Woman claims California Olive Garden scores customers a 75% discount on massive bills. But is it a scam?: ‘I thought they were gonna call security’

A TikTok account posted a receipt from a customer who apparently ordered $304.35 worth of products from an Olive Garden in Hayward, California. The receipt told a story by itself. the customer reportedly got 75% off their meal, cutting the bill's actual total by a significant margin. Toward the bottom, in blue ink, someone wrote “I thought they were gonna call security,” referring to the massive steal. The bill came out to $76.09.

But as it turns out, the post, which was made by a TikToker named Jennifer (@jennifer83037), may not be what it appears. Olive Garden doesn't have a 75% off deal. It also does not offer deals through third-party affiliates such as the one she features on her page.

As of this writing, Jennifer's post has more than 413,000 views.

Is There Really A Deal At Olive Garden?

Across Jennifer's TikTok account, the content creator posts receipts, which have real Olive Garden addresses. Every receipt features a massive food order, a big bill, and a huge percentage taken off said bill. In addition, each post usually has handwriting in blue pen that says something witty about the deal.

In the comments section of many of Jennifer's previous posts, viewers asked her how to get the 75% off deal.

One commenter said, “[As] a single mom, I cannot keep paying full price for fast food, so thank you for sharing this.”

Then, a number of other TikTokers claimed they got the deal. One person added, “Went with my sister yesterday and we both walked out with huge food bags; for y'all looking for how to do it, she posted the step-by-step on her page.”

The Fake Receipts

The receipts on Jennifer's account appear to be fake. For one, Olive Garden doesn't have a legitimate 75% promotion on its website, or at least not one that would cover $300+ of food.

Then, one can look at other posts on the account, which point out an obvious issue—the blue ink handwriting isn't real, and the receipts are nearly identical across the board. Two of the receipts posted on the account—one from Hayward, California, and one from San Francisco, California—have identical, pin-perfect handwriting at the bottom that states, “I thought they were going to call security.”

A further glance at the other receipts posted on the account reveals that they'll sometimes have text that's oriented slightly differently (along with different listed dates of service). But they're still largely identical.

Some receipts have fabricated menu items, charge for things that are usually complimentary, and have other glaring flaws that make it obvious they're fake.

The Pinned TikTok

Further investigation on the TikTok page reveals the goal. Pinned on the page, there's a guide for customers to “claim deals” at Olive Garden.

The post instructs individuals to go to a third-party website, “click on Claim Reward,” do multiple “deals,” and then “claim” a reward. When a person navigates to the linked website, they can see Olive Garden branding and information. But it's not Olive Garden's website.

There's a “claim now” button on the page, which appears to link to an affiliate tracker. Upon further investigation, the actual deal—to get 75% off—doesn't appear to be accessible.

The Scam

The website points to an obvious TikTok scam. How-To Geek explains that “TikTok scams are designed to steal your personal information and deceive you. You'll be lured in … but you're in for a big surprise when you find out you've just wasted your time.”

The publication notes that these scams will ask potential customers to fill out surveys with their personal information, which can be kept for later use. Many TikTok scams offer customers money. Others offer deals and supposed discounts.

The extent of the scam depends on the scamming network. A scam website might ask for more information. In other circumstances, a scammer may ask a customer to purchase items using a third-party link. That's where payments come in, and where people usually end up losing money.

Customers don't just get scammed on TikTok, either. Scammers will pretend to be real managers at restaurants. Snopes, for instance, debunked a common voucher scam on Facebook, which tricked Olive Garden and Chick-fil-A customers.

Snopes adds, “Similar websites can also potentially lead to attempts for phishing, identity theft, or other similar outcomes.”

So, while it may seem like a good idea to check out a potential TikTok offer for cheap food, Most would say advise others not to click on any links from similar TikTok accounts.

Subplot News reached out to Jennifer via TikTok direct message and Darden, the parent company of Olive Garden, via email for comment.

The post Woman claims California Olive Garden scores customers a 75% discount on massive bills. But is it a scam?: ‘I thought they were gonna call security' appeared first on Subplot News.