This Man Used His Unlimited Olive Garden Pasta Pass To Feed The Homeless {IMAGES}

[xchrom]

http://www.businessinsider.com/this-man-used-his-unlimited-olive-garden-pasta-pass-to-feed-the-homeless-2014-11



Ogden, Utah's Matt Tribe was the lucky recipient of one of Olive Garden's $100 Unlimited Pasta Pass. Instead of using the pass on himself, he decided to give it out to random people.

For $100, the pass offers unlimited pasta, breadsticks, salad, and Coca-Cola beverages for 49 straight days. The passes expired November 9. Only 1,000 passes were made available.

While Business Insider Intelligence's own John Greenough snagged a pass and used it to eat only Olive Garden for an entire month, Tribe had a different idea. He decided to try to feed as many people as could off the pass over the course of the seven weeks. He called it Random Acts of Pasta.

While he initially fed random people all over Utah, he soon realized that he could feed those who could use the meals the most: the homeless.

This is Matt Tribe's Olive Garden's $100 unlimited pasta pass. When he bought the pass, he planned on using it for himself. Then he realized that it was far more food than he would ever need.



Tribe came up with a new plan: use the pass 100 times during the seven weeks to feed random people. He called it "Random Acts of Pasta."



He initially fed friends and neighbors, but often people weren't home when he came to give them the meals. Then he decided to hand out meals to homeless people. The homeless people he gave meals to were extremely grateful.



Each day, he went to Olive Garden several times to pick up pasta. The most he visited Olive Garden in a single day was nine times. He went to eleven different Olive Gardens over the course of the pass.

[Live and Learn]

1. Very cool. nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

64. very very cool

[RiverLover]

2. This is America, why hasn't he been arrested yet?

Wow, what a hero! Thanks for posting this, xchrom. Very uplifting!!

[Chemisse]

5. I expected to read that Olive Garden was revoking his pass.

Good for him.

[True Blue Door]

127. Why would they revoke it? It's good publicity.

Evil isn't evil because it's consistently malevolent - it's evil because it doesn't give a shit whether what it does is good or bad. So sometimes it's good.

[Chemisse]

156. Why would some cities ban feeding the homeless?

It makes no sense, except for the attitude that these lives don't count.

[dixiegrrrrl]

21. "This is America, why hasn't he been arrested yet?"

Indeed...
A perfect comment on the insanity of what we have become.

[malaise]

3. Lovely

indeed

Rec

[pipoman]

4. I'll bet olive garden does something about that before they offer this promotion again. ..

[pangaia]

12. :>))))))))))))))))))

[rhett o rick]

22. Everyone should send Olive Garden a thank you email. Maybe they'd get the message. nm

[lumberjack_jeff]

60. I think that's what they're hoping for.

At a minimum, they've consciously decided to not take any action for his violation of the agreement.
So they're going to get all the PR mileage they can by social media and, ahem, discussion boards.

I think it's sweet that we're making Olive Garden commercials now.

[rhett o rick]

73. I hope you recognized that my suggestion was to send factious messages.

You know, thanking them for their large hearted gesture.

[Heather MC]

6. i would give my pass away too. Olive garden food gives me the RUNS

Hope they have better luck with that nasty food

[daleanime]

9. When your hungry, really hungry...

there is no such thing as nasty food.

[Orrex]

11. Nice that someone can always find a way to mock an unambiguous act of kindness.

After porn and pictures of cats, kneejerk hipster cynicism represents the largest segment of internet bandwidth.

[Heather MC]

39. not mocking,

Just because I consider olive garden food to be gross doesn't mean I don't believe it's a kind jester.
Not my fault the food there makes me sick.

[ScreamingMeemie]

42. Yes, but do you find it to be an "unseemly jester?"

Worthy of "casting asparagus" over?

Sorry, don't mind me... I've just been DUing for far too long.

[Heather MC]

46. we all DU too much

[Hekate]

79. Oh, jeez, you remember that one too?

Good times, good times.

Bonus question: What provoked the statement about an "unseemly jester"?

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IIRC it was about Cindy Sheehan going to Crawford, Texas to try to talk to Dubya.

[SammyWinstonJack]

166. ...

[Orrex]

47. Apologies. Perhaps my own kneejerk cynicism got the better of me.

I was reacting to an all-too-common DU tendency to malign the act while overlooking its spirit.

[phil89]

33. Heartwarming sentiment

nt

[Heather MC]

43. agreed

[840high]

82. Let's ask the hungry.

[FSogol]

161. Try washing your hands before you eat.

[mountain grammy]

7. Nice!

[TNNurse]

8. I have a serious crush on this young man.

Those of you who chose to badmouth Olive Garden clearly missed the point of the generosity of this story.

I don't care if you do not like their food, but couldn't you have just said something nice about this man??????

[pangaia]

13. i don't think anybody missed the point.

Some just chose to add a little humor.
I agree with them.

I ate at Olive Garden once years ago,, Big fake, just like 99.99% of Chinese restaurants are not Chinese . sugar and salt and cheap tomatoes...

I still give the guy props, who wouldn't..

