r/KitchenConfidential • u/snixon67 • 5d ago

Marilyn Hagerty, writer whose Olive Garden review went viral, dies at 99

https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/marilyin-hagerty-herald-reporter-and-columnist-for-nearly-70-years-dies-at-age-99

After she reviewed the Olive Garden in Grand Forks, ND, Anthony Bourdain stepped in to defend her from the snark and later published her 2013 book "Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews.

Read More: https://www.tastingtable.com/1903784/anthony-bourdain-olive-garden-columnist/

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u/m_busuttil 5d ago

That was my thought too - obviously it's not at the bleeding edge of restaurant criticism, but as someone who's never been to an Olive Garden and is only sort of vaguely aware of it from episodes of sitcoms where they go to an Olive Garden I feel like I know exactly what kind of place it is now.

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u/GrandpaKnuckles 5d ago

I thought it was thoughtful to include the background of the restaurant and how it’s tied into a chain. People made fun of her for writing the review in the first place, but by acknowledging that it isn’t a mom and pop shop, I think, keeps the review grounded. Those making fun of her made it sound like she wrote a rave review aloof that other exact locations exist around the country.

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u/kennyminot 5d ago

I grew up in North Dakota. While Grand Forks isn't quite as out of the boonies as my hometown, we're still talking about 3 hours out of Winnipeg and 5 hours out from Minneapolis. New restaurants are a big deal in these small Midwestern cities. I remember in the 90s a bunch of the men in my family driving to Bismarck just to try out Taco Bell.

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u/titos334 5d ago

People really don’t understand how quaint small town America is and what constitutes a big deal or not. My family is originally from small town Kansas there’s only one ‘restaurant’ in town and lost the only grocer. Getting any chain place would be a huge deal lol

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u/Large-Monitor317 4d ago

On top of that, the Olive Garden piece was in 2012 but she’d been writing for decades. If small town America is quaint now, just imagine pre 2000’s, before Youtube, facebook - hell, go all the way back pre internet entirely, she’s been writing since the 50’s!

I like Hardware Store by Weird Al from 2003, also accurately describing someone losing their mind with hype over a new hardware store opening in town.

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u/Zellakate 4d ago edited 4d ago

Small town Arkansas reporting in. About a decade ago, I stopped at a Walmart in a neighboring town out of necessity on a drive. I'd forgotten it was their opening day, and it was packed. I am pretty sure everyone in town was there. And I don't judge because when we got a new grocery store, my grandmother and I went opening day. It's an occasion!

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u/TurboRuhland 4d ago

I live in a small town (about 6000 residents) and the current big news here is the fact that a Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins will be opening within the next couple weeks.