Olive Garden is finally making a major change to its services and customers are loving it.
Fans of the restaurant chain have long lamented that its delicious pasta dishes were not available for home delivery.
The fast-food favorite has resisted joining forces with competitors like DoorDash and Deliveroo, saying it didn’t want a third party coming between the brand and its customers.
Now, however, bosses have done a U-turn and launched a two-year partnership with Uber.
Consumers looking to enjoy their favorite Olive Garden dishes at home will now be able to place orders on the restaurant’s app.
Olive Garden will now offer a delivery option in partnership with Uber
“Good news for food lovers everywhere!” wrote one fan on X.
“Now I can satisfy my breadstick craving at home too,” commented another.
Orders will be delivered by Uber Eats drivers, but cannot be requested from the Uber Eats app.
The two-year partnership will begin with a trial later this year, The restaurant business was reported.
It will then be rolled out to all 900 Olive Garden locations across the U.S. by May 2025.
“Guests have been asking us for delivery options and continue to show they are willing to pay for the convenience,” Olive Garden parent company Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said Thursday.
This comes after the beloved Italian chain reported a 3 percent drop in sales for the period ending August 25, the publication reported.
“On-demand delivery is increasingly a core expectation for consumers,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Vice President of Delivery and Head of Americas for Uber Eats.
‘People also expect a great experience, especially when it’s from a brand they love like Olive Garden, and that doesn’t change whether they’re in the restaurant or at home.’
The delivery service will expand to other Darden locations, including LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
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 full-service rivals like Chilli’s, which has an appetizer, entree and drink deal for $11, and Applebee’s, which has two-for-$20 deals.
Fast food chains have also launched offers. 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.
Customers on social media said Olive Garden is going in exactly the wrong direction and should “read the situation,” especially since years of sky-high inflation have reduced people’s ability to spend on things like dining out.
“If you’re losing foot traffic and customers and you realize that consumers are struggling, it might not be the best time to brag about raising prices,” one customer commented on TikTok.
“The board needs to start looking for a new executive team and a CEO and CFO who are not so deaf to change.”
‘Another wrote that the restaurant ‘might as well close.’