[cpamomfromtexas]

35. Agree with you, somehow there is no shortage of nasty people here who will do anything to

drive a wedge.

[B Calm]

10. he is what I would call a kind hearted liberal and deserving of an award!

[alphafemale]

14. Sorry. I do not see this as generosity

He got his $100 out of it.

Then he decided to self promote by giving from someone else's wallet.

You are applauding this man for fraud.

If he wants to feed people he should do it out of his own pocket.

And maybe, just maybe not film people accepting your handouts.

"Oh look at what a wonderful person I am!"

[oberliner]

16. I agree with this

If his actual goal was to feed homeless people, he could have done so much more effectively and with much less self-promotion. There are food pantries all over the US who rely on donations to feed large numbers of homeless every day.

[robinlynne]

49. How many have you fed over the past month?

[oberliner]

53. I volunteer once a week at a food pantry

The pantry itself feeds several hundred every day. I do my best to support them (and others) with my time as well as with a small financial contribution.

[alphafemale]

85. Certainly none by fraudulent means while posting my "heroics" to the Internet.

Face it.

The dude is a self aggrandizing cad.

Card fraud or not.

It is a wretched thing to film your good deeds and humiliate people accepting your "heroics."

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

17. The man gets unlimited free food, he uses it to feed the homeless

That is deserving of applause, not accusations of fraud.

You should be ashamed.

[alphafemale]

18. It IS fraud.

The food was supposed to be for his personal consumption.

Maybe Olive Garden is expected to feed everyone in town three times a day off one man's personal card?

How far do you call it his generosity?

How in ANY stretch of the imagination is it HIS generosity?

It is Olive Garden's generosity to play along with this clown's "Look at me feeding the poor and filming them" tour.

At least Olive Garden will know to make this offer Dine-In only and only with ID from now on.

They probably looked the other way with mild abuses of people getting meals for their friends a few times.

He screwed it up for everybody.

He is a self-promoting ass.

If you give something to somebody?

You DO NOT film it!!

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

25. Well, we've heard from the coropartistas.

Anybody else?

[alphafemale]

88. wow. yeah.

Exactly what I am.

//sarcasm//

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

108. Apparently you are dripping with it.

Not my problem that you are cold, but I will point it out.

[abelenkpe]

26. No shame

You'd be more at home on free republic

[alphafemale]

89. How's that?

Explain how forcing the homeless to be posted to the Internet when they accept food you are not paying for as you violating a contract is a good and honorable thing?

[denbot]

123. Yeah he "forced them".

It would have been better for them to remain hungry, a more dignified solution.

[rhett o rick]

27. Wow! Maybe it's not the perfect way, but I bet those that got to eat

a meal wouldn't agree with your vitriol. Seems to me you are condemning him for stealing food from Olive Garden to feed the starving. Maybe we should disparage Robin Hood for being "self promoting".

[alphafemale]

92. Robin Hood posted to Facebook?

He publicly humiliated people in exchange for helping them.

[rhett o rick]

122. I guess I missed the "public humiliations" you refer too. nm

[alphafemale]

159. All that was missing was the Sarah Mclachlan background music

and a tear trickling down the face of a statue of a baby angel in a cemetery.

So you would be happy with someone coming up to you like you are somebody that should be pitied and by the way they are taping you and celebrating themselves.

[LanternWaste]

163. Seems not very many share your melodramatic interpretation

Seems not very many share your melodramatic interpretation (which too, seems to missing only a Hans Zimmer soundtrack to better add a semblance of validity to your editorial premise).

However, I do realize many people will focus on anything but the four score plus meals distributed to the hungry... often for the very reasons they indict and ascribe to the player they criticize.

[sunnystarr]

30. The only fraud is YOU

The kind of thinking you're spreading on here is clearly NOT democratic.

[alphafemale]

93. Thank you for your opinion.

I mean that.

Honestly.

[phil89]

34. Poe?

i can't tell, seriously. You're worried about Olive Garden? Do you worry about that chain regularly or did this just evoke sympathy for some reason?

[alphafemale]

95. That's right. I am so sorry. Fraud is perfectly acceptable in some cases.

dang.

[CherokeeDem]

37. It is not fraud....

Olive Garden gave the man an unlimited free pass. If he chose to pick up a meal then throw it in the trash that was his prerogative. I think he started out like any of us... glad to have free food. I don't know about you but things are pricey in my grocery store, and I would appreciate it. But he soon realized the company expected he'd have no more than a meal or two a day, or even week, and they'd come out smelling like the corporate greedy bastards they are.

But this guy caught on. He couldn't eat that much and it was not always convenient to feed his friends. He did what most people would do who are not volunteers at heart, he wondered what he could do with this food and had an epiphany, he could feed the homeless. Likely, to this man, what he did may be something he didn't do or consider everyday, and he may and should be proud of himself.

I don't remember seeing how this act of kindness was made known to the press but so what if he told them himself. So what if he filmed it or one of his friends was with him and filmed it. He fed some people who may have not eaten that day. Stop deciding what he should have done and thank him for what he did. I dare to say he did in those few days more than a lot of people have done.

