There are family restaurants and casual dining places all over the US, but perhaps none is as popular as the Olive Garden. It is a restaurant chain with over 800 branches all over the world and is part of the Darden Restaurants chain. It is successful, well-followed, and well-respected in the industry. If you’re interested in being part of something big, you can check out the Olive Garden application page online. There is an online Olive Garden employment application as well as a printable version that can be accomplished and submitted in person. As an aspiring employee, you have everything to gain by becoming part of the Olive Garden staff. Set your own biases aside and read through the descriptions that you will find for each position. Assess yourself to see if you’re a good fit; and if you are, do not hesitate in filling out that job application completely and sending it back to the Olive Garden management.
Olive Garden Job Application Online
You can accomplish your Olive Garden application online and start the process right then and there. When filling out your Olive Garden job application, make sure to double-check the information and details that you are entering. The HR people will naturally be checking this information, so to improve your chances it would be best to list down your previous employers, dates of employment, a character reference or two as well as your own contact information. The Olive Garden application online form is just the first step in the job application process. Depending on the position you are applying for, applicants may be asked to send supplemental information and other credentials. A background check may or may not be conducted, but is most certainly an advantage if character references are provided. This way, it will be a lot easier for the Olive Garden Management to check your past work, school records and get a gauge of your work attitude and ethics from people you have worked for in the past.
Olive Garden Careers And Income
Send in your Olive Garden application with all the other requirements as early as you can and give allowance for the papers to be screened by the people in charge. It can take as little as a few days to a couple of weeks for an Olive Garden job application form to be screened thoroughly given the number of applications received for the different branches. There are various positions offered at Olive Garden and there is no limit on the number of positions, locations or applications that an interested applicant can send in. There are Restaurant Servers, Restaurant Hosts, Restaurant Hostesses, Restaurant Bussers, Waiters, Bartenders, Servers, and many more. So for example, you can apply as a restaurant hostess in one store and then send in an application for the position of bartender in another. Olive Garden will accept both applications and review your application for both given the merits of your application form, your skills and experience. In case you qualify for both, you will be asked to choose which among the two you see yourself working in full time.
Olive Garden careers can be considered lucrative. The hourly wages at Olive Garden are not very high, but they are certainly above market standards. This is no sweatshop where workers are made to work impossible hours and then paid menially. No, the Olive Garden offers respectable work that starts at $4.61 per hour up to $9.13 for store level positions. This is, of course, the average starting salary. As days and months pass, an employee’s compensation will be increased based on his or her skills, level of improvement, and overall performance.
The regular shift here is also 8 hours a day, but there are also arrangements for part-time employment. Overtime hours are paid according to market standards and there is also night differential available for when you work over and beyond the normal hours.
Apply At Olive Garden – Basic Advice
Before you send in your accomplished Olive Garden application form, it’s important to think about the kind of commitment you’ll be making to Olive Garden. The current company slogan is “We’re All Family Here” and that principle runs across everything at the Olive Garden. It’s not just about how they treat their staff, suppliers, cleaning personnel, and guests. Each and every employee must embody this concept every time he or she sets foot in the restaurant. For Olive Garden job applicants, customer service must be at the heart of everything. Here’s why: at Olive Garden, you’ll find couples coming in on their first date. Some will be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. Others will be there with the entire clan to celebrate a child’s birthday or christening – or even a wedding! Through all of these, guests will be relying on Olive Garden staff to make the event pleasant and memorable for them. It is then the company’s responsibility to make sure that their food is great and that the restaurant is clean and set up by the time they arrive.
While there will be extra preparations for events and special occasions, it’s the day-to-day activities that make Olive Garden a success. Whether it is for lunch or dinner, guests are looking for hearty, delicious, and well-prepared Italian food – the Olive Garden’s signature. They will also be looking for that home-style ambiance but with professional wait service. As Olive Garden staff, you will be expected to be courteous, respectful, helpful, and accommodating. You will also be expected to know the best pairings for food and beverages.
Additionally, it will help immensely if you have a high tolerance for picky eaters and people who have difficulty making up their minds when ordering food. As you may very well know, people have different relationships with food. There are some who are picky eaters and there are guests who will try to drive you crazy with their requests. All in all, an Olive Garden employee must be able to bear all kinds of requests and demands and still deliver everything with a smile.
