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Olive Garden

American Italian restaurant chain

Olive Garden is a popular American casual dining restaurant chain known for its Italian-American cuisine. It is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., based in Orange County, Florida. As of 2022, Olive Garden contributed $4.5 billion to Darden's $9.63 billion revenue.

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Timeline

Opening of the First Olive Garden Restaurant

The first Olive Garden restaurant was opened on December 13, 1982, in Orlando, Florida by co-founders Blaine Sweatt, Mark Given, Gino DeSantis and Dave Manuchia.

First Winery at Olive Garden

In September 1986, Olive Garden started its first winery and began selling wine in the restaurant.

Expansion of Olive Garden Restaurants

On January 1, 1989, Olive Garden expanded its chain of restaurants.

Olive Garden Celebrates Italian Life

Olive Garden has a vision of bringing the best of Italy to their restaurants through food, wine, atmosphere, and service. They draw inspiration from Italy for everything they do.

Olive Garden becomes part of Darden Restaurants

Olive Garden was owned by General Mills Restaurants and grew rapidly to 145 units by 1989. In 1995, it became part of a standalone company, Darden Restaurants.

Olive Garden's Wine Ambassadors program

Since 1998, Olive Garden has been sending a group of select servers to Italy to learn about Italy's passion for food and wine.

Olive Garden owned by Darden Restaurants

Starting from January 1, 1999, Olive Garden came under the ownership of Darden Restaurants after breaking off from General Mills.

Donation of 49 Million Pounds of Food

Over the span of 20 years, Olive Garden restaurants have donated more than 49 million pounds of food to those in need.

Olive Garden 20th Anniversary Celebration

Olive Garden commemorates its 20th anniversary on December 7, 2002.

Olive Garden Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Olive Garden celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2002, marking the achievement of 32 consecutive quarters of same-restaurant sales growth. The chain is inspired by Italian culture and partnerships, delighting millions of guests weekly.

Olive Garden Harvest Program

In 2003, Olive Garden created the Harvest program to gather surplus food from all its restaurants and donate it to local non-profit organizations on a weekly basis.

Olive Garden's Affordability

In 2009, Olive Garden was Darden's most inexpensive restaurant chain with an average check per person of $15.00 (USD) versus over $90 at its sibling Capital Grille.

Olive Garden Sales in 2010

In 2010, Olive Garden generated $3.3 billion in sales, surpassing its closest competitor Carrabba's Italian Grill.

Expansion of Olive Garden Restaurants

As of February 2, 2011, Olive Garden had over 730 restaurants operating globally, indicating significant growth and presence in the restaurant industry.

Conversion of Olive Garden Staff to Part-Time

In October 2012, Olive Garden tested converting most staff to part-time to manage healthcare benefit costs for full-time employees.

Evolution of Olive Garden Slogans

Olive Garden's slogans evolved from 'Good Times, Great Salad, Olive Garden' to 'When you're here, you're family' and later to 'We're all family here' in early 2013.

Launch of New Logo and Restaurant Design at Olive Garden

On July 9, 2014, Olive Garden unveiled a new logo and restaurant design, introducing online ordering and smaller lunch portions.

Lifetime Pasta Pass

In 2019, Olive Garden introduced the 'Lifetime Pasta Pass', which was offered to the first fifty diners who signed up for the never-ending pasta pass. After receiving the first pass, selectees were given the opportunity to sign up for a second one.

Olive Garden's Family Culture

Olive Garden emphasizes a family-like atmosphere within its restaurants, where employees are encouraged to support each other, grow together, and prioritize guest satisfaction.

Number of Olive Garden Restaurants

As of February 13, 2022, Olive Garden operates 922 restaurants globally.

End of the Timeline
Olive Garden

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