We Had the worst experience with Becky the manager at Olive Garden of Medford OR
Our group of 11 chose the Medford Olive Garden, expecting the reliable experience we've always had there. Unfortunately, this visit was one of the most disappointing restaurant experiences I've ever had.
Before arriving, one member of our group called to reserve a table but was told they couldn't add her name over the phone and that she would need to do so in person. She arrived about 10 minutes later and put our name on the wait-list, with the rest of us arriving shortly after.
After waiting about 15–20 minutes, one person in our group politely asked for an estimated wait time. Instead of receiving a simple update, the manager, Becky, responded in a confrontational and unprofessional manner. She accused our group of mistreating and cursing at the hostess—something that simply did not happen. No one in our group was disrespectful, loud, or argumentative.
Several members of our party have years of experience working in restaurants, including serving, restaurant ownership, and family businesses. We understand how challenging the restaurant industry can be, which is exactly why we were so shocked by the manager's behavior. Rather than de-escalating the situation or addressing our concerns respectfully, she raised her voice, continued making accusations, and ultimately told our entire group to leave.
We never expected immediate seating, especially with a large party. Our only question was about the expected wait time. A professional manager should be able to answer a reasonable question without creating unnecessary conflict.
As a result, Olive Garden lost the business of 11 paying customers that day, and unfortunately, our group will be choosing other restaurants in the future. In all my years of dining out, I have never been asked to leave a restaurant under circumstances like these.
The staff members we interacted with were not the issue. This experience was the direct result of poor management and a complete lack of professionalism. I sincerely hope Olive Garden provides additional leadership and customer service training for its managers, because no customer should be treated the way we were.
I also have a lot of images of reviews that tell me that this isn't a one time thing for management here.