Apply At Olive Garden – Advanced Tips
For management and executive positions, the Olive Garden Job application process is also the same. It all begins with filling out the Olive Garden application and indicating which position and area you would want to be assigned. One of the differences between a managerial post and a staff position is that there are more things being evaluated or screened. As a store manager or inventory manager, you will be asked to send in a track record of your skills and expertise in your previous jobs or earlier places of employment. The process of evaluation and screening may also take longer than others. However, be patient. Knowing that the people at Olive Garden are taking more time to study your application means that they are interested in what you have done and what you are able to offer Olive Garden. The company wants to hire employees for the long term. For example, some of the managers and executives when the store first opened in 1982 are still around. Of course, they are now big bosses who call the shots and train new managers and other personnel. Restaurant managers make an average of $45,000 per year and this does not include the bonuses, allowances, and cash gifts that are sometimes given. Managers also get travel perks and sometimes clothing and gas allowance. Everything is based on experience and skill as well as the length of time the manager has been with the company.
As an aspiring manager at Olive Garden, it is not enough that you have a college degree or that you have worked for another restaurant in the past. The applicants are judged not only by their application form but also their interview. During the different waves of interviews, a management applicant may also be judged on product knowledge, service efficiency, people relation skills, team management, and advertising and marketing skills, among others.
Olive Garden Benefits
Your application for Olive Garden is the only thing that stands in the way of your new career. Don’t delay or put off sending your application form for a later date, you are missing a huge opportunity to improve and change your life for the better here. If you get hired today or next week, you can already start earning, be trained by experts in the kitchen or dining area, and start enjoying other perks and benefits of being an Olive Garden employee. There is no waiting period – which means that all employees are given these benefits from day one.
- Health Insurance – This covers Medical and Dental insurance. Employees of the Olive Garden are also given the option of purchasing short-term disability insurance. There is also accidental death insurance.
- Discounts – As employees, you would naturally want your family and loved ones to experience the Olive Garden magic. You will get discounts on food and beverages at any Olive Garden dining establishment or Darden Restaurant. The discount is a generous 25% and you can bring up to 7 family members or friends.
- Eye Care – This covers lenses, frames, contact lenses as well as discounts on eye examinations.
- Vacation – All employees enjoy paid vacation after a year of working at the Olive Garden. Employees who have been around for over 3 years get two weeks paid leave. Those who have been with the Olive Garden for more than 7 years already get the full three-week paid vacation credits.
- Education – The Olive Garden is supportive of employees who wish to continue to learn or expand their knowledge in their field of expertise. For example, food servers and hosts are encouraged to learn conversational Italian to lend more authenticity to the experience.
- Retirement – When it comes to retirement benefits, the company matches the 401K savings plan. Save while you earn and be prepared for the sunset of your years with Olive Garden’s comprehensive retirement package.
Things To Know About Olive Garden
Olive Garden first started with the slogan “Good Times, Great Salad, Olive Garden” during the years when it was still promoting its Unlimited Salad. When time came to focus on advertising the soups and the bread, the company slogan later became “When you’re here, you’re family” which tickled the hearts of Americans and made the Olive Garden a household name.
As of March 2013, the Olive Garden had 818 branches all over the United States, Mexico, and Canada. There is also an Olive Garden branch in Kuwait that opened in 2013. The company has plans of expanding but they still want to retain the Tuscan farmhouse theme that has become the trademark of the Olive Garden. The restaurant’s designs are after Rocca delle Macie winery located in Tuscany, Italy.
When it comes to their food, the Olive Garden believes in sourcing the freshest ingredients and cooking them simply and with lots of love. As you may know, Italian cuisine is known for big and hearty meals lovingly prepared in the family kitchen. The tradition of Olive Garden continues to this day with the piping hot soups filled with all the good things to warm your hungry tummies. The vegetables are sourced as close to the restaurant as possible to preserve their freshness and also help sustain the livelihood of local farmers in the community. The produce is prepared immediately and lovingly to come up with the most delectable dishes and meals.
Send in your Olive Garden online application today and you are well on your way to starting the career of a lifetime. Even if you start small, you know that you can work your way up the corporate ladder here at Olive Garden. Entry-level waiters and busboys can eventually become managers, chefs, or assistants. All you need is the right frame of mind, hard work, determination, and perseverance. Remember to always treat each guest as you would a personal friend or a close family member. How happy they are when they leave the restaurant premises means an infinite number of good words and referrals to the people they know. This will keep the Olive Garden’s restaurants filled with guests all day and night. For more information and a complete description of the different job positions, responsibilities, and compensation, you may browse online.
The Olive Garden Career Page is: Olive Garden Careers
