'Life-Changing': TikTokers Discover You Can Purchase Virtually Anything From Olive Garden — Including Cheese Graters Could a retailer collab be next?
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
When you're here, you really are family — the restaurant will literally give you its kitchenware.
TikTokers are going viral after finding out that the Olive Garden offers customers more than just unlimited salad and breadsticks — you can take home the cheese graters, too.
In a clip that's been viewed over 1.2 million times, TikToker @bo_gjerness told viewers that she visited the restaurant for her birthday and ordered pasta, which, of course, comes with some (or a lot) of tableside freshly grated cheese.
This prompted the TikToker to ask the server if the restaurant sells the cheese graters and to her surprise — they do.
@bo_gjerness literally obsessed with it @Olive Garden #olivegarden #olivegardencheesegrater #olivegardenpasta #neverendingpastabowl ♬ olive garden cheese grater - Bo
"And here's the best part," she said, holding up her cheese grater in delight. "They gave me some cheese to go with it."
This prompted people to share their own tales of Olive Garden purchases that did not involve paying for food.
Related: Olive Garden Parent to Acquire Ruth's Chris for $715 Million
"My best friend used to work at OG and they sell everything," one user claimed. "He sold a painting off the wall once."
"They also sell the syrups, including the peach Bellini," another said.
Another TikToker, @Jordan_the_Stallion8, decided to test the theory by going to his local Olive Garden and seeing if he could get his hands on a cheese grater.
Mission successful.
@jordan_the_stallion8 Stich with @Bo #fypシ ♬ original sound - Jordan_The_Stallion8
"They sold me the cheese grater. Not only that, they gave me cheese to try out. The Olive Garden cheese grater and they gave me a container full of cheese to try. I don't think you guys understand," the TikToker joked. "I'm never going to stop. They gave me so much cheese to shred. I don't think guys understand how life-changing this is for me. I canceled all of my plans."
More former Olive Garden employees fled to the comment section to corroborate his findings.
"Former Olive Garden employee...they'll sell you so much stuff," one user said. "You like the sangria? They'll sell the syrup you need and give you the recipe."
"I'm a former Olive Garden waiter," another claimed. "Yes, they will sell you anything that's not nailed down to the wall."
Olive Garden did not immediately respond to Entrepreneur's request for comment, but the chain did confirm to TODAY that certain locations do sell the kitchenware.
Related: Olive Garden Fired Manager Who Told Employees to Come in Sick
"The ability to purchase the cheese grater varies by restaurant and availability," a spokesperson told the outlet.
Olive Garden currently operates over 900 restaurant locations nationwide.
The chain's parent company, Darden Restaurants, was up over 3.4% in a one-year period as of Thursday morning.
