Darden Restaurants, which owns several chains popular in metro Atlanta,  including Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse, is considering dropping automatic gratuities for tables of eight or more at its chains. What do you think of this practice? Is it giving too much deference to the server and too little regard to the customer?

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A man makes a phone call in front of a train during Tracks of Hope, an event hosted by Norfolk Southern in support of Hope Atlanta, in Forest Park, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. Norfolk Southern opened its executive vintage business train, typically reserved for company leadership and dignitaries, to the public in support of Hope Atlanta. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

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Rose Scott signals as "Closer Look" goes on the air in the WABE studio. An Atlanta resident left WABE a $3 million donation, a boost after WABE lost $1.9 million in annual funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. (Ben Gray for the AJC 2023)

Credit: Ben Gray