Olive Garden Menu: Full Prices, Best Dishes & Deals (2026)

# Olive Garden Menu: Full Prices, Best Dishes & Deals (2026)

By Daniel Rozin | A Versus B | December 9, 2026

Olive Garden is America's largest Italian-American casual dining chain, with over 850 locations. The menu spans pasta, chicken, seafood, soups, salads, and desserts — all served with Olive Garden's famous unlimited breadsticks and salad. Entrées run $17-$32, and the restaurant is best known for its value at lunch and seasonal promotions like the Never Ending Pasta Bowl. Here is everything on the Olive Garden menu with 2026 prices and what to order.

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Olive Garden Menu Prices (2026)#

Classic Pasta Entrées#

Signature Entrées#

Soups & Salad#

Appetizers#

Desserts#

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What to Order at Olive Garden#

Best pasta dish: The Tour of Italy ($23.99) is the standout value — you get chicken parmigiana, lasagna classico, and fettuccine alfredo in a single plate. It is Olive Garden's most popular entrée for a reason.

Best soup: Zuppa Toscana — sausage, kale, potatoes, and cream broth. Consistently rated the best of the four soups and worth ordering unlimited bowls.

Best value item: The Unlimited Soup, Salad & Breadsticks at $9.99 (lunch) or included with any entrée is one of the best deals in casual dining. A full lunch of soup + salad + 3 breadsticks runs around 600-800 calories for under $10.

Best seafood dish: Herb-Grilled Salmon ($24.99) at 460 calories is the best option if you want something lighter. The salmon is one of the few menu items under 600 calories.

Lighter pasta option: Shrimp Scampi ($24.99, 930 cal) — lighter than any Alfredo-based dish and flavorful with lemon butter, garlic, and wine sauce.

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Olive Garden Never Ending Pasta Bowl#

The Never Ending Pasta Bowl is Olive Garden's most famous promotion. It typically runs from late August through October and offers unlimited pasta with choice of sauce and topping for a set price (historically $14.99-$16.99). As of 2026, check Olive Garden's website or app for whether the promotion is currently running — it is limited-time and returns annually.

During the promotion:

• Choose from 7 pasta types: spaghetti, penne, rigatoni, linguine, fettuccine, capellini, or cavatappi
• Choose from 4 sauces: marinara, meat sauce, Alfredo, or five cheese marinara
• Add a topping: meatballs, sausage, crispy chicken fritta, shrimp, or broccoli (some upgrades cost $4-$5 extra)

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Olive Garden Lunch Menu#

Olive Garden's lunch portions are slightly smaller and priced $4-$6 less than dinner:

Lunch runs 11 AM - 3 PM at most locations and is the best time to visit for value.

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Olive Garden vs. Competitors#

Olive Garden competes with Carrabba's Italian Grill, Maggiano's, Fazoli's, and fast-casual Italian chains like Noodles & Company.

• Olive Garden vs Carrabba's — Carrabba's uses more authentic Italian recipes; Olive Garden is cheaper and has more locations
• Olive Garden vs Red Lobster — Both are Darden brands; Red Lobster focuses on seafood; Olive Garden is better for pasta
• Chipotle vs Olive Garden — Chipotle is 40-50% cheaper; Olive Garden offers more variety and a sit-down experience

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Is Olive Garden Worth It in 2026?#

At $18-$25 for an entrée (plus the included soup and salad), Olive Garden offers reasonable value for casual dining. The unlimited breadsticks and soup/salad inclusion make every entrée worth more than its list price. For lunch under $15 with unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, Olive Garden is one of the better casual dining deals in the US. The quality is consistent even if it is not authentic Italian — you know exactly what you are getting.

A Versus B covers menus, prices, and comparisons across the most popular restaurant chains. All prices reflect 2026 US national averages and may vary by location.