Going Viral

WHEN YOU'RE HERE, YOU'RE ID'D: Olive Garden Pasta Pass More Secure Than Federal Elections, Requires Photo ID [WATCH]

posted by Hannity Staff - 7.17.26

The Italian-American restaurant chain Olive Garden accidentally walked into the national voter ID war after explaining that customers must show photo identification before digging into 13 weeks of unlimited pasta.

The Garden revived its Never-Ending Pasta Pass after a six-year hiatus, offering 10,000 customers unlimited access to the Never-Ending Pasta Bowl menu for $100 plus tax. The passes cover 13 weeks, from Aug. 24 through Nov. 22.

One hungry customer had a question: Could a passholder share the carb-loaded deal with family members?

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Olive Garden shut down that loophole faster than a waiter can refill a breadstick basket.

“No. The Never-Ending Pasta Pass is only for use by the Passholder whose name is printed on the Pass,” the restaurant replied on X. “Passes are personalized and non-transferable.”

Then came the rule that sent political social media into a marinara-fueled frenzy.

“Passholders must present a valid photo I.D. along with the Pass at the time of ordering,” Olive Garden added.

No identification, no never-ending rigatoni.

The policy quickly became ammunition for conservatives arguing that Olive Garden applies tougher identity protections to discounted fettuccine than some Democratic states apply to federal elections.

“Olive Garden takes their Pasta Pass security more seriously than Democrats take election security,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. “It’s sad but true.”

“The SAVE America Act is a commonsense policy, supported by the vast majority of Americans, that will secure our elections for generations to come,” Jackson added. “The only people opposed seem to be Democrats in Congress… I wonder why?”

 

The internet piled on.

“PUT OLIVE GARDEN IN CHARGE OF OUR ELECTIONS!!!” one popular account wrote.

“I hope you understand that this is extremely discriminatory towards minorities and married women,” another user joked, turning opponents’ arguments about identification requirements back on the restaurant.

Another sarcastic post accused Olive Garden of harming “marginalized communities” by demanding identification and proof of pass ownership.

“Do better Olive Garden,” the user wrote.

One commenter got directly to the meatball of the matter.

“Are you saying that if photo ID is not presented, it could lead to cheating the system?”

Even White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller got in on the ribbing.

“We’ve reached a point in society where access to fettuccine at Olive Garden is vastly more secure than deciding who is Commander-in-Chief of the country,” Miller told Clay & Buck.

The viral exchanges come as Trump and congressional Republicans renew their push for the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote and government-issued photo identification when casting ballots in federal elections.

More responses below:

 

 

And the winner is…