Soup, Salad and Breadsticks from Olive Garden

Chains sometimes get a bad rap, but when you go to one you know what to expect. You can get the know the menu and what your favorite things are and there's comfort in being able to get those favorites whenever you'd like. 

Olive Garden is one of those places that I've been to many, many times and often ordered the same thing. The soup, salad and breadsticks are my dad's favorite meal, so when we get together for lunch, Olive Garden is often his first pick and I always know what he's gong to order. 

I've also recently discovered that you can buy the soup by the gallon and it doesn't take any longer than a normal carry-out order. I thought that you'd have to do a catering order to get a large order like that, but it turns out you don't. 

My sister recently purchased a business in central Illinois. It's a sensory play gym for kid that is especially welcoming to kids with special needs. I went down there to read one of my children's books to the kids and we decided to have lunch together with Dad after I was done. We ordered a gallon of zuppa tuscana soup and a large salad and sat in the kitchen there and had a warm bowl of soup and chatted. It was nice to be together and nice to enjoy a warm meal that we all love.

I also have to give Olive Garden kudos on their staff, especially the staff at the Bloomington, Illinois location. When I have taken my elderly parents there, who move a little slow, they are always super patient and they open doors and pull out chairs and could not be friendlier.