Let’s clear up a rumor that seems to pop up every year or so: **Olive Garden is not going out of business.** You may have seen scary-looking headlines, social media posts, or memes claiming every Olive Garden is about to shut its doors for good. This isn’t true, and the company’s owners have spoken up about it.
Those “Closing Down” Rumors Aren’t True
Usually, these rumors spread on social media. For example, you might have seen a post on Facebook saying, “Olive Garden is closing permanently!” Sometimes, people share old photos from other businesses that actually did shut down and pretend they’re recent pictures of Olive Garden. A lot of it is clickbait.
Here’s the real story. Olive Garden is owned by a company called Darden Restaurants. When asked directly about the shutdown claims, Darden’s spokespeople gave a short, clear answer: “I can assure you it is false.” That’s about as straightforward as it gets.
Even major news outlets and fact-checking groups have asked Darden about these social media rumors. Each time, Darden has explained that Olive Garden isn’t closing all its locations. There’s no plan for a mass shutdown.
How Olive Garden is Really Doing: The Numbers
It’s normal to wonder if there’s a reason for the rumors. Are they struggling, or is something wrong behind the scenes? The short answer is no. If you look at Darden’s business reports, Olive Garden is still a huge part of its success.
Let’s talk numbers. In September 2023, Darden reported some really solid results for Olive Garden. Restaurant sales were up by 6.1% compared to the previous year. That’s actually a stronger pace than a lot of sit-down restaurant chains. Profit also increased, almost hitting $262 million—about $50 million higher than just a year earlier.
The CEO of Darden talked about this in several interviews. He explained that Olive Garden’s business strategy isn’t built around wild trends or risky moves. Instead, they focus on what works: familiar dishes, good service, and keeping prices reasonable for families.
When restaurants like Olive Garden boost profits during a tough economy, that usually signals a healthy company. If you’re curious, you can find these reports and CEO statements online—they’re public for investors and anyone else interested in how Olive Garden is performing as a business.
Olive Garden Is Actually Expanding, Not Closing
Another big reason the rumors feel weird is that Olive Garden isn’t just hanging on—they’re growing.
Back at the end of August 2022, there were 887 Olive Garden locations. Fast forward to late 2023, and that number had grown to 906 restaurants. That’s almost twenty new places in just over a year.
If a big restaurant company is struggling, the last thing it does is open new stores. The fact that Olive Garden is adding new restaurants is a pretty clear sign that Darden feels good about the brand’s future.
Growing the number of restaurants builds market share for Olive Garden and gives more people access to its food. New restaurants cost a lot to open, so you don’t do that unless you really believe people will keep coming in.
What About the Recent Slowdown in Sales?
So if things look strong, why do some folks think Olive Garden is in trouble? This year, the chain did report a drop in sales. For the first quarter of 2024, Olive Garden’s sales fell by 2.9%. That’s the first time in a while the company has reported slipping numbers.
Here’s what’s happening: Across the restaurant industry, people are cutting back a bit on dining out. Groceries and everyday bills have gotten more expensive. Some customers are skipping appetizers or sharing meals to save money.
That slowdown isn’t unique to Olive Garden. Sit-down restaurant chains across the country are seeing sales take a hit in 2024. People are just more budget-conscious than they were last year.
Olive Garden’s leadership isn’t ignoring the problem. They’ve adjusted their menu, adding new dishes and looking for ways to appeal to regulars and first-timers. The company is betting that updating the menu and special promotions can help bring people back in, even if they’re being a little more careful with spending.
No company loves to report a sales drop or a tougher environment. But these kinds of changes are part of running a big restaurant brand, and the leadership has dealt with them before.
How Olive Garden Handles Business Challenges
Every big restaurant chain faces ups and downs. Sometimes people flock in for Never Ending Pasta, and other times they tighten their belts. Olive Garden understands that and tends to focus on long-term loyalty instead of quick wins.
