It's hard to explain. It's like sleeping on the couch when you have a house full of fluffy feather beds, or occasionally driving a rusted smoke-belching pickup truck every now and then despite having your pick of sports cars.

But enough Rhode Islanders must do the same thing to keep the restaurant in business.

Most of us has been to Olive Garden at least once. It's packed on weekend evenings, and in fact it's usually busy enough that you appreciate the electronic pager that they give you when you check in. After a wait, typically 20 to 40 minutes, you'll be led to your table and offered a sample of their house wine. Don't expect a rare vintage -- just a servicable table wine.

Your order's taken and in just a little while you're provided salad and bread sticks.

I think that the salad and bread sticks are a large part of the reason I keep coming back. It's not that they're better than any salad or breadsticks I've had at "real" Italian restaurants, and not just that it's unlimited. I think that the salad and breadsticks are an indication of what sets Olive Garden apart.

The Olive Garden has a "standard".

Yes, the Olive Garden is part of a 534-restaurant chain and so it fits the corporate model. There's standardized training for the waitstaff, standardized recipes and presentations -- even standardized breadsticks and "bottomless" salads. And that standard makes me feel at home.

It's comforting to know what to expect. I know that the prices will be in line with the quantity and complexity of the dishes. I know that there will always be iced tea, even in the winter, and that the cigarette smoke from the bar will not drift into the dining area.

And I know that there will always be hot bread sticks and lots and lots and lots of salad.

The Olive Garden is an excellent choice for dinner or lunch if you're not trying to impress an "Italian cuisine snob". Prices are moderate -- dinner for five on a recent trip with appetizers and desserts came to $100. Or come during lunch for just the salad and breadsticks if you're on a tight budget.

About the author, Paul Pence: Not a life-long Rhode Islander, Paul got to Rhode Island as fast as he could. He has 25 years of writing experience and numerous publication credits including the Providence Journal, the East Greenwich Magazine, Weissmann Travel Reports, Travel Lady Magazine, Jackhammer, Your Skin and Sun, TravelNotes, TexWoman, and many others.

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