Olive Garden
Olive Garden is a wholly-owned subsidiary specializing in Italian-American cuisine. It is regarded as one of the best places to casually dine and one of the best when it comes to availing of different offers, getting combo meals, and cheaper food that tastes good. Many people have trusted this fast-food restaurant to celebrate and the people working there make sure they have a good time. Today we will be looking at the Olive Garden Careers and the different job opportunities that Olive Garden provides to the employees who want to work there.
But before looking at the company itself we must look at the different things that led to its origin and the style and structure of work that the management adopts to be on top of things.
One of the many things to remember about this place is that it does not have a different owner or a share in the stock market. The company’s sole owner is Darden Restaurants, founded by Bill Darden, who is the founder of Olive Garden. The company was founded around 38 years ago on December 13th, 1982 in Orlando, Florida.
The parent company Darden makes around 6.8 billion a year in revenue and Olive Garden is responsible for more than 60% of it, which comes in at 3.8 billion. This restaurant operates in more than 900 plus locations and is one of the most successful fine dining restaurants that serve Italian- American cuisine.
It serves in countries like the United States of America, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, UAE, Kuwait, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, etc. That is why the revenue generated by the company exceeds any other venture by Darden because there are more than 6-7 countries that Olive Garden, not even accounting for the many locations in the United States.
Employee Work Structure
Olive Garden believes in teamwork the most, which is why they give equal opportunities to the workers but also help others in their work as much as they can, which are the basic principles of any restaurant management. And the attitudes of each employee affect the performance of the restaurant and the other employees as well.
The leader in charge has to make sure he is good with the other people who work there and also make sure they are well recognized and awarded for their work. That is the basis of working anywhere.
We will be looking at the different things such as the Job Opportunities, salary for those jobs, benefits, the job application process, requirements, and age.
Olive Garden Job Opportunities
There are many opportunities in a casual fine dining restaurant since it needs a lot of personnel to run smoothly every day and most of the work goes to making food, checking in with customers, and washing the cutlery. Management is one of the most important parts of the restaurant since the overall well-being of the restaurant and the employees are looked after by them.
Generally, restaurants give hourly salaries to the people who work for them, and salaried people receive payments every month. The hourly salaries are given bi-weekly so that it is easier to keep track of employee pay. That is why you should remember about your pay structure and ask your manager about updates when you have not received your money.
There are many opportunities for the people who want to work hourly and the people who want to develop their career in restaurants. Generally speaking, most of the people working in Fine Dining restaurants are students, young adults, and people who want to develop a career in the culinary world.
Now, let us talk about the different job opportunities, their salary, requirements, and benefits for the 4 main jobs you can get at Olive Garden.
- Server
- Hostess
- Bartender
- Manager
Server
Being a server is one of the most hectic parts of the job since getting the food to the people without spilling, and knowing the table orders properly is a very important thing.
The server as the name suggests is in charge of serving the food and making sure each order goes to the proper place, they get feedback from the guests and tell the kitchen to make any changes for the food.
The people in this position must be good in teams and also know how to maintain a conversation with the guests since sometimes it is required to keep the guests occupied until the food is served. Let’s talk about the salary.
Salary
It is a given that a server will make hourly. Their salary is generally in the range of 7 to 8 dollars, it can increase according to the tips given. For that, it is important to have a good attitude and be friendly with the customers whenever working.
Requirements
The requirements for the server are pretty basic You must be able to lift two to three dishes at the same time, plus a weight of 20 to 30 pounds. The weight is in case you need to move equipment around. You will also need to be a people person, and interact with them
Benefits
There are lesser benefits for the hourly folks compared to the people who are salaried or are employed full time. Although some locations do provide health insurance. Discounts from restaurants are a fixed thing for every employee working in this company.
Hostess
The hostess is an important part of maintaining the sanctity and the vibe of the restaurant. They are in charge of setting the customers up to their respective tables. They must be experienced in dealing with people and must know how to make the environment comfortable for anyone they interact with.
They have to be with the customers every step of the way, the moment they enter the restaurant, till they reach their seats. They will pass around menus, introduce the customers to the people who will serve them, and take their queries.
During peak hours they will be making sure that the customers’ orders are properly taken. They also will have to take orders if there is employee unavailability.
