There was a line of hungry guests standing outside Olive Garden’s front door on Monday for its official grand opening in Cool Springs.

Before their arrival, Olive Garden team members, Williamson, Inc. staff and chamber ambassadors cut the ribbon on to officially open Williamson County’s newest Italian restaurant.

“We’re just excited to open our doors to Williamson County,” said general manager Tresa Reigart. “We want to delight every guest with a genuine Italian dining experience.”

For Reigart, who started as a server next door at Red Lobster in 1992, the opportunity to work nearby was an opportunity she jumped at.

“This is full circle for me,” Reigart said. “I love what I do and have a passion for food.”

She joined the Olive Garden management team in 2007 and previously managed the Mt. Juliet location before coming to Cool Springs.

A 31-year veteran of the restaurant industry, Reigart began her career with Olive Garden in 1997 as a server and bartender. During her time with the company, she’s held both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house positions and was ultimately promoted to general manager in 2007.

The new restaurant fills the space formerly occupied by Romano’s Macaroni Grill and features Olive Garden’s latest design with new artwork, fabrics, materials, lighting, seating, countertops and flooring, as well as a display of the new “Olive Garden Italian Kitchen” logo sign. The 7,197-square-foot restaurant can accommodate more than 250 guests.

Olive Garden has also formed a partnership to donate its leftover food to One Generation Away, a local nonprofit that “rescues” food and distributes it to those in need across Middle Tennessee.

Nationwide, Olive Garden’s Harvest Program has donated more than 35 million pounds of food to local food banks.

Located at 1712 Galleria Blvd., the new Olive Garden location has created approximately 150 new jobs for the surrounding community.