Past slowdowns haven’t stopped the brand from bouncing back. After the pandemic, for example, many people were ready for sit-down restaurants again, and Olive Garden was there with open doors and a familiar menu.
Their approach in tricky times is pretty practical. The company runs plenty of national ads, but it’s not relying on flashy stunts or huge price cuts just to grab attention. Darden’s CEO explained it best: They stick to “core strengths”—good food, speedy service, and making the restaurants inviting for families, couples, and groups alike.
Later on, if menu updates or limited-time specials help boost business, they’re quick to respond. They don’t make massive changes just to look busy. It’s more like steady adjustments and listening to what people want to eat.
Is Olive Garden Closing Locations? Here’s What’s Really Happening
Because the “shutting down” stories online look so convincing, it’s easy to believe something’s wrong. The facts tell a different story. No credible reports show a mass closure of Olive Garden locations anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.
Restaurant chains do sometimes close a store in one city and open a new one nearby. That’s just adjusting for leases or neighborhood changes. But the overall number of Olive Garden locations keeps growing, not shrinking.
The business press watches big chains closely. Sites like [Serabusiness.com](https://serabusiness.com/) track openings, closings, and performance figures for brands like Olive Garden. These reports all point the same way: Olive Garden is stable, even during economic ups and downs.
Why There’s So Much Interest in Olive Garden Rumors
People seem to care when they hear Olive Garden might be closing down. Part of it is nostalgia. For a lot of folks, a family meal at Olive Garden was a birthday, a graduation, or just a regular Friday. Unlimited breadsticks and big bowls of pasta tend to stick in your memory.
Another reason is that the restaurant industry is changing and some long-standing names have disappeared. Chains like Ruby Tuesday or Friendly’s have closed dozens of locations over the years, and when one big restaurant falters, people wonder if others will follow.
Then there’s the echo effect of social media. Bad news gets shared the fastest. Many of those “Olive Garden is closing” posts are recycled headlines from other businesses. Sometimes even the photos used are from unrelated restaurant chains.
The takeaway is that rumors about financial trouble can sound bigger than they really are. In Olive Garden’s case, the story is pretty dull: sales have dipped a bit, but otherwise, the brand is steady.
Olive Garden’s Current Strategy: Adapting to What Customers Want
So where does Olive Garden go from here? The brand is giving its menu a refresh, testing out some new dishes and tweaking old classics. There’s talk of rolling out more value-focused items and updating promotions to get folks excited without breaking the bank.
At the same time, they’re not looking to chase every new dining fad. Olive Garden’s strength has always been consistency and a sense of familiarity. You know what you’re going to get with the salad and breadsticks.
The parent company and its CEO have been open about wanting to grow, not shrink, in the years ahead. If sales stay slow, they might open restaurants a bit more slowly, but there’s no sign of plans to pull back in any major way.
If you’re a frequent diner, you might notice some new dishes, maybe a few tweaks to portion sizes, and the same kind of family-friendly feel. It’s business as usual, just a little bit updated for 2024.
The Bottom Line: Olive Garden Stays Open, With a Few Changes
So if you’ve seen those worrying posts about Olive Garden closing forever, relax. The company is not going out of business. Its parent, Darden, has made that as clear as possible, and the financial numbers back it up.
Sales have slipped some in early 2024, mostly because people everywhere are dining out a little less. But Olive Garden’s brand is still strong, and the total number of stores is actually up compared to just a year ago.
The leadership isn’t ignoring the slowdown. They’re updating the menu, listening to customers, and staying focused on what made Olive Garden a household name for years. It’s not a business in crisis—it’s just another year of adjustments for one of America’s biggest Italian restaurant chains.
For anyone wondering, Olive Garden is still serving up those breadsticks, salads, and pasta bowls. No shutdown is coming, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to eat there in the future.
If you want to keep up with restaurant news, industry watchers like Serabusiness.com post regular updates about chains like Olive Garden, so you won’t miss any real changes.
For now, Olive Garden’s doors remain open, and the only real changes are on the menu—not the front doors.