Search Here

Olive Garden is trying something new—smaller meals at smaller prices—and so far, customers seem to like it.

The Italian restaurant chain, owned by Darden Restaurants, is testing "Lighter Portion Entrées" at about 40% of its locations across the US, the company said during a quarterly earnings call on Thursday, September 18.

These smaller meals don't replace anything already on the menu. Instead, they give guests a cheaper option without cutting back on what Olive Garden is known for—unlimited breadsticks and soup or salad.

The reduced-size meals include seven popular items like Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Fettuccine Alfredo, Cheese Ravioli, and Lasagna Classico.

According to FoxBusiness, Prices range between $12.99 and $13.99 depending on the location.

"Even with smaller portions, customers are happy with the amount of food they're getting," said Rick Cardenas, CEO and president of Darden Restaurants.

The lighter entrees are available at dinner and all day on weekends. The goal, according to Cardenas, is to give customers more variety at prices that feel more affordable, especially as people look for ways to cut costs when dining out.

Olive Garden Sees 15% Affordability Boost With New Meal Option

Since launching the test, Olive Garden has seen encouraging signs. In locations offering the new menu items, affordability scores went up by 15%, Cardenas said.

Those same locations also saw a nearly 6% increase in sales and a 3% bump in customer traffic, Yahoo reported.

"This lets guests enjoy a full Olive Garden experience while choosing a price point that works for them," Cardenas added.

The move comes at a time when rising fast food prices are pushing some diners toward sit-down restaurants. Olive Garden hopes the lighter portion option will attract more of those customers.

Darden Restaurants, based in Orlando, Florida, owns several other major brands, including LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, and Ruth's Chris Steak House. Although Darden's stock dropped about 7% after reporting mixed results, the company remains focused on long-term growth.

Olive Garden currently has over 900 restaurants and nearly 100,000 employees across the country.