Olive Garden is selling a 'lifetime pasta pass' starting tomorrow

As masters of the pseudo-Italian food industry, Olive Garden knows a thing or two about attracting new customers.

They might not be the most refined restaurateurs, but they can certainly still serve something that’s both comforting and edible. If that doesn’t sound like a hard bar to clear, you should try eating at any of the dozens of Olive Garden rip-offs dotted across the country. You’ll soon come crawling back. 

One of the most celebrated aspects of the Olive Garden experience is undoubtedly the sheer amount of food. If you’re in the mood for no-nonsense carb-loading, there genuinely aren’t many better options, even if everything you eat does eventually blur into a big, beige ball.

But, thanks to a brand new promotion, even naysayers will have to admit that Olive Garden has just raised the stakes when it comes to stuffing your face.

Starting tomorrow, dedicated Garden disciples will be able to get their hands on limited edition Lifetime Pasta Passes. These will allow the owners unlimited access to all pastas, soups, and breadsticks from now until global warming inevitably floods every kitchen in the United States. One could be yours for $500. 

The new offer will be run alongside Olive Garden’s annual Pasta Pass giveaway, which this year grants access to free food from September 23rd to November 24th. The chain is planning on selling 24,000 such passes for $100 a pop, proving that there is still a serious appetite for complementary carbs. 

However, the Lifetime pass is a game-changer in every sense. For starters, customers will only be able to get their hands on one if they first purchase a traditional Pasta Pass and then opt into the upgrade. Hopeful punters will have to be quick off the mark, as only the first 50 to make the upgrade will be eligible for the pass. 

Feeling hungry for pasta? Check out this recipe for our Garlic Bread Pasta Pie!

In anticipation of the potential popularity of the offer, Olive Garden has set up a special system on their website. According to a report in LifeHacker, "The passes will be for sale for 30 minutes only starting at 2pm Thursday, with the waiting room opening up at 1:55pm ET." This means that being both organized and quick on the draw is doubly important. 

If you are lucky enough to have successfully negotiated all of the administrative hurdles, you will receive an email on Friday informing you that your pass has been secured. From then, you will have 48 hours to complete your purchase and provide the additional $400. It might sound like more trouble than it’s worth but, where free pasta is concerned, we say there’s no such thing as a bridge too far.

This article originally appeared on TwistedFood.co.uk and was shared with permission.