Salary
As previously mentioned the hourly workers get paid less than the salaried people, but there is a lot of room for promotions. The salary for the Hostess is a little bit more than the server since their duties fluctuate according to the rush.
The base pay for them is 9 to 10 dollars per hour, subject to vary by tips.
Requirements
The basic requirements for hostesses will be to move chairs, make sure the customers are seated, helping them get into chairs, serve them water, and maintaining conversation with them. There are other requirements as well, but that depends on each restaurant.
Benefits
There are not many benefits that the Hostess receives, but there is a huge possibility for tips since they are the ones who frequently interact with customers alongside the servers and waiters.
The restaurant discounts, insurance plans, paid leaves and in some instances, premiums, are the benefits the hostess receives.
Bartender
The Bartender is one of those positions that have a lot of room for expansion. The bartenders, when they perform well get the opportunity to be hired as a permanent bartenders, with a higher salary package.
As the bartender is responsible for concocting drinks and mixing, he must be skilled and knowledgeable in the art of drink making and know variations of cocktails and mocktails. His primary aim is to deliver drinks that the customers have ordered, but also make changes according to the orders received.
They must be fast and efficient so that no time and ingredients are wasted. During dinner rush they must make sure that the orders are in the proper quality and quantity, the drinks must not be mixed up in the rush.
Salary
The salary of the bartender depends on the work they do and the results they show. If the customers are happy with the service and there are no complaints they get tipped more.
The base pay for the people working in this position is around 9 to 11 dollars, subjected to vary based on the tips.
Requirements
There are standard requirements for every hourly employee. For the bartender, it is mainly to know about the various drinks and beverages that people will order and the variations to them.
You also have to be at an age beyond 21 so it is legal for you to handle alcohol. Lifting bottles of liquor and various equipment is also a requirement for this position.
Benefits
The benefits will be the same as any other position, the ability to get discounts from the restaurants, paid vacations, and many other benefits. There are also insurance plans and other 401k plans that are included in the salary package.
The other benefits depend on policy and restaurants.
Manager
The manager is the most important position as due to his availability the restaurant will function. Managers are primarily responsible for maintaining the morale of the people working in the restaurants.
The managers have many duties that they must attend to in their days at the restaurant. The primary thing is to set up formations and shifts of all the employees so that there is no time or energy wasted. They are responsible for maintaining the various departments of the restaurant.
They must come up with various ways to promote the company and boost sales, as a part of their daily functioning. They are also responsible for reporting to their higher-ups and deliver reports about the restaurant’s functioning.
The manager takes care of the stock of the ingredients and informs the people in charge of the departments to deal with issues with stock and equipment. They also look for new trainees and hire people for hourly and salaried jobs.
Salary
The salary of the manager depends on the qualifications and the experience that the individual possesses. The salary is monthly and one can expect an annual salary of around 40k to 60k depending on the experience level of the individual.
Requirements
The basic requirements for the Mangers are 3 to 5 years of experience and also a bachelor’s degree or any degree in the field of management. It is also mandatory for you to study the company policies and know about the management of the company.
Benefits
The benefits include things like insurance plans including but not limited to health, dental, eye, and accident. The 401k premium plans paid vacations, discounts, paid vacations, and many more.
Age Limit
The typical age to work at Olive Garden is 16 years of age but the age to apply for being a server is 18 years of age. As we discussed earlier, to be a bartender you must be more than 21 years of age.
So in a way you have to be of different ages depending on the position you want.
Application Process
The application process for any company is very simple and easy to apply. All you have to do is check the website of Olive Garden for the job you want. After finding the job that you like try to understand, and ask yourself regarding your abilities concerning the position.
After deciding, apply by making an account for the company on the website. Search for the job you want and see if it has any vacancies. After finding vacancies make sure you fill out the application form completely, without missing any important details.
It is important to fill everything so that your employer knows about your strengths and weaknesses, this will increase your chances of getting the job and also compliments the information in your resume well.
It is even better if you visit the restaurant to submit your application form since it allows you to experience the environment you will be working in and also meet the people who will be your teammates. It can also increase your chances of getting an impromptu interview if your employer likes your resume.
The expectation of getting a call for an interview is about a week or two.
