Who Owns Olive Garden?
Darden Restaurants, the Orlando company that also owns LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House and The Capital Grille. Olive Garden was invented inside General Mills in 1982 and has been a Darden brand since 1995.
Because Darden is public, it is owned by its shareholders rather than a single person or family. Olive Garden is by far its biggest brand, bringing in close to half of the company’s sales.
From General Mills to Darden
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1968 | Bill Darden opens the first Red Lobster, which General Mills buys two years later |
| 1982 | General Mills opens the first Olive Garden in Orlando, Florida, on 13 December |
| 1989 | The chain reaches 145 restaurants |
| 1995 | General Mills spins off its restaurants as Darden Restaurants, named after Bill Darden |
| 2014 | Darden sells Red Lobster and loses a boardroom fight with activist investor Starboard Value |
| Today | More than 900 Olive Gardens, all run by Darden in the US |
So Olive Garden and Red Lobster grew up as sister brands. Darden sold Red Lobster in 2014, and what happened to it next is covered in why Red Lobster went bankrupt.
What else Darden owns
| Darden brand | Type |
|---|---|
| Olive Garden | Italian casual dining |
| LongHorn Steakhouse | Casual steakhouse |
| Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen | Casual American |
| Chuy’s | Tex-Mex, bought in 2024 |
| Yard House | Bar and restaurant |
| Ruth’s Chris Steak House | Fine dining steakhouse, bought in 2023 |
| The Capital Grille | Fine dining steakhouse |
| Seasons 52 | Seasonal grill |
| Eddie V’s | Seafood and steak |
Darden also owned Bahama Breeze until it decided in 2025 to wind the brand down. LongHorn is Olive Garden’s closest sibling, and its story is in why is it called LongHorn Steakhouse.
Why there are no Olive Garden franchises in the US
Darden runs its US restaurants itself. That keeps the menu, portions and prices more consistent from one Olive Garden to the next than at franchised chains, where each owner sets prices. Outside the US, Olive Garden does use franchise partners, and there are locations in more than 20 countries.
Is the Culinary Institute of Tuscany real?
Olive Garden used to advertise its Culinary Institute of Tuscany, but there has never been an actual school. It was a program that sent some Olive Garden staff to Italy for cooking experience at a partner restaurant. The idea of Italian authenticity has always been more about marketing than training, and it is one reason food critics and Italian visitors like to poke fun at the chain.
The deal that gets the most attention today is the Never Ending Pasta Pass, explained in what is the Olive Garden Pasta Pass. Current prices are on the Olive Garden menu.
Related Questions
Who owns Olive Garden?
Darden Restaurants, a public company based in Orlando, Florida, and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DRI. Darden also owns LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s, Yard House, The Capital Grille and several other chains.
Is Olive Garden a franchise?
Not in the United States. Darden owns and operates its US Olive Gardens itself. Outside the US, the chain uses franchise partners and has locations in more than 20 countries.
Who started Olive Garden?
General Mills, the food company, created Olive Garden and opened the first restaurant in Orlando, Florida, on 13 December 1982. General Mills spun off its restaurants as Darden Restaurants in 1995.
Is Olive Garden owned by the same company as Red Lobster?
Not anymore. Both were owned by Darden until 2014, when Darden sold Red Lobster. Red Lobster was founded by Bill Darden, the man the company is named after.
Who is the CEO of Olive Garden’s parent company?
Rick Cardenas is chief executive of Darden Restaurants, which owns Olive Garden.
Is the Olive Garden Culinary Institute of Tuscany real?
No actual school exists. It was a program that sent some Olive Garden staff to Italy for cooking experience, promoted in advertising as a culinary institute.
More on Olive Garden
About this guide. USA Food Menu is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with Olive Garden or Darden Restaurants. Company details come from Darden announcements and published reporting, and restaurant counts change over time. Current prices are on the Olive Garden menu.
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