If the economy’s cooked, Olive Garden’s making sure it’s at least al dente—reviving its Never-Ending Pasta Bowl, the carb-loaded stimulus package no one asked for but everyone needs.
From August 25 to November 16, for just $13.99, customers can indulge in up to 96 combinations of noodles and sauces, plus unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, which, according to Morgan’s law, you must eat at least three of before your entrée arrives.
The menu features classics like fettuccine, spaghetti, angel hair, and rigatoni, all coated in sauces ranging from creamy Alfredo to a new “Spicy Three-Meat Sauce,” described by Olive Garden as “flavorful,” which usually means you’re gonna need extra Tums. For an extra $4.99, you can add crispy chicken, meatballs, or Italian sausage to your mountain of carbs.
According to Olive Garden:
“[K]eeping the price of its most beloved offer exactly the same, in a time when prices seem to rise with every season.”
That’s right, in a world where your landlord raises the rent monthly, Olive Garden’s the only one still offering consistency…and it comes with unlimited salad. The deal’s price hasn’t budged since 2022, and neither has America’s appetite for it.
Online, diners are flexing how far they can push the phrase “never-ending,” including one Olive Garden employee who shared a receipt so long it could double as a paper scarf.
On Reddit, u/TheShoobster420 uploaded a photo of the receipt with the caption:
“This never-ending pasta gotta stop.”
You can see the photo here:
u/TheShoobster420/Reddit
Somewhere, a CVS cashier just nodded in respect. And no, the total for the meal was not available.
The user followed up with:
“Never had a table get this many refills. It was my coworker’s table and they were obv hoarding it. He wanted to tell them to stop but the table was too big and it was slow so he didn’t want to compromise his tip.”
In other words, the breadsticks weren’t the only thing being stretched thin.
So how does Olive Garden make any money off people treating dinner like a competitive sport? Simple: they’re betting on math, margins, and marinara sauce.
Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters, told CNN:
“If the pasta brings them in the door and they purchase other profitable items, then it definitely makes sense in the long run. Olive Garden has likely done the math regarding how many patrons will actually eat significantly more than $13 of pasta. Some will, of course, but likely on average it works out in their favor.”
She added that the chain, with nearly 1,000 locations, “likely has a very strong and cooperative relationship with pasta suppliers, which can, in turn, help them with price.”
Translation: Olive Garden’s got pasta deals that make Costco look amateur.
The Never-Ending Pasta Bowl first debuted in 1995 and has become a back-to-school season tradition, because nothing says “budgeting for school supplies” like eating your body weight in rigatoni. Olive Garden’s senior VP of marketing, Jaime Bunker, previously told CNN the timing is deliberate, as “people have a lot of expenses” and “consumers are looking to save.”
And save they do. The National Restaurant Association reports that menu prices across the industry have risen over 30 percent since 2020, while Olive Garden’s went up only 2 percent last year. Yet somehow, its profits rose 12.7 percent. Turns out, feeding America’s anxiety with endless carbs is a winning strategy.
Rick Cardenas, CEO of Olive Garden’s parent company Darden, bragged to analysts in June:
“Our consumers want to go out and spend their hard-earned money, and we think we’re taking some wallet share from fast food and fast casual.”
Because in a 2025 Trump economy, fiscal responsibility looks a lot like passing on lattes and doubling down on fettuccine.
Hungrily, social media couldn’t resist weighing in on the Olive Garden receipt that just wouldn’t end.
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u/AdEnvironmental8822/Reddit
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And Olive Garden is not alone. Other sit-down chains are also cashing in on value nostalgia. Applebee’s just posted its first same-store sales increase in eight quarters, thanks to the “2 for $25” deal. BJ’s, Red Robin, and Chili’s are all rolling out new promotions too, because in 2025, the only thing truly endless is America’s appetite for a bargain that feels like 2012.
So yes, the economy might be a mess. But at least the pasta? Still never-ending.
@simuliu/X
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
@Tim_Walz/X
