One of Olive Garden’s most popular items is making a return to the menu, and it’s coming at a price that fans have grown accustomed to.
The chain’s “Never-Ending Pasta Bowl” is back on August 25, giving customers 96 possible pasta combinations to choose from. The best part? It will only cost them the same $13.99 price that it’s been at Olive Garden for each of if the last three years.
The offer is consistent with Oliver Garden’s strategy to keep prices relatively consistent when compared to other restaurants.
According to the National Restaurant Association, menu prices are up more than 30% between February 2020 and April 2025. Olive Garden has only increased menu prices by about 2% last year, but profits rose 12.7% over the previous year.
Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters, tells CNN that the strategy is working because the low bar to entry encourages additional purchases. Once customers are in for the pasta deal, they’re more likely to spend on other items like brinks, cocktails and dessert.
How is Olive Garden Using The Strategy?
“If the pasta brings them in the door and they purchase other profitable items, then it definitely makes sense in the long run,” Webster said.
“Olive Garden has likely done the math regarding how many patrons will actually eat significantly more than $13 of pasta. Some will, of course, but likely on average it works out in their favor.”
She mentioned that Olive Garden’s vast amount of locations gives them an advantage with suppliers, as they’re able to develop relationships and rapport “which can, in turn, help them with price.”
The “Never-Ending Pasta Bowl” gives customers the choice between fettuccine, spaghetti, angel hair and rigatoni for a base. They’re then asked to choose from six sauce options – alfredo, marinara and meat sauce, among others.
The customer can add toppings or protein like chicken, meatballs and Italian sausage, but this comes with an additional $4.99 fee. To make the deal even better, Olive Garden’s famous free soup, salad and unlimited breadsticks are also included.
When Was The Pasta Bowl Introduced?
Olive Garden first introduced the promotion back in 1995, and it has been an annual staple in most years after not making an appearance during the pandemic.
“Our consumers want to go out and spend their hard-earned money, and we think we’re taking some wallet share from fast food and fast casual,” said Rick Cardenas, CEO of Olive Garden’s parent company Darden.
Other examples of restuarants seeing success with a price strategy that puts consumers first is Applebees. The company’s 2 for $25 deal was an attractive option for many, leading to a 5% revenue increase in its most recent quarter.
We’ll see if the low-cost strategy helps Olive Garden for yet another year.
