Olive Garden's $100 Pasta Pass Sells Out Almost Instantly Amid Scalping Concerns
After selling all 10,000 copies of its highly sought-after Never-Ending Pasta Pass in just two hours, Olive Garden faced backlash from customers over potential bot abuse during the sale. Sales opened on July 16 for a limited time offering unlimited pasta for 13 weeks.
The restaurant responded by implementing safeguards to manage traffic and prevent repeated refreshing attacks that could give some buyers an unfair advantage. However, this did not satisfy many disappointed customers who worried about scalpers securing passes. “The system was designed to manage traffic, limit purchase quantities, and prevent behaviors like repeated refreshing from impacting access,” Olive Garden stated in a press release.
Why the Scalping Concerns?
The $100 Never-Ending Pasta Pass is personalized, making it hard for scalpers to resell even if they manage to secure passes. The deal includes unlimited pasta, sauces, protein toppings, soup or salad, and breadsticks from August 24 to November 22.
What Will Happen Next?
If you missed out on securing a Never-Ending Pasta Pass during this sale, don't worry — Olive Garden still offers its classic Never-Ending Pasta Bowl at a more affordable price of $14.99 when it returns nationwide on August 31.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the passes sell out so quickly?
Olive Garden confirmed that all available passes had been claimed within two hours, leading to rapid disappointment among those unable to secure a pass during the sale.
Aren't the Never-Ending Pasta Passes non-transferable?
Yes, according to Olive Garden's terms, the passes are personalized and can only be used by the passholder whose name is printed on them. Anyone attempting to resell would face issues as they must present a valid photo ID when using the pass.