Olive Garden is about to bring back two fan-favorite menu items as the chain battles declining sales.
The Italian chain, with 900 locations, will soon again offer Gorgonzola Alfredo and Stuffed Chicken Marsala.
Both items were eliminated during the pandemic when menus were simplified.
Now they will return with ‘“higher quality ingredients,” Rick Cardenas, chief executive of Olive Garden parent company Darden, said on a recent earnings call.
When the return of both items was announced at a CEO conference in August, the news was met with “tremendous applause.”
The move comes after disappointing financial results for the chain in the third quarter, with same-store sales falling nearly 3 percent in the period.
Gorgonzola Alfredo Will Soon Return to the Olive Garden Menu
Foot traffic was also down, declining after the Fourth of July celebrations, and overall visitor numbers were down 5 percent year-over-year.
Darden bosses blamed the poor results on weather, rising Covid cases, the Olympics and political turmoil.
In addition to refreshing its fan-favorite items, the chain is extending its “Never-Ending Pasta Bowl” promotion for three more weeks.
Cardenas said the annual promotion is popular across all income levels and is being adopted at a higher rate than usual this year.
Fans of the restaurant chain have long lamented that its pasta dishes and breadsticks were not available for delivery.
Last week, we reported that Olive Garden will finally offer its food through delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash.
The chain had resisted joining its competitors in using delivery services, saying it did not want a third party to come between the brand and its customers.
Now, executives have announced a two-year partnership with Uber. This major change of direction has delighted fans.
“Good news for food lovers everywhere!” wrote one fan on X.
“Now I can satisfy my breadstick craving at home too,” commented another.
Olive Garden angered customers by raising prices earlier this summer despite lackluster sales.
Executives announced in June that prices would rise by 2.5 to 3 percent not just at Olive Garden but across Darden’s vast portfolio of restaurants.
Chief Executive Rick Cardenas also said the company would not pursue deals to woo inflation-weary customers as rivals have done.
He was referring to rivals such as Chilli’s, which offers an appetizer, entree and drink deal for $11, and Applebee’s, which has two-for-$20 deals.
Casual restaurant chains like these have joined fast-food companies in offering cheap deals as inflation-weary customers cut back on eating out after years of rising prices.
The tastes of McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s have a $5 meal deal that includes a burger, nuggets, fries and a drink.
Orders will be processed by Uber Eats drivers, but can only be placed on the Olive Garden app.
Olive Garden recently expanded its ‘Never-Ending Pasta Bowl’ promotion
McDonald’s $5 deal includes a McChicken or McDouble, four chicken nuggets, fries and a drink.
KFC has revamped its $5 meal deal to compete with McDonald’s and Wendy’s, but there’s one problem: It doesn’t include a drink.
Popular sandwich chain Jimmy John’s is offering a $10 total meal package, which includes an 8-inch sandwich, a fountain drink, fries and a cookie or brownie.
White Castle has slashed the price of its famous burgers to the lowest level in a decade. The family-owned business, with 335 locations, is offering ten cheeseburgers for $7.99, more than 30 percent off the regular price.
Starbucks also made a surprise entry into the value wars earlier this summer with a $5 coffee-and-breakfast-food combo.
