Jim Grant/Nevada AppealCustomers line-up early for the 4 p.m. opening of the Olive Garden Monday.
Dottie McBride couldn't wait to spend the gift card a friend from Arizona had sent her for Olive Garden.
On Monday, the Carson City woman was among about 50 people, some of whom lined up hours before the grand opening of the new 246-seat restaurant.
"Olive Garden has the best food," said McBride. "We love the salad and the breadsticks and the soup."
That she doesn't have to drive into Reno is an added bonus for McBride, and Frank Perry of Minden.
He said he'd been traveling 30-plus miles to the Kietzke Lane restaurant in Reno since the early '80s.
Joe and Nellie Polson decided to take advantage of the fact that opening day coincided with Joe's birthday.
"He watched them build this," said Nellie. "He's been over here almost every day."
Jeff Stewart and Amanda McIntosh also decided they wanted to celebrate an event at the new Olive Garden.
"It's our second anniversary," said Stewart.
Manager Jinny Suarez-Brychel, of Carson City, has commuted to Reno and Sparks for work for 10 years. Suarez-Brychel received a bachelor's degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz.
She was not only grateful for opening day, but like so many others on Monday, she was also happy to bid adieu to the commute to Reno.
"We are so excited for Carson City to have an Olive Garden here," she said. "We're very excited to give the community a genuine Italian dining experience."
To recognize Suarez-Brychel's role as head of the Carson Olive Garden the company had her name chiseled into travertine marble, which is displayed by the front door.
The restaurant features a number of sustainable design elements, including recycled building materials, enlarged windows to increase natural light, low-water landscaping and energy-efficient equipment. These enhancements are part of the Sustainable Restaurant Design initiative launched by Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden's parent company. There are also designated parking spaces in the front for hybrid cars.
About 165 jobs were created with the opening of the 7,441-square-foot restaurant at 4253 S. Carson St.
Hours of operation for the first week only:
• Monday-Thursday: 4 p.m.-10 p.m.
• Friday: 4 p.m.- 11 p.m.
• Saturday: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Regular Hours of operation:
Sunday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
For more info call: 775-883-7471