[alphafemale]

96. It is fraud. It was to be food he personally consumed.

And Thank HIM?

He certainly thinks he is Mister Fabulous.

He posted his deeds to the Internet after all.

He's so Special.

[Agschmid]

102. Clearly you must be as well.

Feel better now that you've brought someone else down?

[CherokeeDem]

117. Yes....

thank him.

No... the food given him was to do with as he pleased... especially once they put it in a bag and he walked out the door. Guess what... he could feed it to the birds or strays or Boy Scouts if he wanted. If anyone so concerned about poor corporate Olive Garden getting ripped off.. go eat a lot of meals there to make up for it.

He's not any more special than you or I or anyone else is. The difference is he did a nice thing, whether he did it for personal gain or to be kind doesn't matter to anyone else. He gave food to the homeless. Why is there so much vitriol over a good deed? Would anyone who has complained about this rather those people didn't get a meal????

So he posted on the internet... what a horror... his pic's right there next to Kim Kardashian's butt. He's going to be so special. Oh... but wait... we just posted our opinions on the internet. I feel so special, don't you??????

[enigmatic]

119. If he brought it home and gave it to his wife and family instead, would you be still attacking him?

We all know you wouldn't be.

Your reaction to this story is at best, bizarre. Seriously, step back and think about how you've reacted to this story, and tell me how it's any different then the 90 year old man feeding the homeless in Florida last week. There were plenty of cameras there, too. He might have even invited them to see as well. Did you attack him, too?

A man is feeding food to the homeless, those who wouldn't have a meal otherwise. Despite your outrage at him, he did nothing legally wrong.

Think about what you're saying here.

[lumberjack_jeff]

126. Interesting question.

Why do you assume that people that the restaurant explicitly refuses to feed if they went to the restaurant with the cardholder would somehow be entitled to it when he brings it home to his housemates?

What if he had sold the lunches for $5 each? Would that still have been "legal" in your view?

[enigmatic]

128. From Olive Garden's FAQ

"Can I order Never Ending Pasta Bowl ToGo and use my Pasta Pass?

The Never Ending Pasta Pass is intended to be used in our restaurant. We know you're busy, so if you'd like to order ToGo with your pass you will receive one dinner portion with breadsticks and soup or salad. A dinner portion is a pasta/sauce combination and a single serving of the topping of your choice. Refills are not available with ToGo orders because you're likely at home in your kitchen and not at Olive Garden's Italian Kitchen. Online ordering of Never Ending Pasta Bowl is not available."


He didn't do anything wrong.

[flvegan]

38. Sweet facepalming Jesus, really?

Okay first, you called it fraud. If not for the cardholders own personal consumption, any other use of the card is fraud...according to you. Then, he "screwed it up for everybody" how so? Because in the future people will have to use id or dine in? Well, that sorts out this "fraud" you so vehemently want to end. Well done! Or does it screw it up for everybody that might have given a meal away? Back to "fraud" then, right?

Hey, here's a thought: imagine this inspires someone else to think of those they may not think of otherwise? Holy sheee-it, imagine that! Inspired by what may well be a well-intended idea, others ALSO perform acts of charity for those in need? Nevah!!! SELF-PROMOTING FRAUDSTER STEALS FROM OLIVE GARDEN!! PROBABLY EVEN THE ONE IN NEW YORK WHERE THERE'S SO MUCH BETTER TO EAT AT OTHER I-TAL-I-AN RESTAURANTS!!

I found one random blog where the server AT an Olive Garden using one diner's pass cleared the pasta charges for the table. THE HORRORS! Internal fraud!

Lord above.

Oh, btw...

From USA Today about the promotion:

"What we're trying to do is get some attention," says Jay Spenchian, executive vice president of marketing. "It's sure to provoke a reaction." <-------- I'd say that this "fraud" did just that, lol. Google showed "about 183,000 results for the pass. Reddit has this particular story up. "Matt Tribe" + homeless garnered almost 7,000 results on Google.

"Of course, if someone shares we do understand -- we're not policing the tables," he says. <------- No additional comment.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/07/olive-garden-never-ending-pasta-casual-dining-restaurants/15139803/

Whatever you do, don't Google/Bing "acts of kindness" as a video search. You'd be appalled.

[ScreamingMeemie]

44. ^This^

Sometimes it helps to hit people over the head with what it actually looks like to be a kind and giving person.

[Rex]

55. Some here would take a homeless persons last dollar.

And tell them to get a job! I swear the concern trolls here are flourishing.

[Hekate]

80. This might be a case of Alpha Shrugged

pun intended

I'm with you and Facepalm Jesus on this.

Olive Garden uses cheap ingredients -- I mean, pasta and bread sticks, for gods' sake. They did a limited promotion of only 1,000 passes, for which people paid $100 apiece. I have not seen the fine print on the promotion, but apparently it did not say something like "may only be used once per day per customer for customer's meal only."

I think what this guy did was a bit of creative finagling. Olive Garden can reap the PR benefits this time, and rewrite the fine print next time.

