Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Olive Garden is a major Italian-American casual dining chain best known for classic pasta dishes, signature breadsticks, and its unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks offering. The first Olive Garden opened in 1982 in Orlando, Florida, and today the brand is part of Darden Restaurants, Inc., one of the largest full-service restaurant operators in the U.S.
This 2026 update focuses on the numbers readers search for most—how many Olive Garden restaurants there are, how sales are trending, and what same-restaurant sales (comps) look like—using the most recent annual reporting from Darden.
Answer (2026 update): How many Olive Garden restaurants are there?
- 935 company-owned Olive Garden restaurants at the end of fiscal 2025 (May 25, 2025).
- In a separate “as of May 25, 2025” operational snapshot, Darden reported 987 Olive Garden restaurants when including company-owned U.S. and Canada units plus franchised units.
Key Olive Garden Metrics (Latest Available)
| Metric | Value | Year / Date |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1982 (Orlando, Florida) | 1982 |
| Parent company | Darden Restaurants, Inc. | Current |
| Restaurants (company-owned, year-end) | 935 | FY 2025 (May 25, 2025) |
| Restaurants (company-owned, year-end) | 920 | FY 2024 (May 26, 2024) |
| Total restaurants (operational snapshot) | 987 | As of May 25, 2025 (includes franchised; see note below) |
| Annual sales | $5.2129B | FY 2025 |
| Annual sales | $5.0670B | FY 2024 |
| U.S. same-restaurant sales (SRS) | +1.7% | FY 2025 |
| Average annual sales per restaurant | $5.6M | FY 2025 (company-owned; excludes franchise) |
| Workforce scale (parent company) | 190,000+ team members | Darden statement (companywide) |
Note on restaurant counts: Darden reports Olive Garden counts in more than one way. The year-end “restaurants open” table lists company-owned restaurants (935 in FY 2025). A separate operational snapshot counts company-owned (U.S. + Canada) plus franchised, totaling 987 Olive Garden restaurants as of May 25, 2025.
Olive Garden Restaurant Count (2026 Update)
Olive Garden continues to be Darden’s largest brand by sales. At the end of fiscal 2025 (May 25, 2025), Darden reported 935 company-owned Olive Garden restaurants, up from 920 one year earlier.
In an “as of May 25, 2025” operational breakdown that includes franchising, Darden reported:
- Company-owned (U.S.): 927
- Company-owned (Canada): 8
- Franchised (total): 52
- Total Olive Garden (operational snapshot): 987
Sales and Same-Restaurant Sales Trends
Darden reports Olive Garden sales as part of its segment reporting. For fiscal year 2025, Olive Garden generated $5.2129 billion in sales, compared with $5.0670 billion in fiscal year 2024.
Same-restaurant sales (also called “comps”) are a key indicator of how established restaurants are performing. Darden reported +1.7% U.S. same-restaurant sales (SRS) for Olive Garden in fiscal year 2025.
Average Annual Sales per Restaurant
Another commonly cited benchmark is average annual sales per restaurant (sometimes compared to “AUV”). For Olive Garden, Darden reported $5.6 million in average annual sales per restaurant for fiscal year 2025. This metric is calculated using company-owned restaurants and excludes franchise locations.
What Olive Garden Is Known For
Olive Garden’s menu is designed to balance familiar Italian-inspired comfort food with casual dining value. Core menu anchors include pasta dishes, soups, salads, chicken entrées, seafood options, and desserts—alongside the brand’s well-known unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks offering.
FAQ
How many Olive Garden restaurants are there in 2026?
The latest annual reporting shows 935 company-owned Olive Garden restaurants at the end of fiscal 2025 (May 25, 2025). In a separate operational snapshot that includes franchised restaurants, Darden reported 987 Olive Garden restaurants as of May 25, 2025.
Why do I see two different Olive Garden restaurant counts?
Because they measure different things. One table reports company-owned restaurants open at year-end (935). Another operational table includes company-owned (U.S. and Canada) plus franchised restaurants (987 as of May 25, 2025).
How much does Olive Garden make per year?
Darden reported Olive Garden sales of $5.2129B for fiscal year 2025 (vs. $5.0670B in fiscal year 2024).
What is same-restaurant sales (SRS)?
SRS is a year-over-year sales comparison for restaurants that have been open long enough to be compared fairly. It helps show underlying demand trends without the noise of new openings.
How many employees does Olive Garden have?
Olive Garden-specific employee totals are not consistently disclosed as a single standalone figure in Darden’s annual reporting. For context, Darden states it employs more than 190,000 team members across its portfolio of restaurant brands.
Sources
