I think mashed potatoes are peasant food and a cop-out for todays restaurants.
A few years ago , if you served your guests mashed potatoes it was almost an insult. People enjoyed small baked red potatoes, done in spices or wild rice as a side dish,
Mashed potatoes are cheap and easy to make and to add the word garlic makes them seem exotic, but basically it's just cheap filler food! And usually lumpy!
Restaurants are really capitalizing on this concept but I refuse to accept it.

Should be saved for turkey dinners at Thanksgiving and Christmas, masked with gravy. I whip mine with cream cheese, milk and butter.