After all, he could have invited a dozen down-and-outers inside the restaurants with him so he could pay for their table. Inside the restaurant. Would have been a bit disruptive to the other diners. Instead he did take-out to them in their homeless environment, which some of them may actually have preferred as opposed to being stared at by the other customers.

No fraud, just a big heart.

[alphafemale]

101. Over three meals a day is blatant fraud.

I would not be in favor of buying a meal for a friend that you did not intend to eat if the card was supposed to be for personal use.

He has ruined it for everyone because I would think it would be a smart move for Olive Garden to insist that meals on this program to be Dine-In only

[tammywammy]

114. FYI

AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service

On Sun Nov 30, 2014, 06:42 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

Over three meals a day is blatant fraud.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5891851

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Concern troll. Please hide this post which is based on total bullshit, these kinds of posts make DU suck. Please end the hatred this poster is spewing!

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sun Nov 30, 2014, 06:48 PM, and the Jury voted 1-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This poster has over 14k posts. If you think it's a troll alert the admins. Regardless, disagreeing with another poster's opinion isn't grounds for hiding. BTW, I agree with the poster. Olive Garden will change the terms on future promotions because of this publicity. Vote to leave.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I just can't see any "hate" in that person expressing an opinion.
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: It's just an opinion, which I do not share, but still .. there's no personal attack or other violation of TOS that I can see.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[flvegan]

149. You didn't even read my response, did you?

Word salad response suggests that.

Olive Garden has endless salad and breadsticks. Word salad?

That said, go buy a dictionary. Look up the word that you think you know the meaning to. Then, prove up your claim. I'll wait.

[Agschmid]

103. Spot on.

[NutmegYankee]

41. Oh NOES!

Won't somebody think about those poor persecuted corporations! Don'tcha know, their people my friend...

This guy rocks.

[alphafemale]

104. Spending other people's money!!! The bar for heroics can be scaled by a slug.

It seems.

[ScreamingMeemie]

112. .

Thread win.

[skepticscott]

131. No, not so much

[ScreamingMeemie]

133. So. Very. Much.

[noiretextatique]

48. it would be great if Olive Garden

And other profitable chains feed homeless people every single day. They certainly make enough money to do it. You would probably be pissed though. Fraud?! That is the craziest thing I've seen at DU in a while. Congrats! I am sure the Olive Garden attorneys are all over that

[JDPriestly]

72. Some do. Some grocery stores contribute the food they can no longer sell to charities.

At least they used to. We should ask all of our stores to do that. Food should not be thrown away when people are hungry.

I wonder whether Walmart does that. Contribute food past the sell by date to charities.

[druidity33]

140. My store does...

but then again, i work at a Union Coop.

[catbyte]

62. Enjoy your stay, dear.

What a humanitarian.

[alphafemale]

97. Seriously?

Charming.

[catbyte]

115. So are you.

[Eyerish]

75. I know you are not, but you should be ashamed of yourself...

I lurk most of the time but your comment is one of the most heartless comments Ive read on this board in a long time. I want to say more but I fear I would get hidden. In the end, a lot of people in need got a warm meal and for a second they got to feel like they weren't ignored or invisible.

Again, you should be ashamed of yourself.

[alphafemale]

106. Thank you for sharing.

I mean it.

[skepticscott]

77. As unpopular as the sentiment is here, I have to agree

Last edited Sun Nov 30, 2014, 10:25 PM - Edit history (1)

His intentions may have been noble, but he was not dealing with the restaurant in good faith. He knew perfectly well that what he was doing was not what Olive Garden had intended to be covered under an "all you can eat" deal for ONE person. While I applaud his charitable impulse, the fact remains that no one has a right to involuntarily co-opt the resources of others to satisfy one's own desire to help others.

He was perfectly free to use the $100 he would have spent on this, as well as as much more of his own money as he pleased, to feed anyone he thought needed it. He could also have worked WITH Olive Garden and persuaded them to donate any unused portion of those 1000 passes at the end of the cycle to a charity that feeds the hungry or homeless. Or he could have gone out and actually tried to get voluntary donations to support this cause; given all of the people on the internet who think what he did is just wonderful, it seems like he could have raised a fortune getting each of them to donate even a few dollars. He chose none of those more ethical, and probably more effective options.

[alphafemale]

110. It's OK to be fraudulent against businesses. Especially less than popular ones.

Or so it seems.

[skepticscott]

129. That point of view is quite common on DU, sad to say.

I've seen people who run up huge credit card bills with the expressed intention of never paying them hailed on this site as conquering heroes, despite the fact that what they did was no different than shoplifting or walking out of a restaurant without paying, and despite the fact that everyone else pays for it. It seems that as long as there is some sense that someone is sticking it to "da man", all manner of illegal and unethical behavior can be excused. But honesty and moral behavior haven't stopped being fundamental progressive principles.

[alphafemale]

158. If it is wrong to steal from a poor person then it is wrong to steal from a rich person.

Why should one person's ethics be dependent and vary by another's circumstances?

