Olive Garden is one of the most recognizable restaurant brands in the United States.
While the restaurant chain does have its critics, millions of people flock to the Olive Garden because the chain provides a consistent product and large portions. Between the soup, salads, breadsticks, and massive meals, you will never leave an Olive Garden hungry.
While not many of us would argue about getting more food, people with smaller appetites may feel cheated by the massive portions. By the time their entre arrives, they have enough room to take about two bites before they ask for a to-go box.
Of course, the cost of eating out is often on people’s minds, too. These days, it is often hard for a family of four to have a non-fast food meal for less than $100. Many people would jump at the chance to save a few dollars the next time they go to their favorite restaurant.
It looks like the management at the Olive Garden may be about to fix both those problems.
Olive Garden Rolling Out “Lighter Portions” Menu
According to an article on the AOL website, the new lighter portions menu will be rolled out to all of the company’s restaurants in January 2026.
The idea is pretty straightforward. Smaller versions of familiar favorites, at a lower price. Most of the dishes land in the $13 to $15 range, compared to Olive Garden’s usual entree prices that run closer to $16 to $23.
The lineup pulls straight from the classics, things like Chicken Parmigiana, Fettuccine Alfredo, Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, and Lasagna Classico.
They have spent the last few months testing it out at some locations and it seems to be working. The article explains that guests are reporting a double digit jump in how affordable the restaurant feels when they order from the Lighter Portions section.
Those same guests are also coming back more often. About 40 percent of Olive Garden locations had the new section in place last quarter, another 20 percent were added early in the third quarter, and the rollout has already been sped up.
There’s another reason this move makes sense right now. Portion size. CEO Rick Cardenas acknowledged that smaller entrees appeal to people who simply want less food, including diners using GLP 1 medications.
Executives for the company also note that, even though they have not really promoted the deal in the test restaurants, people seem to be loving it.
The hope is that the new menu will be rolled out to all locations by the end of January 2026.
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