Olive Garden Dinner Menu: Prices, Hours & Deals 2026

Few things beat sitting down to an Olive Garden dinner after a long week: a basket of warm breadsticks, a crisp house salad, and a menu built around comfort-food classics like lasagna, chicken parmigiana and fettuccine alfredo.

Whether you’re planning a casual weeknight meal, a birthday dinner, or a big family-style order to feed a crowd, knowing what’s on the Olive Garden dinner menu, what it costs, and when the kitchen is open makes the whole evening easier to plan.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the full Olive Garden dinner menu with prices, break down the current Olive Garden dinner specials, explain the famous 2 for $25 deal, cover dinner hours, family-style ordering, gluten-free and vegan options, and answer the most common questions people search before they book a table or place an order.

What Time Does Olive Garden Serve Dinner?

Olive Garden doesn’t run separate lunch and dinner “shifts” in the traditional sense; instead, the menu simply switches over at a set time each day. Most locations serve lunch-priced portions until around 3pm on weekdays, after which the full Olive Garden dinner menu takes over for the rest of the evening, right up until closing.

General guidance for Olive Garden dinner hours:

• Monday to Thursday: Dinner menu typically runs from 3pm until close (usually 10pm)
• Friday and Saturday: Dinner menu runs from 3pm until close (often 11pm)
• Sunday: Dinner menu usually starts a little earlier, around 12pm, and runs until close (around 10pm)

These hours vary by location, especially around holidays, so it’s worth checking your specific restaurant before heading out.

If you’re searching for Olive Garden near me dinner, the official Olive Garden website and app both show live hours and let you check wait times or join the waitlist remotely, which can save a good twenty minutes on a busy Friday night.

Olive Garden Dinner Menu with Prices

Dinner prices at Olive Garden sit in the mid-range for casual Italian dining, and most entrées come with unlimited breadsticks and salad, which genuinely stretches the value. Here’s a snapshot of popular dinner items and their approximate 2026 pricing (prices vary slightly by region and are always worth confirming in-app or in-store):

Dish	Approx. Price
Fettuccine Alfredo	$17.49–$19.99
Chicken Parmigiana	$19.99–$21.99
Lasagna Classico	$18.99–$20.99
Shrimp Scampi	$19.99–$22.99
Tour of Italy	$23.99–$25.99
Five Cheese Ziti al Forno	$16.99–$18.99
Zuppa Toscana (soup)	$8.99 (cup/bowl as part of combo)
Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo	$18.99–$20.99

For the full breakdown by dish, our pasta menu with prices guide lays out every alfredo and marinara option side by side, which is handy if you’re trying to compare portions before you order.

Does Olive Garden Dinner Come with Unlimited Salad and Breadsticks?

Yes. Nearly every classic dinner entrée at Olive Garden comes with unlimited breadsticks and salad, and diners can also swap the salad for a cup of soup as part of the same combo.

This is one of the biggest reasons Olive Garden has stayed a go-to for families and groups: the base price of your entrée already includes as many warm garlic breadsticks and refills of the house salad, tossed with olives, pepperoncini and parmesan, as your table wants. It’s genuinely unlimited, not a one-refill policy, so it’s worth pacing yourself if you want room for dessert.

The Soup or Salad Combo and Starters

Before the main event, most tables start with the soup or salad combo, which is really the heart of the Olive Garden dining experience.

The salad is tossed to order with the restaurant’s house Italian dressing, and the soup rotation includes fan favourites like Zuppa Toscana (sausage, potato and kale in a creamy broth), Pasta e Fagioli, Chicken Gnocchi, and Minestrone.

If you want to build out a starter course beyond the included soup or salad, appetizers like fried mozzarella, toasted ravioli, and calamari typically run between $9.99 and $13.99. You can browse the complete lineup, including newer seasonal additions, on the Olive Garden appetizers menu page.

Best Dinner Items to Order

With so many pasta dishes on the menu, it helps to know which ones consistently get the best reviews. Here are some of the standout picks for an Olive Garden dinner:

• Fettuccine Alfredo: The signature creamy classic, and a safe bet for anyone new to the menu
• Chicken Parmigiana : Breaded chicken breast topped with marinara and melted mozzarella, served over spaghetti
• Lasagna Classico: Layered with a rich meat sauce, ricotta and mozzarella
• Shrimp Scampi: Shrimp sautéed in garlic butter with angel hair pasta, a lighter option for seafood fans
• Tour of Italy: For anyone who can’t decide, this combines chicken parmigiana, lasagna and fettuccine alfredo on one plate
• Five Cheese Ziti al Forno: Baked ziti in a five-cheese marinara, a strong vegetarian-friendly choice

For a deeper dive into any single dish, including calories and full ingredient breakdowns, our Lasagna Classico page covers everything from portion size to how it compares to the family-style version.

What Are the Best Dinner Items at Olive Garden?

Based on popularity and consistent guest ratings, Chicken Parmigiana, Fettuccine Alfredo and the Tour of Italy are the three most-ordered dinner entrées.

The Tour of Italy is particularly popular for first-time visitors, since it’s essentially a sampler of the three most iconic dishes on the menu without having to commit to just one.

Never Ending Pasta Bowl and Dinner Specials

The Never Ending Pasta Bowl is one of the best-known Olive Garden dinner specials, and it works exactly how it sounds: pick a pasta, pick a sauce, and get refills of both for as long as you’re seated (or take home a to-go container at the end for later).