[skepticscott]

165. Quite a few liberals take the stance that

if a person or a company is richer than THEY think anyone should be, then stealing from them should not only be allowed, but applauded. But even if you can make a case that they don't "deserve" that much money, how does adding even more dishonest and unethical behavior to the mix make the world a better place?

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

83. You have a remarkable opinion of what constitutes fraud.

According to http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=785 fraud is "the intentional use of deceit, a trick or some dishonest means to deprive another of his/her/its money, property or a legal right." Did Matt Tribe deceive Olive Garden? No. Did he trick them? Again, no. Was he dishonest? Still, no.

Did he use his pass in a way that Olive Garden did not expect? Yes, but so what? What he did was not just perfectly legal, it was also moral.

For some unknown reason, you have decided that you don't like what he did. Well, boo hoo. Are you an Olive Garden stockholder? I suspect not. Your pseudo-indignation is completely bogus. Someone does something both good and moral, and you pretend to be offended. Your faked scorn makes YOU the ass, not Tribe.

[lumberjack_jeff]

32. "Unlimited free food"? is that what it was?

"Card entitles holder to pull up to the kitchen with an unlimited number of forklifts and semi trucks."

I have a solution for cash strapped schools. Just buy one of these cards.

[alphafemale]

113. heh, Hey everyone of these franchise owners has truckloads of cash pull up

and unload money at their door everyday.

So why NOT?

[calimary]

19. Hey, there are some times when I really don't care. Just don't care.

Some homeless people got a nice meal they wouldn't ordinarily be able to pay for. Heck, they probably wouldn't even have been allowed entry into those Olive Gardens. Who cares, really? Some homeless and hungry people (made famous in the Bible as "the least of these&quot got fed. By somebody who realized he already had more than enough for himself. Works for me. Doesn't matter as much what the motivation was, or if he got his first. The results are what counts here, seems to me. I'm as Machiavellian and scheming and opportunistic as the next guy. I don't care what his motivation was. Some hungry people got fed. I won't look a gift meal in the mouth if it means some hungry person got a nice dinner. Hey, the need is great. Whatever works!

And who cares if he gets some good publicity? Don't care! That publicity might give somebody else an idea to do good.

[RiverLover]

20. +1 ~nt

[Judi Lynn]

87. Glad to see your post. I was thinking about the publicity being an encouragement for some, also.

There are probably a lot of people who could use a nudge to think beyond themselves.

Glad to see your comments.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

90. You cited the Bible, alluding to Matthew 25

Here is the full Matthew 25:31-46:

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 2for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

If Tribe is a Christian, then he should be commended for doing exactly what Christ said is necessary for salvation. If he is not a Christian, then he should be commended for being a decent human being.

[calimary]

134. This. Is. IT.

IT!!! Just IT!!!!!! How ironic that those who'd force their "religious" fervor on the rest of us have no idea what the Christ they think they're following was all about. They do like to quote that assertion about how if you do not work you shall not eat. But Jesus never said that. That's from one of Paul-the-Hard-ass's letters to the Thessalonians. That's St. Paul telling everybody what to do according to how he sees things, and lo these many centuries later we have latter-day Pharisees telling everybody what to do according to how they see things. The more things change... and all that.

[alphafemale]

99. Fine. nt

[Agschmid]

23. Your post is laughable.

[alphafemale]

98. Glad I brought some humor to your day.

You're welcome.

[sellitman]

36. You are so wrong.

Perhaps his kindness inspires others. With no press, no inspiration.

I applaud him.

[Rex]

54. Um...NO the Olive Garden SOLD him an unlimited access pass to food.

Now that might piss you off that he is feeding the homeless with that pass...but show me where it is illegal. I'll wait.

[lumberjack_jeff]

61. The wait is over.

http://www.olivegarden.com/faqs/#pasta-pass

How many people are covered by the Pasta Pass?
Only the Pasta Pass cardholder receives unlimited Never Ending Pasta Bowl entrées and Coca-Cola soft drinks. However, all guests of the Pasta Pass cardholder receive Coca-Cola soft drinks during the dine-in visit.

Can I share the Pasta Pass with a friend or family member?
No. The Pasta Pass is intended for use by the card holder whose name appears on the printed Pasta Pass. Pasta Passes are personalized and non-transferable.

Do you think Mr Generous tipped the staff on each of his nine daily visits?

In principle I don't have much of an issue with stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, but I hate having to pretend that this constitutes "generosity".

[ablamj]

63. The Pasta Pass is intended for use by the card holder whose name appears on the printed Pasta Pass.

He's the only one that used the pass. It was then his food to do with as he wished.

[alphafemale]

84. Exactly.

It is fraudulent.

And if you want to help the poor try to do it in a way where you don't actually FILM THEM?

Let me wallow in your misery and demand your abject gratitude in the lens of my camera.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

91. Clearly, you care more about the "harm" to Olive Garden

Than you do for the homeless. That, in my opinion, makes YOU a shit.

Go ahead, report me to moderators for telling the truth about you. This would be one banning I would be proud of.

[Agschmid]

100. You won't get banned for it, doubt a jury would even hide the post.

I don't get how someone feeding others has caused so much stupid drama, rediculous claims of fraud... Etc.

