How Olive Garden Dreamed Up Its Signature Dish

Even though Olive Garden changed its beloved "When You're Here, You're Family" slogan back in 2013, the ever-popular restaurant chain's family-friendly ethos has remained consistent since its opening in 1982. When it first opened its first location in Orlando, Florida, chefs struggled to keep up with the high volume of customers, causing patrons to wait awhile to receive their meals. To compensate, the endless breadsticks option we all know and appreciate was born. Blaine Sweatt, Olive Garden cofounder and general manager, devised the plan to give out unlimited breadsticks, soups, and salads to ensure customer satisfaction as they awaited their entrées. Decades later, though the unlimited option has since been modified to include soups or salads rather than both, Olive Garden has maintained its traditions of generosity and hospitality. 

Olive Garden serves over 600 million breadsticks a year, which could make one question how cost-effective this endless deal is for the company. Jaime Bunker, senior vice president of marketing for Olive Garden, told CNN the deal is included in entrée pricing. Furthermore, as breadsticks and soups are both cost-efficient foods — with salads being slightly less due to the price of produce — it's easy for the restaurant to turn a profit off of its renowned menu bargain while remaining easily accessible for patrons of all kinds. With the unlimited deal being a staple of the brand's identity, Olive Garden and its 935 non-franchise locations will presumably continue dishing up the boundless breadsticks for many years to come.

At Olive Garden, there are more unlimited options to indulge in than just its bottomless breadsticks. In 1995, Olive Garden expanded the endless idea to pastas, creating a never-ending pasta bowl. As this promotion appears roughly once a year around back-to-school time, Olive Garden emphasizes its consideration of its patrons who may be tight on money during that time of year, ultimately fortifying its family-first image.

The caveat most don't know about Olive Garden's unlimited breadsticks, soups, and salads deal is that it's only included with the purchase of an adult entrée and is only available for in-store dining. In other words, if you're ordering Olive Garden through a delivery service or even off its children's menu, you won't qualify for the deal. However, with an abundance of mouth-watering Italian entrées to choose from — including many choices other than classic pastas – you'll surely have little difficulty finding something pleasurable and deal-friendly.