Pricing generally sits around $14.99 to $16.99 depending on the season, and it’s typically available for a limited promotional window each year rather than being on the permanent menu year-round.

How Much Is Olive Garden’s Never Ending Pasta Bowl?

During its promotional runs, the Never Ending Pasta Bowl usually costs between $14.99 and $16.99, with add-ons like grilled chicken, meatballs or shrimp available for a small extra charge.

Because this is a limited-time offer, it’s worth checking current availability before you visit; our Never Ending Pasta Bowl guide</a> tracks pricing and add-on options in more detail.

Does Olive Garden Have a 2 for $25 Dinner Deal?

Yes, the 2 for $25 deal is one of Olive Garden’s longest-running promotions and a genuinely strong option for couples or two people splitting a meal. It typically includes one appetizer to share plus two entrées from a select list, all for $25 total, meaning each person effectively gets a starter, main and unlimited breadsticks and salad for around $12.50.

The entrée list rotates but usually features dishes like spaghetti with meatballs, fettuccine alfredo and chicken parmigiana. Availability and exact pricing can shift by season, so it’s always worth confirming with your local restaurant or the app before you go.

Family-Style Dinner and Catering Options

For bigger groups, the Olive Garden family-style dinner menu is built to feed four to twelve people from a single order, and it’s one of the smartest ways to order if you’re hosting or feeding the whole household.

Family-style bundles typically include a choice of entrée (lasagna, chicken alfredo, five cheese ziti and more), a large house salad, and a full order of breadsticks, all packaged for pickup or delivery.

Portions generally break down as:

• Serves 4–6: most classic pasta bundles
• Serves up to 12: large lasagna and combination bundles, ideal for parties

Does Olive Garden Offer Family-Style Meals for Dinner?

Yes, family-style dinners are available both for dine-in large parties and for takeout, and they’re a popular choice for holidays and gatherings since they scale up easily. You can see full bundle sizes and pricing on the dedicated family-style meals page.

If you’re organising something larger, like an office event or a celebration for twenty-plus guests, Olive Garden’s catering menu extends the same family-style logic further, with pasta stations, combination trays and dessert platters designed for bigger crowds.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Dinner Options

Dietary needs don’t have to rule out an Olive Garden dinner. The chain offers a range of gluten-free pasta options, prepared with dedicated gluten-free penne, and several sauces and entrées can be adapted on request.

Vegan diners also have more choices than the menu might suggest at first glance, particularly among the marinara-based pastas and select salad and side combinations.

Are There Vegan or Gluten-Free Dinner Options at Olive Garden?

Yes. Olive Garden’s gluten-sensitive menu includes gluten-free pasta alongside several sauces, and staff are used to handling allergy-conscious orders. Vegan guests can typically build a satisfying meal from marinara-based pastas without dairy or meat, though it’s best to confirm current ingredients with your server since recipes can change.

Full detail on both diets is covered on our dedicated pages for the gluten-free menu and vegan-friendly picks.

Kids Menu and Takeout for Dinner

Families dining in the evening will find a dedicated kids menu with smaller portions of pasta, chicken fingers, pizza and macaroni and cheese, usually priced between $6.99 and $8.99 and including a drink.

For anyone who’d rather eat at home, takeout and online ordering are available through the Olive Garden website and app, and most dinner entrées, family-style bundles and even the Never Ending Pasta Bowl can be ordered to go. Curbside pickup is widely available, and delivery through third-party apps is an option in most areas.

FAQ: Olive Garden Dinner

Does Olive Garden dinner come with unlimited salad and breadsticks?

Yes, nearly all classic dinner entrées include unlimited refills of the house salad and warm breadsticks, or you can swap the salad for a cup of soup at no extra charge.

What time does Olive Garden start serving dinner?

Dinner menu pricing generally begins around 3pm on weekdays and a little earlier on Sundays, running through until closing time, though exact hours vary by location.

Does Olive Garden have a 2 for $25 dinner deal?

Yes, the 2 for $25 promotion includes a shared appetizer plus two entrées from a rotating list, giving two diners a full meal for around $12.50 each.

What are the best dinner items at Olive Garden?

Chicken Parmigiana, Fettuccine Alfredo, and the Tour of Italy sampler are consistently among the most popular dinner choices.

Does Olive Garden offer family-style meals for dinner?

Yes, family-style bundles serve four to twelve people and are available for dine-in groups, takeout and catering.

Are there vegan or gluten-free dinner options at Olive Garden?

Yes, gluten-free pasta is available on request, and several marinara-based dishes can work for vegan diners, though it’s best to confirm ingredients with staff.

How much is Olive Garden’s Never Ending Pasta Bowl?

It’s typically priced between $14.99 and $16.99 during its promotional availability, with optional protein add-ons for a small extra cost.

Conclusion

Whether you’re chasing the best deal with 2 for $25, feeding the whole family with a family-style dinner, or simply craving unlimited breadsticks and a plate of fettuccine alfredo, the Olive Garden dinner menu has enough range to suit almost any evening out. Prices are reasonable for the portion sizes, hours are generous most nights of the week, and there’s flexibility for gluten-free, vegan and kid-friendly orders alike.

Ready to plan your next visit? Check current Olive Garden dinner specials, browse the full Olive Garden dinner menu with prices, and find your nearest location’s hours before you head out, so you know exactly what to order the moment you sit down.