Oh... DU.

[alphafemale]

105. You are entitled to your opinion.

I've never reported anyone to a moderator.

[Moosepoop]

121. Still waiting.

Rex asked to be shown where feeding the homeless with the pass is illegal.

You posted part of the FAQ's from Olive Garden's site, but the worst case scenario would be that what he did was against their terms of service, not illegal. You have not demonstrated anything that shows that what he did was against the law.

Furthermore, in the same FAQ's (in fact, only two sentences separate this from what you copied and pasted, so I don't know how you could have missed it), is this:

Can I order Never Ending Pasta Bowl ToGo and use my Pasta Pass?

The Never Ending Pasta Pass is intended to be used in our restaurant. We know you're busy, so if you'd like to order ToGo with your pass you will receive one dinner portion with breadsticks and soup or salad. A dinner portion is a pasta/sauce combination and a single serving of the topping of your choice. Refills are not available with ToGo orders because you're likely at home in your kitchen and not at Olive Garden's Italian Kitchen. Online ordering of Never Ending Pasta Bowl is not available.

So each time, he used the provision of their offered "ToGo" version, consisting of one dinner portion, instead of the unlimited, "all you can eat" dine-in version. This is why none of the 11 different OG restaurants refused to let him do it.

They offered the option of unlimited food with dine-in, or limited food with take-out.

He chose the option that did others the most good. Not illegal, not by a long shot.

[Rex]

154. I hope he did tip all of the workers, but the food is not coming out of their salaries.

I guess corporate Olive Garden could try the Radio Shack approach. You know dam well they never expected anyone to feed the homeless with their food...that is Jesus stuff and taboo.

[enigmatic]

74. What an ugly soul you have

Truly ugly.

[alphafemale]

111. You are remarkably charming.

Really.

[denbot]

125. And you are remarkably callous, judgemetal, and insincere to the point of blatant dishonesty.

"Really".

[rpannier]

120. And you've done what to improve the lives of other people

I know... you won't talk about it, because you do next to noth... I mean... you prefer to keep your acts of generosity to yourself

It's always nice when the cold water whining crowd leaps into a discussion

[bullwinkle428]

148. DU never freaking fails each year at Christmas time -

there are always a few self-appointed "Grinches" that insist on throwing a bucket of cold water onto someone's effort to bring a little happiness into the lives of some individuals that have experienced next to none for a long period of time.

[Dont call me Shirley]

152. Nailed it! Except it was a really OG doing the shameless self promotion.

lumberjack_jeff
141. ^^^ nailed it ^^^

http://www.refinery29.com/2014/11/78693/olive-garden-random-acts-of-pasta-fake

UPDATE: Justin Sikora, director of public relations and social media for Olive Garden, has sent us a statement responding to claims that the "Random Acts of Pasta" video is a viral marketing stunt.

"We're proud to be part of this powerful video, as it aligns with our harvest program, which allowed us to donate more than 4.2 million meals to local food banks last year," Sikora wrote. "However, our only role was selling Matt a Pasta Pass and happily fulfilling each one of his orders."

You really were unfairly smeared for your comment.

[lumberjack_jeff]

153. Those who piled unfairly on Alphafemale...

... for daring to criticize Robin Hood should do some introspection now that it's known they've been duped into carrying the Sheriff of Nottingham's water.

Fish on!

[alphafemale]

160. It wasn't that much of a pile on.

It's all alright.

I can take a few a few hits.

It's rather fun actually.

[LanternWaste]

162. How precisely do you apply the word to his actions?

Looking at both the standard and the legal definitions of 'fraud', how precisely (and objectively) do you apply the word to his actions? Or is this merely an editorial misuse of the word to better convey your displeasure with his behavior?

[onethatcares]

15. well, there wasn't a terms of conditions

that said he could only eat it himself so I think he did the best thing.

I see no fraud at all.

I wish I could do the same but I don't see promotions like this one where I live.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

24. Damn. That's kind.

[gwheezie]

28. Oh dear apparantly this made some people angry.

I think Olive Garden got some good press for this as well. It was a nice gesture and homeless people got a meal.

[lumberjack_jeff]

29. Does "all you can eat" = "all you can carry"?

"When he bought the pass, he planned on using it for himself. Then he realized that it was far more food than he would ever need" This sentence only makes sense if "it" means "an infinite quantity of pasta".

Feeding the homeless is obviously admirable. If you can buy a $100 restaurant pass that authorizes you to back a pickup to the kitchen and fill the bed, it's pretty cheap.

The homeless people in question have Olive Garden to thank for their generosity.

[ManiacJoe]

76. It does not mean that.

Any time you get an "all you can eat" deal, if it allows for some food to be taken home (a big if), then the amount allowed to be taken home is just one serving.

This is why he needed to keep going back to OG repeatedly, because each time he could only get one serving to go.

[mucifer]

31. I'm cynical. I think it's a promotional thing done by OG

Watch this video and tell me it's not heavily produced. How many times does the guy say "thank you olive garden" in the video. Also, the video came out after the promotion was done so others can't do it.

