Here's What Happens To Olive Garden Breadsticks If You Can't Finish The Basket

Endless breadsticks are one of the key perks of a meal at Olive Garden. Your server brings you one basket after another, and you gleefully enjoy every bite of garlicky goodness (fun fact: Olive Garden's unlimited breadstick policy was basically invented by mistake). When the evening comes to a close, however, and you've still got breadsticks in your basket — what, exactly, happens to them if you choose not to take them home in a to-go bag?

According Reddit users who say they work at Olive Garden, uneaten breadsticks go straight into the trash. It makes sense, as health and safety laws make it illegal for restaurants to repurpose uneaten food once it's been served to a customer. Since your breadsticks can't be used after they've hit your table, you might as well take them home to enjoy another day, even if you aren't bringing any other leftovers home with you. Your server will bring you a bag made specifically for breadsticks that you can use to reheat them (bonus: You can pop them into a conventional oven right in the bag — it doesn't get much easier than that).

If you brought home leftover breadsticks from Olive Garden, there are quite a few ways in which you can put them to good use. Of course, it's totally fine to follow the directions on the bag and enjoy them in their original glory, but there are more creative ways to enjoy them. Get ready for your head to explode: you need to try using Olive Garden breadsticks as hot dog buns. Slice them down the middle, load up a freshly grilled dog, and finish it off with your favorite toppings (leftover Alfredo sauce is a perfect fit with the garlicky, salty taste of the breadsticks).

Another option is to use your leftover Olive Garden breadsticks to create ridiculously flavorful croutons to top off soups or salads. It's pretty simple: chop them up, toss the cubes with oil, roast them in the oven or air fryer, and get to crunching. Since Olive Garden can't repurpose leftover breadsticks, you might as well go for it in your kitchen. Just don't forget to ask your server for a bag to wrap them up and take them home to your fridge.