The Cheese Olive Garden Grates On Pasta May Not Be True Parmesan
Despite the fact that Olive Garden isn't technically authentic Italian cuisine, it's hard to be disappointed by the food if you're a big fan of cheese. In addition to cheese-heavy entrées like Ravioli Carbonara and Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, the servers will top every pasta dish with as much freshly grated cheese as you want upon serving. Most people assume that this cheese is Parmesan. However, there's evidence to suggest otherwise.
While the cheese in the cheese grater is, in fact, real Italian-style cheese, multiple self-identified Olive Garden employees in a 2022 Reddit thread have alleged that the restaurant chain actually uses Romano, not Parmesan cheese. One employee claimed otherwise in a different Reddit thread, but only to clarify that it was a blend of both Romano and Parmesan cheese. Olive Garden doesn't get specific about the type of grated cheese it uses on its menu or website. However, what employees have said seems to check out.
Does Olive Garden really use Romano cheese?
After the claims from Reddit went viral on TikTok, customers in the comments section were quick to express feelings of betrayal. However, the truth is that Olive Garden isn't guilty of any false advertising. The restaurant has clearly disclosed the type of cheese it uses on multiple occasions on its social media accounts, referring to it as "grated Romano" on Facebook and Twitter posts through the years.
If this isn't enough to convince you, a 2016 interview with Chris Lotito, the founder of Lotito Foods, may change your mind. When speaking with news outlet NJBIZ, Lotito shared that his New Jersey-based company supplies Olive Garden with Romano cheese blocks that are specifically designed to fit in its cheese graters. This change, Lotito shared, came after employees repeatedly struggled to cut up the 50-pound Romano cheese wheels that were previously used. Assuming Lotito Foods is still the supplier of Olive Garden cheese, it's safe to say that the chain's many locations use Romano (whether on its own or in a blend).
Why Olive Garden might not use Parmesan cheese
Parmesan and Romano cheese are both aged Italian cheeses that are typically grated over pasta. But although they look pretty similar, they slightly differ in taste. Because Romano can contain sheep's milk rather than cow's, it's often fattier and saltier. It's also cheaper than Parmesan, which could explain why the chain uses it.
According to the same Reddit thread that brought to light the fact that Olive Garden uses Romano cheese, it was also revealed that employees are trained to give customers as much as they ask for, even if it means using up several blocks at a time. This would cost Olive Garden a lot more if it used Parmesan instead of Romano.
Olive Garden is just as generous with its cheese on takeout orders. Each one comes with a handful of complimentary cheese packets, allowing customers to put extra Romano on their takeout items too. According to what's printed on the label, this grated cheese comes from a different supplier, Sugar Foods Corporation, and it's made from cow's milk, but it's still Romano cheese. If it were Parmesan instead, Olive Garden might not be able to give away so much of it for free.