Many corporations donate some of their insane profits to food banks. I think this is a touchy feely way to promote their product. I could be wrong.

[Mosby]

50. I think you're right

No reason for him to mention over and over that the food is from OG or that it's fettuccine alfredo.

It is a good dish for hungry people though, packs quite a caloric punch.

[ScreamingMeemie]

52. Interesting theory...

However, there are people in the world who make amazingly produced videos on their own time. The advent of editing programs etc. has made this possible. My brother works in the film industry and makes amazing videos in his spare time. In fact, this guy kind of reminds me of him.

[lumberjack_jeff]

59. I think you're right.

At a bare minimum, they apparently have decided that going after the guy for violating the terms of the deal would be a PR problem. If I were the OG PR person, I'd promote the video and encourage the guy to embellish the amount of OG chow he gave away.

Either way: "Olive Garden feeds the homeless" although accurate, is a subject line that DU would not abide.

[grahamhgreen]

67. Still, a nice promotion none the less.

[Helen Borg]

69. If so, this is disgusting.

[Politicalboi]

71. Looks real to me

You want to tell people what you've got. So saying OG was what I'd expect him to say. I'm sure the dog got some too.

[lumberjack_jeff]

141. ^^^ nailed it ^^^

http://www.refinery29.com/2014/11/78693/olive-garden-random-acts-of-pasta-fake

UPDATE: Justin Sikora, director of public relations and social media for Olive Garden, has sent us a statement responding to claims that the "Random Acts of Pasta" video is a viral marketing stunt.

"We're proud to be part of this powerful video, as it aligns with our harvest program, which allowed us to donate more than 4.2 million meals to local food banks last year," Sikora wrote. "However, our only role was selling Matt a Pasta Pass and happily fulfilling each one of his orders."

[Dont call me Shirley]

151. Agreement. The overdone background music. The timing. The scriptedness. The "want some OG?"

every time he gave away bags of food. The professional filming, trying not to look so professional.

[flvegan]

40. *rubs hands together* Another Olive Garden flamewar?

You just can't make this stuff up. May it be as epic as the last one, please.

[enigmatic]

78. I don't want another OG flamewar

I want the people here who are showing their spectacular lack of empathy and compassion in this thread to get some self-awareness to feel deeply, deeply ashamed of themselves and apologize.

But we both know that's not going to happen, sadly.

Threads like this and the reaction by those people just make me sad. Very, very sad.

[Hekate]

81. Oh dear

Don't tell me he brought his pit bull along when he made his rounds!

[DemocraticWing]

94. It wouldn't have been so controversial...

If he hadn't been breastfeeding it the whole time.

[ScreamingMeemie]

45. Wow...

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Who would have thought that this innocent post would create so much fury, rage and insanity?

[robinlynne]

51. seriously. unbelievable. It was one small piece of good news in the midst

of a world full of "storms".

[murielm99]

70. This whole post is making my head hurt.

Someone was being generous, and it starts a war here. DU and Olive Garden are like oil and water at this site. Maybe I should be laughing, but that might make my head hurt even more. What is wrong with us?

[caraher]

56. It's not hard to find the terms of the offer

It's all online on Olive Garden's web page, and technically what he did violated those terms:

How many people are covered by the Pasta Pass?

Only the Pasta Pass cardholder receives unlimited Never Ending Pasta Bowl entrées and Coca-Cola soft drinks. However, all guests of the Pasta Pass cardholder receive Coca-Cola soft drinks during the dine-in visit.

Can I share the Pasta Pass with a friend or family member?

No. The Pasta Pass is intended for use by the card holder whose name appears on the printed Pasta Pass. Pasta Passes are personalized and non-transferable.

Looks like, at best, under the terms of the card, he could have offered Coca-Cola products to the homeless.

That said... I'm not remotely sympathetic to the view that this is fraud and even less concerned that Olive Garden suffered any harm. Olive Garden got more good publicity value out of this man's actions than they spent on food for the homeless.

[dhill926]

66. or..you could read this....

The Pasta Pass is intended for use by the card holder whose name appears on the printed Pasta Pass. Pasta Passes are personalized and non-transferable.

as him using the card, then taking the food to whomever he chose. He didn't give the card away. It's his food to use as he chooses...

[Agschmid]

107. This.

[CherokeeDem]

118. Thanks.....

Appreciate you spelling this out. Some people posting on here are not getting the concept.

Only he can use the card.... what he does with the food is up to him... Besides if they gave him the dinners to go... they likely realized he was not eating all of it.

Someone mentioned Olive Garden might be using this as a publicity stunt. If so, so be it... I'm just glad some hungry folks had a meal to eat.

[jillan]

57. A selfless man that gives to others. Wow! We need to see MORE of this in this Country.

nt

[U4ikLefty]

58. He could've fed an SUV-load of e-cig puffing pitbulls

while watching RT on his I Pad.

[Liberal_in_LA]

65. hipster feeds the homeless. great

[Helen Borg]

68. Terrorist. :)

[Derek V]

86. Well we can't have THAT now can we?

He should have used it to get Lloyd Blankfein some freebies!

