A&E POP CULTURE
Legendary N.D. columnist Marilyn Hagerty, of viral Olive Garden review fame, dies at 99

Sept. 17, 2025 Updated Wed., Sept. 17, 2025 at 6:11 p.m.


Even when the food wasn’t much to write home about, longtime Grand Forks Herald columnist Marilyn Hagerty could find something nice to say. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

By Jennifer Brooks
Star Tribune

In a world that rewards snark and cruelty, Marilyn Hagerty was kind. … Even when she was reviewing a chain restaurant. Even when the food wasn’t much to write home about, the longtime columnist for the Grand Forks Herald could find something nice to say. Even if it was just to compliment the décor.

“The chicken Alfredo ($10.95) was warm and comforting on a cold day. The portion was generous. My server was ready with Parmesan cheese,” she wrote in a 2012 review of her hometown’s first Olive Garden. “As I ate, I noticed the vases and planters with permanent flower displays on the ledges. There are several dining areas with arched doorways. And there is a fireplace that adds warmth to the decor.”

Hagerty, who forever changed the way we look at an Olive Garden, died Tuesday morning at the age of 99, the Grand Forks Herald reported. … Her journalism career spanned almost 70 years. She was in her 80s and still reporting when her earnest, endearing review of her hometown’s first Olive Garden launched her to viral fame and a book deal.

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