I prefer to eat local.

Do I have to vote Green Party now?

was to take a shit at a McDonald's.

I refuse to frequent any of their restaurants. Here's a list:

http://www.darden.com/restaurants/

Hmm, there's a lesson here somewhere...

There's an election reform message in here somewhere, but I'm too tired to make it.

No....Hell no....Either are McDonald's,of their respective cuisines...

I have 5 seafood restaurants within 2 miles of my house, god knows how many Italian restaurants (I'm in Central NJ) - and my husband is from Italy . . . so the idea of microwaved catsup and garlic over mushy pasta is totally not appealing to us!

Olive Garden=Ketchup and noodles...Red Lobster=Undersized crawdads....Both=Overpriced SHIT...

Italian restaurants are a joke around here.

I lived in NJ for awhile when I was a kid.

But if I had to pick...I'd choose Red Lobster because seafood is superior to fake Italian food. Also cheesy biscuits.

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, Seasons 52 and Eddie V's. Our brands are built on decades of learning from our guests. Their culinary inspirations come from the fishing villages of Maine, the family tables of Italy and the American West – icons that reflect the rich diversity of those who visit our restaurants.

In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say our biggest brands have become icons themselves. Since opening our first Red Lobster restaurant in Lakeland, Fla., in 1968, Darden has grown to become the world’s largest full-service restaurant company. Through subsidiaries, we own and operate more than 2,000 restaurants, employ 180,000 people and serve more than 400 million meals a year.

http://www.darden.com/

Walmart VP & two diamond/jewelry guys + Lazard Director on their board.

seriously, who cares? that bit is just PR for their dumb restaurants & has no relevance beyond that.

My only experience with Red Lobster included poor service and more poor service. We actually got up and left before our meals arrived, told the manager to keep his comp tickets because we would not ever be back. I have never been back.

Only one resturaunt has ever treated me worse and it was not Olive Garden. I actually like Olive Garden salads and generally eat at the bar. I have not been in an Olive Garden in years but given the choice I would never ever choose a Red Lobster over an Olive Garden.

in the case of these Democrats it is not true.

Yuck..everything at Olive Garden tastes the same because they use the same sauce for everything. Red Lobster lets their food sit in grease under hot lamps until they serve it. I'd rather go almost anyplace else.

TOTALLY explains what everyone got there. It was years ago, I don't eat seafood now, but I remember how bad it was.

They're both nasty in my opinion.

Both brands are owned by the same company, aren't they?

I like the food.

Does it mean I support their agenda? No. Not at all.

Yes, one can argue that by eating there I'm indirectly contributing. But I don't look at it that way. I see it as a service of something I enjoy, and I spend my money on it.

Olive Garden, on the other hand, is just awful. Their bread was stale, the pasta was bland, and the service was mediocre at best.

my Italian Grandmother would rise up out of her grave and slap me.

If I ever went to Red Lobster, my German Fisherman Grandfather would rise up out of his grave and slap me.

Exactly backwards.

Imagine that, a silly broadbrush generalization being dead wrong?

Whodda thunk it?

I used to think I hated all seafood. It turned out that I'm just sensitive to what makes seafood "fishy." If it's really fresh, like good sushi, I love it. If it's a day old, I can tell and it gags me.

Too many local seafood places to even consider Red Lobster where I live. But Olive Garden isn't horrible. So maybe it isn't food to write to your grandmother in Sicily about. But "ketchup and noodles" it isn't either. Im a southerner and Italian cuisine isn't a major staple down here anyway besides whatever pasta dishes the local pizza joints offer. But I do know what good italian food is from having traveled other places and the few mom and pop Italian restaurants we do have here.

Of course Im also the kind of guy who isn't ashamed to admit that sometimes just a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli is a great cure for the late night munchies.

If I HAD to, and was starving, I could maybe find something to eat at Olive Garden.
Red Lobster's disgusting. I was taken there once years ago, part of a party so I had to smile and pretend it was nice. It was nasty.

I even sneaked some leftover ones out in a napkin when I ate there for lunch.

corn-flake covered chicken.

Not a fan of chained restaurants

we ran Red Lobster out of the state....and in turn got Olive Garden. Both are gross IMHO.

Macaroni Grill, Panera, Carrabas or ethnic restaurants.

Maybe his supporters like Outback Steakhouse...

But if I had to choose one, it would be Olive Garden.

Both serve standard chain-restaurant fare, but I prefer mediocre pasta to mediocre seafood.

Olive gardens food is too salty...and red lobster is to greasy...

Since I got over 50 6 years ago try to eat healthier, go out where I can get smaller plates like tapas or a salad with salmon or chicken.

Ra-Men!