An American tourist was served a rude awakening after asking for one of his favorite dishes in Italy.
While holidaying in the homeland of pasta and pizza, the Boston father asked for a dish that exists on almost every Italian restaurant menu in the US.
The waiter was left “disgusted” and “horrified” when the diner showed him pictures of the Olive Garden dish on his phone.
Highlights
- An American tourist landed in Italy expecting to have his favorite Olive Garden dish from the States.
- “I don’t know what it is,” the waiter replied, looking perplexed by the request.
- A video of the exchange went viral online, garnering 7 million views.
An American tourist was served a rude awakening when he asked for his favorite Olive Garden dish in Italy
Image credits: Hongbin / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The viral encounter was shared on TikTok by the man’s daughter, Gabby Donahue, 26.
“My Boston Irish father trying to order a Google image of the Olive Garden chicken parm in Italy,” read the text on the video with more than 7 million views.
Olive Garden is a popular restaurant chain known for its casual dining experience and Italian-American cuisine.
Image credits: Eilis Garvey / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
In the video, Gabby’s father Bob was seated at a restaurant table in Italy when he asked the waiter for a chicken parmigiana.
His request left the waiter puzzled.
Bob then whipped out his phone and showed the waiter a picture of the Olive Garden dish, composed of breaded chicken served over pasta.
Gabby Donahue shared a video of the exchange her father had with a waiter during his Italian holiday
Image credits: Efrem Efre / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The sight of the dish left the waiter flabbergasted.
“I don't know what it is,” the waiter said, seemingly hiding his bewilderment over the strange dish.
“On the pasta? No, that's horrible,” he said before quickly adding, “No, that looks good.”
Image credits: olivegarden / TikTok (not the actual photo)
“I tell you what, I'm gonna mail you some. I'll send it to you,” Bob said, making the staff member laugh.
The waiter said he would tell more Italians about Olive Garden and then walked away from the table.
“I tell you what, I'm gonna mail you some,” Bob said when the waiter was perplexed by a photo of Olive Garden's chicken parmigiana
Image credits: gabbydonahuee / TikTok
Netizens found the exchange hilarious, with many praising the “disgusted” waiter for staying calm.
“The waiter’s eyebrows trying to stay calm,” one said.
“‘No, that looks good’ while looking completely disgusted was the most Italian reaction ever,” read a second comment.
Image credits: gabbydonahuee / TikTok
“You know he was so excited to go to Italy to get Olive Garden cuisine from the motherland,” one said.
Another wrote, “This is why the world hates us…..among other things.”
“imagine my surprise when i went to italy and found out my FAVORITE ITALIAN FOOD chicken alfredo isn’t actually italian,” commented another.
“He looks horrified by the request,” one netizen commented online
Gabby said she didn’t predict the encounter to go viral after posting it on her TikTok.
"When he was told the waiter didn't know what that was, he pulled up the Olive Garden dish as an example," the daughter told Newsweek.
“I expected maybe it would get a good laugh out of some Boston peeps but did not expect it to go so viral,” she added.
Image credits: Olive Garden (not the actual photo)
The incident reminded people of how international cuisines have undergone their own transformation in the US over several generations.
The flavors and recipes of Italian, Chinese, Mexican, and other cuisines have been Americanized to suit the local taste and ingredients available.
The incident was a reminder of how several cuisines have been Americanized over the years
Image credits: Olive Garden (not the actual photo)
Hence, dishes like chicken parmigiana, garlic bread, and fettuccine Alfredo are popularly available in Italian restaurants in the US.
But an American tourist would have to do some explaining when they ask for fettuccine Alfredo at a restaurant in Florence.
Image credits: Harrison Keely / Wikipedia (not the actual photo)
One would also struggle to find spaghetti and meatballs served together in a restaurant in Italy.
Spaghetti and meatballs might feel like one of the most Italian dishes ever. But traditionally, they are not paired together in the European country.
It is believed that Italian immigrants, who moved to New York City decades back, began pairing their traditional meatballs with affordable American spaghetti and plenty of tomato sauce.
The dish became a crowd-pleaser, and eventually, spaghetti and meatballs became an Italian-American classic.
Image credits: Famartin / Wikipedia (not the actual photo)
The same goes for other cuisines as well.
Diners in the US may often order the orange chicken from Chinese restaurant menus. But the dish is not Chinese at all.
Orange chicken was invented by a Taiwanese-born, French-trained chef named Andy Kao while he was working for the iconic Chinese takeout chain Panda Express in the 1980s.
“Bro remembered halfway through his disgust that he’s at work,” one netizen commented on Gabby’s viral video
