conspicuously posted or carrying in a particular place is prohibited by law, say nothing and carry unless & until told otherwise. FYI, I have WV & FL concealed carry permits.

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Thanks for the info. I went back and read the NC Firearms Law. It clearly states that no firearms are allowed in any establishment that offers alchohol for sale and consumption. Not only bars, but restaurant included as well.

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packin_NC_79 wrote:

Thanks for the info. I went back and read the NC Firearms Law. It clearly states that no firearms are allowed in any establishment that offers alchohol for sale and consumption. Not only bars, but restaurant included as well.

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You're correct. Carrying a gun, either openly or concealed, with or without a concealed carry permit, in a restaurant that serves alcohol is illegal in NC, SC, TN, GA, LA, OH, NM, AZ, and ND. VA and MT prohibit concealed carry, but not OC, in restaurants.

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I worked at the Olive Garden in Woodbridge, Va. as a host and I had a lot of people come in OC to dine and to pick up to go orders. I was never told of any policy other than employees aren't allowed to carry at work whether they're working or not (even if they have a permit). Unless something has happened in the year that I haven't worked there, you should be fine. The worst that's going to happen is they will ask you to leave and they will, in turn, loose your business (maybe for good). Remember that (in Virginia) you can ONLY OC, as they have a license from the ABC to serve alcohol for on-site consumption. Hope this helps.