Olive Garden Brings in $4.97B in Total Revenue as 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' Returns

Image Courtesy of Olive Garden

Olive Garden Brings in $4.97B in Total Revenue as ‘Never-Ending Pasta Bowl’ Returns

September 3, 2024

Bernadette Giacomazzo

Olive Garden has announced a total revenue of an eye-watering $4.97 billion as the fast-casual Italian dining chain unveils the return of the popular Never-Ending Pasta Bowl promotion. The new report reveals a constant demand for Italian food despite inflation and other stressors on the American bottom line.

Olive Garden & the $4.97 Billion Revenue Report

Research and Markets has released the “Italian Restaurants in the US – Industry Market Research Report.” The industry’s size, growth, and disposition are all covered in this research, along with important success factors and sensitivity. Five-year industry projections, growth rates, and a breakdown of the major companies in the market and their market shares are also given.

The report listed the biggest Italian restaurants in the United States, and Olive Garden topped the list with a whopping $4.97 billion in revenue and a $121.3 million profit. This places the profit margin at 2.4%.

Papa Johns clocked in at No. 2 behind Olive Garden, with $813.6 million in revenue and a profit of $19.9 million. Rounding out the top three was Domino’s, with $517.7 million in revenue and $54.4 million in profit. Of the three, Domino’s has the highest profit margin of 10.5%.

Demand for Italian restaurants, which are frequently regarded as upscale dining options, tends to decline during uncertain economic times and times when people have less money to spend, according to the report. Food costs have directly grown as a result of recent supply chain disruptions and rising inflation, forcing eateries to raise their prices, which in turn restrains revenue growth.

Furthermore, according to the report, protracted hostilities, particularly the war in Ukraine, have complicated the supply chain and increased input price volatility. The anticipated resolution of these problems might bring these expenditures under control, which is essential to the possible success of Olive Garden and other Italian eateries.

The Return of the Never-Ending Pasta Bowl

As was previously reported late last month, Olive Garden’s most well-liked offer, the Never-Ending Pasta Bowl, is coming back. This exclusive offer was discontinued for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has been back every year since 2022.

Customers can indulge in endless combinations of their preferred pasta, sauces, and toppings as of Monday, Aug. 26. The price of the offer is $13.99, which is the same as it was in 2022, according to Food & Wine.

“In the spirit of treating our guests like family, Olive Garden is excited to bring back our guests’ favorite promotion of the year — Never Ending Pasta Bowl — at the same price since 2022,” said Jamie Bunker, senior vice president of marketing at Olive Garden, in a statement to the outlet. “Guests continue to look for great deals when dining out, and Never Ending Pasta Bowl is the ultimate value, offering unlimited amounts of their favorite pastas, plus as much soup or salad and freshly baked breadsticks as they choose.”

As usual, patrons can enjoy an infinite assortment of soups and salads as well as the restaurant’s famed never-ending breadstick supply. Pasta options include rigatoni, angel hair, spaghetti, and fettuccine, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. Customers can add sauces including cream mushroom, marinara, five-cheese marinara, meat sauce, and Alfredo to their preferred pasta. Customers can also add toppings like meatballs, Italian sausage, and chicken fritta for an extra $4.99.

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