Olive Garden Now Officially "Friendly" ?

Grapeshot · Mar 31, 2011

A newly received letter from Olive Garden posted on another state forum reads:

"Dear Tim:

Thank you for your inquiry concerning Olive Garden's position on firearms. We respect and appreciate your perspective and motivation to contact us.

Olive Garden’s focus is to provide all of our guests with a genuine Italian dining experience. The general policy regarding firearms in our restaurants is to follow the state law. In fact, when state law provides an "opt out" clause, Olive Garden elects to comply with the law as it is written. We do not opt out. If you have any questions about specific states, you may reply to this email or speak with the general manager of your local Olive Garden restaurant.

Mark
Olive Garden Guest Relations"

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?88590-Olive-Garden-is-Pro-OC!!

Lincoln7 · Mar 31, 2011

Thank you for posting this. It is so refreshing to hear large companies taking this view on 2A rights. The letter you received has so much logic it almost boggles the mind!

Badger Johnson · Mar 31, 2011

Any chance of you (and others) scanning and posting pdfs of these kinds of letters, presumably on company letterhead?

Nice job, getting that statement.

jmelvin · Mar 31, 2011

My wife worked for Darden Industries (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, ....) for about 10 years and she was never aware of any ban on the carrying of firearms other than for employees in Darden restaurants. I was a bit surprised to see what VCDL had up about Red Lobster when I moved to Virginia, but I've never had any issue carrying in either Red Lobster or Olive Garden.

Grapeshot · Mar 31, 2011

Badger Johnson said:
Any chance of you (and others) scanning and posting pdfs of these kinds of letters, presumably on company letterhead?

Nice job, getting that statement.

Please take note that the title of this thread contains a ?, question mark.

The original posting on this was in the California forum - see link in OP - and was an extraction of the body of an email. As emails lack letterhead and other confirming details, I have requested the contact information be PMd to me - purpose is to get hardcopy on letterhead from Olive Garden and ultimately from their parent company, Darden Industries.

Yes, Olive Garden and Darden Industries, had been found to be unfriendly in the past; however, many of us have tested that over the past few years and not had any problems. I personally have been to both Olive Garden and Red Lobster locally on several occasions without management blinking an eye.

IMO one contact from Va. initially would be received in better spirit than a desk full of correspondence all to be handled, read, replied & filed - no need to frustrate them. So bear with me and I will post updates. After the fact, everyone can send no-reply-necessary emails saying "thank you." Hope this works for you.

ed · Mar 31, 2011

I never have a problem at my Sterling Olive garden

All American Nightmare · Mar 31, 2011

ed said:
I never have a problem at my Sterling Olive garden

I have OC'ed at many Olive Gardens and never had a single problem.

Dutch Uncle · Mar 31, 2011

I too have OC'd at a number of Olive Gardens on the peninsula, and have never had a problem, though I had heard they were anti, and expected to be tagged at some point. This is refreshing news, and I hope it is part of a trend!

DJEEPER · Mar 31, 2011

i went there tonight, actually. OC'ed as i always do, and never had any issues.

:shrug:

Went to AMC24 as well with no issues. No signs posted on the doors :shrug:

Citizen · Apr 1, 2011

Grapeshot said:
SNIP I personally have been to both Olive Garden and Red Lobster locally on several occasions without management blinking an eye.

You know darned good and well they couldn't blink because they had their eyes screwed tight shut to avoid seeing the appalling way you mix plaid and leather.

Grapeshot · Apr 1, 2011

Citizen said:
You know darned good and well they couldn't blink because they had their eyes screwed tight shut to avoid seeing the appalling way you mix plaid and leather.

He says while sitting there in his shorts and unlaced hushpuppies. :uhoh:

ocholsteroc · Apr 1, 2011

For those in Hampton roads area, I started a dinner in a few weeks @ Olive Garden because of this thread.

:banana:

Grapeshot · Apr 1, 2011

ocholsteroc said:
For those in Hampton roads area, I started a dinner in a few weeks @ Olive Garden because of this thread.

:banana:

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...Dinner-7pm-Greenbrier-Olive-Garden-April-13th

:lol:

45acpForMe · Apr 1, 2011

Like Dutch Uncle, when I started OC-ing I had heard some negative experiences at Olive Garden and wondered when I would get asked to leave.

I have OC-ed at both OG on the peninsula many times and never had an issue. It is my daughters favorite restaurant.

6L6GC · Apr 2, 2011

never had a problem at Olive Garden

but then I rarely go there. The Red Lobster next to it used to be posted with the proverbial Bretta in the red circle. I carried there anyway since I had a Kimber. I wanted to see how long it would be before they'd toss me. they never did. Anyway, now the sign is gone and I've carried in the RL quite a few times since then. Only carried in the Olive Garden a couple times since we hardly ever go there. When we want Italian we go to Luigi's and they never blink an eye when I open carry and the food is much better.

Bill Starks · Jul 27, 2011

Darden is the world's largest full-service restaurant company.
The Darden family of restaurants features some of the most recognizable and successful brands in full-service dining: Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52.

ed · Jul 27, 2011

ed said:
I never have a problem at my Sterling Olive garden

or Longhorn. We just had an OC dinner there.

jmelvin · Jul 27, 2011

The one and only OC dinner I know of in Roanoke was held at an Olive Garden down there.

ocholsteroc · Jul 27, 2011

Just had a OC dinner at Olive Garden like two or three months ago, and one at Macaroni Grill, I prefer Olive Garden.

Skeptic · Jul 28, 2011

Glad I saw this thread. I thought Red Lobster and the whole Darden Group was anti so I had been grumpy with the wife when she wanted to go there.

Plus she likes the salad dressing at Olive Garden.

Olive Garden Now Officially "Friendly" ?

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