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Food

We tried Olive Garden's breadstick sandwich, and it's ... meh

We love Olive Garden's endless breadsticks: They're free with any entree and arrive at the table early, right when you realize you're hungry. If you run out of warm, garlicky breadsticks? They'll bring more, free. This is America.

When Olive Garden announced it would sell new breadstick sandwiches, the idea seemed right. Breadsticks (yes) plus meat and cheese (double yes) make OG's breadsticks even better, right? A few Dallas Morning News staffers did a semi-professional taste test. And here's the word:

The breadstick sandwich messes with a good thing. 

The new sandwiches are not assembled with the same breadsticks on your table; these are larger, the size of a hot dog bun. A spokesperson says they're made with the same ingredients as the signature breadsticks, though ours were less tender and less garlicky than the original OG breadsticks.

One of these breadsticks is not like the other.
One of these breadsticks is not like the other.(Sarah Blaskovich)

Available since June 1, the breadstick sandwiches come two ways: with chicken parmesan, marinara sauce and melted mozzarella; or with Sicilian meatballs, marinara and alfredo sauce.

Our sandwiches were low on sauce, which made for a dry mouthful of meat and bun. After a few bites, ingredients from both sandwiches fell out and onto the plate -- and they tasted better out there on their own.

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A redeeming quality to the breadstick sandwich is the price. The meatball sandwich ($6.99) and the chicken parm sandwich ($7.99) begin with endless breadsticks, then come with choice of endless soup or salad. The sandwich also arrives with a side of fries. That's a lot of food for under $10. It's also a lot of carbs.

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We're not hating on Olive Garden. There's a time and a place for endless food, and it's at OG, with your family members, on a Sunday afternoon. Just opt for something other than the breadstick sandwich. Save those stix for mopping up sauce and curbing pre-dinner cravings.

Norma Cavazos, Britton Peele, Tiney Ricciardi and Shannon Sutlief, who contributed to this taste test.