The One Etiquette Rule To Know For Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta

Olive Garden fans, rejoice: The restaurant chain's beloved Never Ending Pasta Bowl promotion is back and in full swing. The beauty of the deal is the sheer volume of pasta you can get your hands on, plus those famous breadsticks and soup or salad. And it will only cost you $13.99, the same price the promo was when it last showed up in 2022. That absolute steal, however, has had some people doing the math on tipping. As noted in a TikTok post from APWSTR Productions, many patrons automatically tip based on their check total, as we do in almost every other dining-out situation. However, the low price of the Never Ending Pasta Bowl doesn't reflect how much work the meal actually is for your server — you're paying the price of one entree, but they're running back and forth between the kitchen and serving you however many rounds you order.

In the TikTok post's comments, users and former servers explain that servers actually make the salads and prep the breadsticks and soup, so a never-ending meal requires more than just taking orders and dropping plates. "NEPB legit made my friend quit OG," commented wyx.bee. "Ppl would make it a challenge for how many refills they could get, then still tip 20% for an enormous amount of work, so she'd only get a few bucks." The takeaway? If you order the NEPB at Olive Garden, you must tip based on the work done.

As another TikTok-er, The Lawn Flamingo, notes that diners should tip based on the full price of a meal, not discounts. It's like how you should tip for two drinks when getting a 2-for-1 special — the bartender still made two cocktails. When it comes to the most important things to remember for tipping at restaurants, being mindful of what's behind your experience for your server is a priority. Tipping is a touchy subject in the United States — a study showing how much American diners actually want to tip revealed that the majority of people are reluctant to leave more than 15% in many cases. But still, 77% of people tie tip amount to quality of service. And in the case of Olive Garden's Never Ending Pasta Bowl, the service exceeds a single- or double-course meal.  

If you order the NEPB for $13.99 and add never-ending toppings for $4.99, you could get, say, four rounds of spaghetti and meatballs. If you ordered that as a standard OG menu item four times, it would cost as much as $67, give or take a few dollars depending on your location. If you tipped 20% on that total, it would be $13.40. However, if you only take the promotional amounts into account, adding $13.99 and $4.99, that would only be a 20% tip of $3.79, which is about $10 less — per person.

Next time you enjoy the NEPB, think of your server and tip accordingly. You'll still be getting the delicious deal of a lifetime.