She saved a lot of dough in this garden.
An Olive Garden customer became the envy of wallet-weary diners everywhere after scoring two pastas for just $6.99 amid inflation. She detailed this incredible life hack in a TikTok video with over 100,000 views.
“It’s the perfect option to fill you up,” Lucie (@xoxoluciee) captioned the clip detailing her savvy two-for-one meal deal.
At just $7, it’s a far cry from the $18 Big Mac meal that went viral at McDonald’s earlier this year, showcasing just how expensive fast food has gotten in recent years.
Per Lucie’s clip, the enterprising diner gamed the Garden by ordering the kids’ meal, which allowed her to choose a pasta as her side, effectively allowing her to score two noodle dishes for the price of one.
Lucie opted for the fettuccini alfredo with a side of spaghetti, which came with the Italian chain’s iconic breadsticks and a drink.
The grand total was $6.99 — less than the price of a combo meal at many fast food depots.
And that wasn’t Lucie’s only score, per the clip. She also bought a premade five-cheese ziti entree with reheating instructions for just $6, bringing her total to $13.
Needless to say, TikTok commenters were awestruck by Lucie’s high-carb happy hour.
“Uhhh we gotta do this,” said one enamored fan.
Another advised, “Also add on a large dipping sauce for $5 more and get an extra eight breadsticks with it. Boil your own noodles to put the sauce on top of for later.”
“Will they call you out for age restriction bc I really want to do this,” fretted a third.
They were referencing fast food restaurants cracking down on adults ordering off the children’s menu.
Earlier this month, influencer Jake Shane got into a beef with sushi hotspot Sugarfish after trying to order an extra rice option that was restricted to kids.
Lucie’s life hack couldn’t have come at a better time.
Last month, Olive Garden’s parent company, Darden Restaurants, announced that the Italian chain would increase menu prices by an average of 2-3% over the next year in an effort to stem the loss of customers and sales.