Olive Garden’s lunch menu is available Monday through Friday from 11 AM to 3 PM and offers smaller portions at lower prices than the dinner menu. It’s one of the best deals in casual dining, especially the legendary unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks combo at just $11.99. Whether you’re looking for a quick business lunch or an affordable midday meal, the lunch menu delivers excellent value.
11 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday. Some locations may offer lunch pricing on weekends or extend the hours slightly — it’s worth calling your local Olive Garden to check. If you arrive before 3 PM and are seated, you’ll typically get the lunch pricing even if you order after 3 PM.
The most popular lunch option at Olive Garden and arguably the best value in casual dining. For $11.99, you get unlimited refills of your choice of soup (choose from Zuppa Toscana, Chicken & Gnocchi, Pasta e Fagioli, or Minestrone), unlimited famous house salad with Italian dressing, and unlimited fresh-baked breadsticks. You can switch soups between refills and there’s no time limit. See our full guide to the soup and salad combo for details.
Pair a half-size entree with unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks. The Lunch Duo is the smart pick when you want more than just soup and salad but don’t want to pay dinner prices. Popular Lunch Duo entrees include:
Lunch portions are roughly 50-60% the size of dinner entrees, with prices typically $4-8 less. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of popular items:
Lunch is the clear winner for budget-conscious diners. You still get unlimited soup/salad and breadsticks, and the portions are often more than enough for most people. The calorie reduction is also significant — the lunch-size Chicken Alfredo is roughly half the calories of the dinner version.
For most people, the answer is a resounding yes. The lunch portions are genuinely satisfying (especially with unlimited sides), and the savings of $5-12 per entree add up quickly for regular diners. The only scenario where dinner is the better value is if you’re very hungry and want the full-size entree — in that case, the dinner portion plus unlimited soup/salad and breadsticks gives you the most food for your money.
Lunch specials are available at all Olive Garden locations Monday-Friday. Use our location finder to find the nearest restaurant and check hours. For the complete dinner menu, see our dinner menu guide or the full 2026 price list.