[IronLionZion]

116. Kudos to Olive Garden for actually honoring this

They could have easily refused to let him take it out of the restaurant like most buffets. They could have stopped this but didn't for whatever reason, so it is their generosity.

[enigmatic]

124. I still can't believe there are a few on this thread attacking this guy

It's just about left me speechless. They are attacking a guy feeding the homeless a meal they wouldn't have gotten most likely otherwise. He didn't break the law. He committed no fraud, despite the wailing of those few attacking him.

It's incredible I'm reading this here on this board.

Mind-boggling.

[skepticscott]

135. Do you maintain that he had the right

to involuntarily co-opt someone else's resources to satisfy his own charitable impulses? As I noted above, he was knowingly taking more from Olive Garden than they had agreed to provide under the terms of the pass, which was all-you-can-eat for ONE person. Maybe that wasn't illegal, but it was dishonest and not acting in good faith.

[justiceischeap]

136. Would you have a problem with this if he was eating all those meals himself?

What was he getting, like 9 meals a day? So, what if those 9 meals a day were for his own consumption? Would that be okay with you? It's his pass to do with as he pleases. He paid the $100 for never ending pasta. They don't say what he can do with the food once he leaves the restaurant with it, they actually limit the terms of the "Never ending pasta" if you want to do take-out. In some ways, OG isn't honoring never ending pasta because by their own terms, if you want to do take-out, that pasta does indeed end.

[skepticscott]

145. The terms of the pass have been posted several times here

and they state clearly that it is non-transferable and to be used by ONE person. The cost of it is based on that. You know that and so did he. The fact is that he wouldn't have eaten that much food himself, and couldn't. That also has been clearly stated here.

And it's not "his pass to do with as he pleases". If he uses it, he agrees implicitly to abide by the terms. That's the good faith part.

[enigmatic]

137. From Olive Garden's FAQ

"Can I order Never Ending Pasta Bowl ToGo and use my Pasta Pass?

The Never Ending Pasta Pass is intended to be used in our restaurant. We know you're busy, so if you'd like to order ToGo with your pass you will receive one dinner portion with breadsticks and soup or salad. A dinner portion is a pasta/sauce combination and a single serving of the topping of your choice. Refills are not available with ToGo orders because you're likely at home in your kitchen and not at Olive Garden's Italian Kitchen. Online ordering of Never Ending Pasta Bowl is not available."


He didn't do anything wrong.

[Nevernose]

138. I agree that it was dishonest & bad faith

To which I add: so fucking what? He gave some pasta (rightfully owned by a billion dollar corporation) to some homeless people. So fucking what?

[skepticscott]

143. Well, if you think that honesty and good faith mean fuck-all

then I can't help you. And before you even go there, nowhere have I said that feeding hungry people means fuck-all. As I also noted above, this guy had plenty of options open to him to further that cause AND do it honestly.

And who gave you or anyone else the right to decide how big a business is allowed to get before they aren't entitled to be dealt with fairly and honestly any more?

[TheKentuckian]

130. Nice story of small kindnesses created gnashing of teeth once again proving beyond any doubt

our tent is way too big.

[enigmatic]

132. It makes me sick

and very, very sad.

[TheKentuckian]

139. Mind blowing levels of fucked up. It is everyday, issue after issue but what a stark illustration!

[lumberjack_jeff]

142. Hey all you 143 recommenders! You just promoted a Olive Garden commercial!

http://www.refinery29.com/2014/11/78693/olive-garden-random-acts-of-pasta-fake

Not so random after all, it would appear.

I stand corrected: he wasn't defrauding Olive Garden. He was defrauding you.

UPDATE: Justin Sikora, director of public relations and social media for Olive Garden, has sent us a statement responding to claims that the "Random Acts of Pasta" video is a viral marketing stunt.

"We're proud to be part of this powerful video, as it aligns with our harvest program, which allowed us to donate more than 4.2 million meals to local food banks last year," Sikora wrote. "However, our only role was selling Matt a Pasta Pass and happily fulfilling each one of his orders."

This was as subtle as the product placement in Waynes World.

[enigmatic]

144. Where does it say this in your link?

"However, our only role was selling Matt a Pasta Pass and happily fulfilling each one of his orders."

[lumberjack_jeff]

146. The gullible is strong with this one. n/t

[enigmatic]

147. You're better than this, Jeff

You went from telling us all it's fraud and ripping off Olive Garden to claiming Olive Garden was in on the whole thing.

You're looking for anything to justify your original view being wrong. You're better than this.

[lumberjack_jeff]

150. I was somewhat gullible too.

Occam's razor says that since Olive Garden isn't pissed, it is because it was their idea all along.

OG refers questions about Matt Tribe to the PR department... not the local store manager... Hello?

"We're proud to be part of this powerful video."

I find that unambiguous.

[justiceischeap]

157. Or their PR department was smart enough to ride the tide

of goodwil this gesture created. It would take an idiot in any PR or marketing department to make a fuss about this and not enjoy the reciprocal PR this event creates.

[liberal_at_heart]

155. That's awesome.