BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – One Berkeley County man is riding high on Cloud Nine after recently winning the lottery, well, the “pasta lottery” that is.
Tom Campbell of Goose Creek was one of 50 people nationwide, and the only person in South Carolina, to recently win a Lifetime Pasta Pass from Olive Garden. This means that for rest of his life, he can eat as much pasta as he darn-well pleases – day, night or both.
“When I learned I won and beat out the other people trying to quickly snatch up one of theses passes online, I thought it was a scam, and my wife thought I was crazy. But when a representative from the company called me on the phone, you could just tell it was real,” smiled Campbell. “I honestly feel like the kid in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory who won the golden ticket. While I’ve never won the lottery, this feels pretty close.”
The Lifetime Pasta Pass includes a lifetime of unlimited servings of guests’ favorite pastas, homemade sauces and toppings, accompanied by unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks.
“I could lose my house, become unemployed, but I take comfort in knowing that I will never go hungry as long as Olive Garden is in business,” joked Campbell.
The average pasta meal at the restaurant for a single person costs $19, according to one report. If Campbell ordered just two pasta meals a day for the next 30 years, his total bill would amount to about $416,100. Provided that Olive Garden is still around in 2049, Campbell will be 79-years-old.
“I want to be around a long time to enjoy the pass. So as much as I am tempted to go to Olive Garden every single day, I’m going to try to limit myself to just twice a week. I don’t want to die of a heart attack from eating too much pasta,” laughed Campbell. “I can’t enjoy my pasta pass for many years to come if I’m dead.”
As for Campbell’s favorite pasta dish? He says it’s the restaurant’s spaghetti. He jokes that Olive Garden’s spaghetti tastes way better than the one his wife makes at home.
“I also love the breadsticks. I could eat those all day long. I eat at least four every time I go to the restaurant,” Campbell said.
Just like the lottery, you have to pay and then “play to win.” On August 15, guests nationwide had the opportunity to log onto www.PastaPass.com to purchase one of 24,000 Never Ending Pasta Passes for $100 (plus tax). At the time of purchase, the first 50 guests to quickly complete their transaction could opt-in for a Lifetime Pasta Pass.
The passes sold out instantly. In order to increase your chances of snagging a pass, you had to be fast on your computer keys. Luckily, Campbell was.
“Olive Garden has always been known for Italian generosity and making everyone feel like family,” said Jennifer Arguello, executive vice president of marketing for Olive Garden. “With the introduction of our new Lifetime Pasta Pass, we’re excited to be a part of our biggest fans’ memories around the table for years to come.”
For Campbell, the price to pay for a chance at unlimited pasta for the rest of his life, was well worth the cost. He says he’ll definitely eat his money’s worth in pasta and then some.
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