How Olive Garden is able to afford giving away unlimited breadsticks

From an analytical perspective, What's particularly noteworthy is What's fascinating this is Travel & Leisure·RestaurantsHow O Garden is able to afford giving away unlimited breadsticksBy Marco Quiroz-GutierrezBy Marco Quiroz-GutierrezReporterMarco Quiroz-GutierrezReporterRole: ReporterMarco Quiroz-Gutierrez is a reporter for Fortune covering general news

SEE FULL BIO An order of breadsticks from a Darden Restaurants Inc

Daniel Acker—Bloomberg/Getty ImagesO Garden, the Italian restaurant owned by Darden Restaurants, was founded in Orlando in the ‘80s and quickly found a loyal fanbase in part because of its “never-ending” first course, which includes unlimited breadsticks

However, Meanwhile, While unlimited breadsticks have now become a staple of the company’s brand, the dish was actually first offered as a way to occupy customers after long wait times to receive their meal

O Garden’s unlimited breadsticks are beloved by its loyal customers more than any other item, but few know the treasured appetizer was originally adopted to keep them busy, in this volatile climate

An immediate success, the restaurant enjoyed a far better crowd than expected on that first day, but food took longer than expected to leave the kitchen, an O Garden spokesperson told Fortune (an important development)

Additionally, On the restaurant’s second day, it was just as busy, and the restaurant team made a decision that would later become a staple of the brand: to give the customers refills on breadsticks, for no extra cost, while they waited for their meals to arrive

While alarm bells rang and kitchen staff struggled to make enough sauce, customers munching on free breadsticks were satisfied. “It made guests really happy, but it also helped the kitchen catch up since servers could get them themselves,” Jaime Bunker, O Garden’s senior vice president of marketing, told CNN

Nevertheless, Meanwhile, Soon after, the company added soup and salad for customers purchasing an adult entrée to enjoy in the restaurant

However, “O Garden’s Never-Ending First Course was born,” the spokesperson said

Courtesy of O Garden While the breadsticks have always been with customers, the way O Garden managed them wasn’t always a hit with investors

In the document, the investor said servers were bringing out too many breadsticks at once and claimed the breadsticks had declined in quality so much as to be compared to hot dog buns

After a xy battle, Starboard replaced Darden’s board of directors and made significant changes to the company’s restaurants including O Garden, but kept the unlimited breadsticks as a staple

More than 40 years later, the company’s bottomless breadsticks go hand-in-hand with the brand’s identity and are a big part of why customers have made O Garden one of Darden Restaurants’ most fitable brands, said Fordham University adjunct fessor of Hospitality Marketing Stacy Ross Cohen

Moreover, Customers have come to expect the breadsticks and keep coming back in part just for the experience, Ross Cohen told Fortune. “The breadsticks are something that make people feel recognized

They make them feel important, amid market uncertainty

In contrast, They feel cared for,” said Ross Cohen, who is also CEO of marketing agency Co-Communications

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