Olive Garden, the Italian-American restaurant chain owned by Darden Restaurants, is testing a new “Lighter Portion Entrées” menu at 40 percent of its locations nationwide.
The move, announced during the company’s September 2025 earnings call and reported by Fox Business, offers seven popular entrées in reduced sizes for a lower price, while maintaining Olive Garden’s hallmark unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks.
Why It Matters
This is one of the broadest experiments with smaller, reduced-price portions among major U.S. casual dining chains.
While Olive Garden executives have not publicly stated a reason for the trial, the launch comes amid growing reports that restaurants nationwide may adapt their menus to meet changing diner habits, including a rise in customers using GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic. These medications, now used by an estimated 2 percent of Americans, are known for suppressing appetite and have sparked suggestions that mini “Ozempic-friendly” portions may help restaurants cater to all potential diners.
Due to inflation, many restaurants and fast-food chains have also been turning towards money-saving deals to keep diners coming.
What To Know
The “Lighter Portion Entrées” menu offers smaller versions of existing dishes, including chicken parmigiana, eggplant parmigiana, lasagna classico, five cheese ziti al forno, cheese ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, and fettuccine alfredo. Prices for these entrées range from $12.99 to $13.99, varying by market.
“These items, available at dinner and all day during the weekend, still offer abundant portions and come with Olive Garden’s never-ending first course of unlimited breadsticks and unlimited soup or salad…I have confidence in Olive Garden’s initiatives for the year, as well as their five-year roadmap to sustain long-term growth and success,” Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said, Fox Business reported.
The trial is set to be limited to 40 percent of Olive Garden restaurants, with no timeline for possible further expansion. The company says if customer interest and affordability ratings remain positive, they may consider broadening the offering.
Olive Garden Italian Kitchen signage on the outside of a restaurant on May 8 in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.
Olive Garden Italian Kitchen signage on the outside of a restaurant on May 8 in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.
Aaron M. Sprecher via AP
What People Are Saying
Darden’s President & CEO Rick Cardenas told Newsweek: “During the quarter, Olive Garden began testing a lighter portion section of the menu, featuring seven of their existing entrées with reduced portions and a reduced price. These items, available at dinner and all-day during the weekend, still offer abundant portions and come with Olive Garden’s never-ending first course of unlimited breadsticks and unlimited soup or salad.
“Forty percent of Olive Garden restaurants currently offer this menu, and the initial response from guests has been encouraging, with affordability scores increasing 15 percentage points and high satisfaction with portion size.”
More Olive Garden Menu Plans
Separate from the smaller portions initiative, Olive Garden introduced several other major menu changes this summer. In July, the chain launched the Calabrian Steak and Shrimp Bucatini, a limited-time entrée made with sirloin tips, shrimp, and spicy Calabrian cream sauce.
Last month, Olive Garden brought back its popular Never Ending Pasta Bowl deal, offering unlimited pasta, soup, salad, and breadsticks for $13.99.
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