Latest news with #NeverEndingPastaBowl
The Independent
an hour ago
- Business
- The Independent
Olive Garden's unlimited pasta is making a come back: Here's when and what to know
Unlimited pasta is coming back to Olive Garden but only the most loyal customers will be offered the promotion early. Olive Garden's 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' made its debut in the mid-1990s and has returned to the menu periodically throughout the years. For $13.99 customers can get unlimited pasta and breadsticks plus their choice of endless soup or salad. But Olive Garden did write on X that the price can vary depending on your restaurant's location. Olive Garden fans will see some of their favorite pasta and sauce combos, but there is also a new spicy three-meat sauce. The Italian restaurant chain describes its new sauce as 'a flavorful blend of chili flakes, cherry peppers, red bell pepper, pepperoni, red wine, garlic and herbs and homemade meat sauce.' Customers may choose to pair the sauce with fettuccine, spaghetti, angel hair or rigatoni pasta. If you are looking for a sauce with less heat, you can also pick from Olive Garden's Alfredo, five cheese marinara, traditional marinara, creamy mushroom or meat sauces. The promotion will be available to all customers from August 25 to November 16. But if you are signed up to Olive Garden's free membership program, called eClub, you can get the deal starting Monday. Olive Garden has not changed the price of its unlimited pasta deal since 2022, despite inflation rising. 'In a time when prices seem to rise with every season, Olive Garden is keeping the price of its most beloved offer exactly the same,' the restaurant chain said in a press release. Inflation slightly increased by 0.2 percent in July and by 2.7 percent over the past year, according to a recent Consumer Price Index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food inflation did not change last month. Olive Garden increased sales by 6.9 percent last fiscal quarter, Darden Restaurants, its parent company, reported in June. "We had a strong quarter with same-restaurant sales and earnings growth that exceeded our expectations," said Rick Cardenas, Darden President and CEO. 'Our adherence to our winning strategy, anchored in our four competitive advantages and being brilliant with the basics, led to a successful year.' Darden also owns LongHorn Steakhouse and other restaurants. Fans shared their excitement about the return of Olive Garden's 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' on social media. 'Holy smokes that is literally a deal!! Coming thru next Monday!' one person wrote on X. Another wrote: 'See me there every day until it's gone thank you.' 'I'll be there tonight for early access of this!' a third posted.
The Independent
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Customer favorite to make comeback at Olive Garden
Olive Garden is reintroducing its popular "Never Ending Pasta Bowl" promotion, offering unlimited pasta, breadsticks, and a choice of endless soup or salad. The deal is priced at $13.99, with potential variations by location, and the price has remained consistent since 2022 despite inflation. The promotion will be available to all customers from 25 August to 16 November, with members of Olive Garden's eClub receiving early access starting Monday. A new spicy three-meat sauce has been added to the menu options, alongside existing sauces and various pasta choices. The return of the unlimited pasta deal has been met with excitement on social media, following a strong sales quarter for Olive Garden and its parent company, Darden Restaurants.
The Independent
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Unlimited pasta is coming back to Olive Garden: Here is the skinny on when you can get it
Unlimited pasta is coming back to Olive Garden but only the most loyal customers will be offered the promotion early. Olive Garden's 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' made its debut in the mid-1990s and has returned to the menu periodically throughout the years. For $13.99 customers can get unlimited pasta and breadsticks plus their choice of endless soup or salad. But Olive Garden did write on X that the price can vary depending on your restaurant's location. Olive Garden fans will see some of their favorite pasta and sauce combos, but there is also a new spicy three-meat sauce. The Italian restaurant chain describes its new sauce as 'a flavorful blend of chili flakes, cherry peppers, red bell pepper, pepperoni, red wine, garlic and herbs and homemade meat sauce.' Customers may choose to pair the sauce with fettuccine, spaghetti, angel hair or rigatoni pasta. If you are looking for a sauce with less heat, you can also pick from Olive Garden's Alfredo, five cheese marinara, traditional marinara, creamy mushroom or meat sauces. The promotion will be available to all customers from August 25 to November 16. But if you are signed up to Olive Garden's free membership program, called eClub, you can get the deal starting Monday. Olive Garden has not changed the price of its unlimited pasta deal since 2022, despite inflation rising. 'In a time when prices seem to rise with every season, Olive Garden is keeping the price of its most beloved offer exactly the same,' the restaurant chain said in a press release. Inflation slightly increased by 0.2 percent in July and by 2.7 percent over the past year, according to a recent Consumer Price Index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Food inflation did not change last month. Olive Garden increased sales by 6.9 percent last fiscal quarter, Darden Restaurants, its parent company, reported in June. "We had a strong quarter with same-restaurant sales and earnings growth that exceeded our expectations," said Rick Cardenas, Darden President and CEO. 'Our adherence to our winning strategy, anchored in our four competitive advantages and being brilliant with the basics, led to a successful year.' Darden also owns LongHorn Steakhouse and other restaurants. Fans shared their excitement about the return of Olive Garden's 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' on social media. 'Holy smokes that is literally a deal!! Coming thru next Monday!' one person wrote on X. Another wrote: 'See me there every day until it's gone thank you.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Olive Garden Deal We Wait All Year for Is Finally Back
