I used to work at one, not as a server tho. Olive Garden is definitely not authentic. It's not even fresh like they advertise. Their dishes are frozen and packaged. It's def Italian American because the name of their dishes would be a mixed with Italian and American words. read more
Olive Garden was opened by some non-Italian and the food: The pasta water is not salted so the pasta tastes like nothing, and it is often overcooked. Sauces are bland and watery or extremely creamy with way too much cheese. read more
In short, Italian-American food is like an amalgam of regional cuisines, modified for American tastes, and standardized into dishes more familiar to Americans than Italians. Olive Garden features Italian-American food, despite their claims to authenticity from their"Culinary Institute of Tuscany". read more