GOP Compares Voter ID Debate to Olive Garden's Pasta Pass

WHO:

Truthout - Abigail Jackson, White House deputy press secretary

Fast Company - Steve Scalise, House Majority Leader

Fast Company - Virginia Foxx, Republican congresswoman from North Carolina

Fast Company - Senator Mike Lee, Republican from Utah

Fast Company - Todd Blanche, former Trump lawyer and acting attorney general

Fast Company - Ryan Zinke, Republican congressman from Montana

Fast Company - Trump

WHAT:

Truthout - Republicans are comparing voter ID requirements to Olive Garden's "Pasta Pass."

Fast Company - Olive Garden clarified that the Never-Ending Pasta Pass requires a valid photo ID for use.

Fast Company - Scalise stated, "For God's sake — you can't get pasta at Olive Garden without a picture ID! Why not be able to show a picture ID to vote?"

Fast Company - Scalise also said, "Nowadays, if you want to go to Olive Garden and get unlimited pasta, you gotta show a picture ID."

Fast Company - The SAVE Act, pushed by Trump, would require proof of U.S. citizenship to vote.

WHERE:

Fast Company - Olive Garden, a fast-casual Italian chain

WHEN:

Fast Company - Olive Garden's tweet about the Pasta Pass was sent on July 15.

Fast Company - Scalise used the Olive Garden comparison on two separate occasions on a Tuesday morning.

WHY:

Fast Company - The comparison is part of a broader conservative argument that voter ID laws are necessary to prevent fraud.

Fast Company - The Olive Garden argument is a continuation of rhetoric Trump has been promoting for the past decade.

HOW:

Fast Company - The talking point about needing ID for various activities, including voting, is being used to argue for stricter voter ID laws.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 18:22 UTC)

Republicans, including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Trump, are drawing comparisons between voter ID requirements and Olive Garden's "Pasta Pass," which mandates a valid photo ID for use. Scalise emphasized this point by stating that if you need an ID to enjoy unlimited pasta at Olive Garden, it makes sense to show one when voting, a sentiment echoed in the SAVE Act pushed by Trump that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to vote. This rhetoric aligns with a broader conservative argument that stricter voter ID laws are necessary to prevent fraud, continuing a narrative Trump has championed for years.