And the pasta-bilities are endless. Key Takeaways Olive Garden's Never Ending Pasta Bowl returns this August for a limited time at the same low price four years running. Guests can enjoy endless pasta, soup or salad, and breadsticks with dozens of mix-and-match flavor possibilities. A bold new sauce joins the menu, adding extra heat to this year's lineup. There's nothing better than a warm, comforting bowl of pasta. Except maybe a warm, comforting bowl of pasta that never runs out. If you've been dreaming of all-you-can-eat spaghetti and meatballs or everlasting chicken fettuccine Alfredo, there's something very delicious coming to Olive Garden that you'll want to take note of. Olive Garden's Never Ending Pasta Bowl Is Back This Month The beloved fast-casual restaurant that's made headlines for selling its viral cheese grater and inspiring delicious copycat recipes is bringing back one of its most popular creations this month: the Never Ending Pasta Bowl. Starting Aug. 25, Olive Garden fans can score bottomless pasta for $13.99 per person—the same price as when the deal made its 2022 comeback following a hiatus. Never Ending Pasta Features Nearly 100 Possible Flavor Combinations According to the restaurant chain, there are 96 different combinations of sauces, pastas, and proteins that Olive Garden fans can order. Plus, for $4.99 more, guests can upgrade their proteins to include Crispy Chicken Fritta, Meatballs, or Italian Sausage. And of course, these low prices and full pasta bowls come alongside OG's unlimited soup or salad and freshly baked breadsticks. So what's on the Never Ending Pasta Bowl menu? Pasta choices include Fettuccine, Spaghetti, Angel Hair, and Rigatoni. The sauces will be Alfredo, Meat Sauce, Five Cheese Marinara, Traditional Marinara, and Creamy Mushroom. New to the lineup this year is the Garden's Spicy Three-Meat Sauce—a flavorful blend of chili flakes, cherry peppers, red bell pepper, pepperoni, red wine, garlic, herbs, and homemade meat sauce. How will we ever decide? Luckily, we don't have to. The pasta-bilities are endless. At least until the promo wraps up on Nov. 16. That's almost three full months of mixing and matching. Bonus: Olive Garden's eClub members can get in on the action early, starting Aug. 18. You'll see us then at the OG. As soon as we decide which combo to start with. Read the original article on ALLRECIPES
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Inflation has increased. The price of Olive Garden's ‘Never Ending Pasta Bowl' hasn't
Even with restaurant and menu costs soaring over the past few years, Olive Garden is keeping the price of one promotion constant. The chain's 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl,' which lets customers order unlimited pasta with up to 96 possible combinations, is returning on August 25 for $13.99 — the fourth consecutive year at that price. That's a notable achievement, considering many restaurants have hiked menu prices because of inflation and rising costs. The National Restaurant Association recently said that menu prices have jumped more than 30% between February 2020 and April 2025, which is 'on par with the increase needed' to maintain a restaurant's average 5% profit margin. Olive Garden only raised its prices by about 2% last year, lower than the rate of inflation. Meanwhile, profits jumped 12.7% in the latest quarter compared to the year before. So, how does it make the promotion's math work? The chain is likely luring eaters into making additional purchases, such as appetizers, desserts and cocktails, as well as saving money due to bulk buying, according to Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters. 'If the pasta brings them in the door and they purchase other profitable items, then it definitely makes sense in the long run,' she told CNN. '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 added that the chain, which has nearly 1,000 locations, purchases so much pasta that they 'likely have a very strong and cooperative relationship with pasta suppliers, which can, in turn, help them with price.' 'Never Ending,' explained The 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' deal, which lasts until November 16, includes the options of choosing from four pastas (fettuccine, spaghetti, angel hair, rigatoni), six sauces (alfredo, marinara and meat sauce, among others) plus toppings for a $4.99 surcharge, which includes crispy chicken, meatballs or Italian sausage. Also included are unlimited soup or salad and, of course, endless breadsticks. Olive Garden rolled out the 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' deal in 1995, and it has made annual appearances since then (barring a brief pause during the Covid-19 pandemic). The promotion has become a mainstay on the menu, enticing value-seeking families because of its affordability factor. The promotion is timed around back-to-school when 'people have a lot of expenses' and 'consumers are looking to save,' Jaime Bunker, senior vice president of marketing for Olive Garden, previously told CNN. Eye on value Value options have helped Olive Garden win big with budget-conscious consumers. Notably, the return of its buy-one meal and get a take-home meal deal, following a five-year hiatus, helped raise Olive Garden's sales by 6.9% in its most recent quarter, which ended on May 25. '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 Darden, Olive Garden's parent company, on a call with analysts in June. Other casual dining chains are also emphasizing value, and seeing results. For example, Applebee's same-store sales jumped nearly 5% in its most recent quarter, a welcome reversal after it recorded eight consecutive quarters of declines. Applebee's said its '2 for $25' deal, which includes an appetizer and two entrees, helped attract customers. It hopes to maintain that momentum Monday with the launch of a new value offering that lets customers choose three appetizers and three sauces or dips for $14.99. BJ's Restaurants, Red Robin and Chili's, have all in recent days posted positive results driven from promotions, too. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
