Italian restaurant chain Olive Garden is adding a new section to its menu called ‘Lighter Portions’ next year in a bid to gain favor with customers with varying diet types and preferences.
The new menu section will include Olive Garden classics such as Chicken Parmigiana, Fettuccine Alfredo, Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, and Lasagna Classico but with smaller portions.
Why It Matters
Olive Garden’s decision to introduce a new “Lighter Portions” menu nationwide reflects broad shifts in American dining habits and economic pressures. The new menu section, which features smaller sizes of several bestselling dishes at lower prices, comes as U.S. restaurant operators face changing consumer expectations around value, health, and flexibility.
The move by Olive Garden directly addresses trends including rising inflation, wage stagnation, and the growing use of GLP-1 medications as they reshape the casual dining landscape.
What To Know
Beginning in January, Olive Garden will roll out its “Lighter Portions” menu at all U.S. locations, offering smaller versions of seven core entrées, including Chicken Parmigiana, Fettuccine Alfredo, Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, Lasagna Classico, Eggplant Parmigiana, Cheese Ravioli, and Spaghetti & Meatballs.
Prices for these dishes will generally range from $12.99 to $13.99, depending on the market, compared to standard entrée prices that span from $16 to over $20. Each lighter entree will still include the chain’s signature unlimited breadsticks and choice of soup or salad.
The menu will be available after 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and all day on weekends.
Olive Garden began piloting this offering in 40 percent of its venues during the fall of 2025. Following favorable test results and customer feedback, the full national rollout was accelerated from its original target date in May.
The new menu section is additive rather than a replacement, meaning regular full-sized entrées will remain available.
According to Olive Garden, the smaller portions cater not only to price-conscious guests but also to those seeking less food, including Americans prescribed GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy, which have grown in popularity and can reduce appetite.
Rick Cardenas, CEO of Darden Restaurants, noted in the company’s quarterly earnings call that consumer response led to a “double-digit increase in affordability perceptions” and greater frequency among these guests, “which should help build traffic over time.”
What People Are Saying
Rick Cardenas, CEO of Darden Restaurants said during an earnings call last week: “Olive Garden has seen a double-digit increase in affordability perceptions from guests who order from the lighter portions menu and an increase in frequency among these guests, which should help build traffic over time.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “The widespread adoption of GLP-1 products is having some unexpected consequences for the food industry. Whereas historically many customers have viewed menus through the lens of “the best bang for your buck” with large portions for a moderate price, now those who are using GLP-1 medications are favoring smaller portions to meet the reduced needs of their appetites. The result is some restaurant chains are looking for ways to incorporate those needs into their menus by offering reduced portions that in some situations are cheaper than their peer dishes.”
What Happens Next
As Ozempic and other GLP-1s gain increased popularity, restaurants with lighter options could stand out among diners.
“The result could not just be those using GLP-1 medications favoring dining at those locations, but also cash-strapped giving those businesses a second look thanks to more affordable offerings,” Beene said. “There are so many dimensions to this ongoing change in diets.”
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