Frequently Asked Questions

On the right column of our News & Media Page, we list coming soon locations.  These are updated constantly, so check anytime for the latest information!  Actual locations and opening dates are subject to change. If your city is not listed, we hope to be coming soon.

Purchase Gift Cards online by clicking here: Gift Cards or by calling 1-800-248-4935 (US); 1-888-888-3341 (Canada).

You can check the status of your order by calling 1-800-248-4935 or emailing GiftCardServices@OliveGarden.com

You may find balance and expiration information by visiting https://gift.olivegarden.com or by calling the telephone number on the back of your card and following the instructions.

Discounts are offered on purchases of gift cards on the following amounts:
$500-999 5% discount
$1000 & More 10% discount

Call our Gift Card Center to order these discounted cards:  800-248-4935 (US),  888-888-3341 (Canada)

Several times a year we have coupons in metropolitan-area newspapers. We also have occasional offers on our Facebook page or in our email newsletter – please join these online communities for more information!

Our Culinary Tour of Italy Sweepstakes occurs in the spring.  Visit www.olivegardensweeps.com for more information, and to find out about this year’s winners.

The survey website is listed on your receipt.  There is a unique code on your receipt which is needed in order to complete a survey

As we look for ways to give back to our guests, investing in our communities is one of the best investments we can make.  Our restaurants serve their communities through a variety of local efforts. Rather than offer a discount to one particular group of guests, we believe our responsibility is to make sure we’re providing the best dining value possible to every guest who joins us for lunch or dinner.

Nearly everything in our restaurants is custom ordered. We have a proprietary clause with our vendors that prevents the sale of these items.

The music played in our restaurants is a custom arrangement for our restaurants and is not available for purchase.

Most restaurants open at 11:00 a.m. for lunch. Dinner is served beginning at 4:00 p.m. Our practice is to serve our dinner menu all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. As a courtesy to guests who ask, we will provide a lunch menu at any time. Normally, lunch is served only Monday through Friday from 11:00 to 4:00. Closing hours on Sunday through Thursday are 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. There are some regional variations and new restaurants are open for dinner only during the first few weeks of operation. Please contact your local Olive Garden by telephone for specific information.

To find your nearest Olive Garden Location click here.

Olive Garden restaurants are closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day to allow our team members to spend time with their family and friends. Depending on the amount of business on the day before these holidays, the restaurants may close early. We leave this decision to the discretion of the management team. Please contact the restaurant directly for the scheduled closing time the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve.

Most Olive Garden locations seats on a first-come, first served basis.  Some locations are testing call-ahead seating – please contact your restaurant directly to find if this option is available there.

We do not currently offer To Go! ordering online, but you may place your order by telephone. Please view our ToGo! menu.

The Passport to Fun kids activity booklet and menu is available at our restaurant for children aged 12 & under. You can also view our kids menu items online .  All kids items come with a choice of side and drink.

An all-occasion cake is available for purchase to help you celebrate any occasion. The chocolate cake serves from four to six people. Please contact a restaurant manager for more information.

A key element of Italian cuisine is fresh, simple and delicious ingredients. From that, our philosophy has always been to create a balanced range of options designed to appeal to a variety of taste and dietary preferences. Our Garden Fare menu, which we’ve offered for more than 15 years, has a range of delicious, low fat dishes. Click here to see our Garden Fare menu.

Each Garden Fare® entree contains less than 30% of calories from fat, less than 10% calories from saturated fat, and fewer than 750 calories for dinner selections or 500 calories for lunch selections.

Yes, many combinations of our kids Create Your Own Pasta are Garden Fare selections – please see our kids menu and nutritional guides for more information

Not in most areas. We are making this information available because we believe in providing meaningful, relevant facts to those guests who want them, so they can make informed decisions about the food they eat.

You can download our Allergen Guide (PDF) for complete information, or visit our Gluten/Allergen page for more information and suggestions especially for gluten allergies.

