RISE - Menu Monitor

Menu Positioning |
Olive Garden's lunch and dinner menus feature appetizers, soups and salads, pizzas, classic recipes, meat, chicken and fish,
pastas, desserts and beverages. Entrées are served with unlimited salad or minestrone soup. Signature items include garlic
breadsticks and house-made pastas. Popular dishes include Eggplant Parmigiana—lightly breaded eggplant, fried and topped
with marinara sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese; and the Tour of Italy—house-made lasagna, lightly breaded Chicken
Parmigiana and creamy Fettuccine Alfredo. Also popular is the “Create Your Own Pizza” with up to four toppings. In addition to
a number of limited-time specials, newer menu additions included several entrées inspired by its Culinary Institute of Tuscany:
Chianti Braised Short Ribs; Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto; Tuscan Garlic Chicken; and Braised Beef & Tortelloni. Recently,
Olive Garden announced a switch to trans-fat-free frying oil. Additionally, it has changed seafood sourcing practices to address
sustainability concerns. Desserts include the traditional Tiramisu; Chocolate Gelato topped with caramel sauce and dark
chocolate pieces; and a no-sugar-added Torta di Chocolate, a warm double chocolate cake served with vanilla cream sauce
and fresh strawberries. A “Garden Fare” menu lists lower-calorie and lower-fat options. Kids’ and takeout menus are also
available. Restaurants serve imported Italian coffee for espresso and cappuccino service. Alcoholic beverages are served;
expanded wine list includes broad selection imported from Italy. Specialty cocktails include Strawberry-Mango and Wild Berry
Margaritas and Limoncello Lemonade—a frozen blend of lemonade, Smirnoff Citrus vodka and Caravella Limoncello, an
Italian lemon liqueur. Menu prices range from $4.25–$19.75. Checks average $14.
Expansion Plans |
Olive Garden will open a new unit in Louisville, KY, on February 19. (Company Release 2/5/07)
Darden Restaurants plans to open 35–40 Olive Gardens and four to 10 Red Lobsters over the next year. In related news, the
company will also debut three to five outlets from its stable of other concepts, which include the Bahama Breeze, Smokey
Bones, Rocky River Grillhouse and Seasons 52 brands. (Foodservice Equipment Reports 3/07 p20)
Olive Garden is opening a new store by mid-November in Springfield, OH. The unit will have a new décor featuring a Tuscan
farmhouse theme. The Springfield location will be one of two locations in the region to have the new design and will be the fifth
unit in the Dayton, OH, area. The restaurant is expected to create 125–150 jobs. (Bizjournals.com 7/5/07)
Menu Development |
Olive Garden launched two new menu items, Chicken Roma and Asiago Chicken, for a limited time. Chicken Roma features
sautéed chicken breast layered with mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan and Romano cheeses, Roma tomatoes and arugula,
served with fettuccine tossed in a sun-dried tomato cheese sauce. Asiago Chicken includes grilled chicken breast layered with
Asiago, mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan and Romano cheeses, roasted garlic and arugula, topped with Alfredo sauce and
served with Tuscan potatoes and bell peppers. (Company Release 10/16/06; Company Website)
Olive Garden introduced two new limited-time entrées, Five Cheese Stuffed Rigatoni with Chicken and Five Cheese Stuffed
Rigatoni with Sausage. (Company Promotion 1/03/06)
Olive Garden added two new entrées, Crab Alfredo Venezia and Steak & Portobello Mushroom Alfredo. Crab Alfredo Venezia
features snow crab in a creamy seafood Alfredo sauce over spaghetti with Roma tomatoes and spinach. Steak & Portobello
Mushroom Alfredo comes with grilled, marinated steak medallions tossed with fettuccine in a portobello mushroom Alfredo
sauce. (Company Release 2/12/07)
Olive Garden introduced Chicken Crostina to its menu for a limited time. The item is prepared with tender chicken breast
marinated in olive oil and rosemary, then lightly breaded, sautéed with fresh garlic and diced Roma tomatoes in a garlic-butter
sauce, and served on top of linguine pasta which is finished with breadcrumbs, shredded potatoes, herbs and Parmesan,
mozzarella and Romano cheeses. (Company Release 3/28/07)
Olive Garden rolled out two new Stuffed Pasta Mistos to its menu. These include Stuffed Pasta Misto with Shrimp, herbmarinated
shrimp sautéed in a creamy garlic seafood sauce with cheese ravioli and tortelloni, and Stuffed Pasta Misto with
Sausage, grilled Italian sausage sautéed in a basil marinara sauce with cheese-filled ravioli and tortelloni. (Company Release
5/26/07)
Olive Garden rolled out several new entrées. Selections include: • Grilled Shrimp Caprese—grilled, marinated shrimp over
angel hair pasta with melted mozzarella, fresh basil and tomatoes in a garlic-butter sauce • Grilled Steak Caprese—grilled,
marinated steak medallions topped with a balsamic glaze and served over angel hair pasta with melted mozzarella, fresh basil
and tomatoes in a garlic-butter sauce • Venetian Apricot Chicken—grilled chicken breasts in an apricot citrus sauce served
with broccoli, asparagus and diced tomatoes • Chicken & Gnocchi Veronese—sautéed chicken with traditional Italian
dumplings and roasted red peppers in a Parmesan and ricotta cheese sauce. (Company Promo 7/02/07)
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