Olive Garden’s never-ending soup or salad and breadsticks are a hallmark part of the chain’s dining experience, so you may be surprised to learn that these offerings were never a part of the original plan. The first Olive Garden opened in 1982, serving up Italian dishes like a hearty lasagna and the creamiest chicken Parmesan — the same meals we know today. Still, those classic Italian pasta sauces take time and effort to make, and from day one of service, diners seemed hungry and frustrated while they waited for their meals. Management needed a quick, inexpensive way to assuage those rumbling stomachs. The solution? Complimentary breadsticks, bowls of pre-made soup, and crisp salads tossed tableside in the chain’s in-house dressing.
None of these options took much time for the busy kitchen staff to prepare, and servers could keep guests happy with a consistent lineup of free refills. It was a win-win solution for almost everyone. What started as a practical way to soothe grumbling stomachs quickly turned into one of Olive Garden’s most beloved traditions. Today, it’s what keeps customers coming back for more.
Are endless courses really cost-effective for Olive Garden?
Some restaurants that offer bottomless options might assume that people won’t order more than two servings of food. This was an assumption that led to Red Lobster losing a staggering amount of money on its endless crab promotion. The higher-ups at Olive Garden, on the other, understood from the get-go that people really would order a ton of breadsticks and salad (which tastes so good because of a special serving trick). To keep the business successful, the restaurant built the cost of these freebies into the price of the entrees. Another reason the chain is able to afford offering unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks is that it prepares these foods in bulk and uses less-than-premium ingredients that are hearty and filling.
The only downside of endless courses? The servers have to shoulder most of the work. Since customers can order as many soups or salads and breadsticks as they want, team members are constantly running back and forth from the dining room to the kitchen. Still, Olive Garden hasn’t wavered on its tradition. Endless courses may be demanding behind the scenes, but for customers, these offerings are a major reason why the chain feels so welcoming.
Dining and Cooking