Please visit our nutrition page to view protein information or to download a PDF.

Yes we do. Click here to see our complete listing for beverages.

Each two (2) tablespoon serving contains the following: 80 calories; 70 calories from fat; fat 8 grams; saturated fat 1 gram; cholesterol 5 mg; sodium 510 mg; carbohydrates 2 grams; protein 0 gram.

Yes, all of our cooking oils are trans-fat free.

Contact one of our Guest Relations Representatives via our Contact Us form or at 1-800-331-2729. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 4p.m. ET.

Our website contains make-at-home versions of a few Olive Garden favorites as well as many other recipes inspired by Italy!  If you do not see a recipe in our Italian Recipe Section, it is not available at this time.

While we delight in accepting menu suggestions, we cannot accept recipes. Our Culinary Institute of Tuscany in Italy represents our passion for Italian food and serves as a source of inspiration for our menu. We work closely with Italian chefs to bring the freshest, most flavorful dishes of Italy to our restaurants. Visit the Culinary Institute of Tuscany page for more information.

Yes! You can purchase our signature salad dressing from your local Olive Garden. At this time, we cannot accept online orders or ship salad dressing.

Our cooking oils are all trans-fat free.

We appreciate your concern regarding pork products in our menu items. Pork is primarily used as a flavor enhancer and traditionally is a common ingredient in Italian cooking. Entrees that do contain pork include:

A few of our menu items can be adjusted to accommodate a vegan or vegetarian diet, but none wholly meet the criteria. Depending on your personal philosophy, we can suggest the following items as meatless, but not necessarily vegetarian or vegan:

Please see our gluten free menu suggestions for several items and substitutions available for guests with Gluten Intolerance.  When dining with us, ask your server for more information and be sure to note you are requesting the gluten free version of the item when ordering.

Olive Garden donates to charitable causes that benefit the community. Donation requests can be submitted in writing to the general manager of your local Olive Garden. This includes requests for donations of gift certificates or food.

Request should be on your organization’s official letterhead, including the organization’s full name, address, phone and fax numbers. State your donation request, when it is needed and how it will benefit the community. Please submit written requests 30 days prior to the date the donation is needed. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to honor every request that we receive. Please accept our apology in advance if we are not able to fulfill your request.

Contact our vendor, The Work Number, at 800-367-2884 or via the company's Web site, www.theworknumber.com . Our Employer Code is 11533.

If you’re looking for information pertaining to your own employment, please contact the following departments directly by telephone.

• Benefits: 888-374-3343
• Payroll: 407-245-4400
• Employee Relations: 800-932-2558

We are always looking for new members of the Olive Garden family. Please check our Career Opportunities page to learn more and to apply online for both Management and Team Member positions at any Olive Garden Restaurant. For information about management positions and employment at the Restaurant Support Center, click here .

We are pleased to know you are considering employment with Olive Garden. About 30 days before the restaurant opens there will be a banner at the restaurant indicating that the restaurant is "Now Hiring." Please visit our website to apply online after that sign is posted. For opening dates, please contact Guest Relations via our Contact Us form or at 1-800-331-2729. Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. EST.

Click here to learn more about restaurant franchising.

You may download an annual report by visiting the Investor Relations section of our parent company's website, Darden Restaurants ( www.darden.com ). If you prefer a pre-printed copy be mailed to you, please email your request via our Contact Us form or call Guest Relations at 1-800-331-2729. Our office hours are Monday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. stock is traded on the NYSE under code DRI.

Thanks for thinking of Olive Garden for your school project. Our website, (and the website of our parent company, Darden Restaurants), contains valuable information that may be incorporated into your school presentation. Please browse the information available and use the material for your project.

If you have questions or comments about the sale or purchase of real estate, please contact our Real Estate Department at 407-245-4555.

All Media proposals are coordinated by Starcom Worldwide in Chicago at 312-220-3535.