Olive Garden Vs Carrabba's: The Italian Chain That's More Affordable

When dining out, Italian food is a perennial favorite. Who among us hasn't happily noshed themselves into a carb-fueled pasta-and-cheese coma with a smile on their face and a smear of stray red sauce on their chin? Olive Garden and Carrabba's are two major players in the casual Italian pantheon, earning first and second place respectively when it comes to American market share by category (per Restaurant Business Online). But Olive Garden isn't just tops when it comes to chain locations and income; it's also significantly cheaper than Carrabba's when stacked face-to-face with a number of similar entrees. Remember when a '90s-era OG menu filled us with nostalgia for cheap pasta? Prices may have increased over the years, but Olive Garden is still less expensive. Let's take a look.

When it comes to classic pasta favorites (the names of which fall on the list of essential words and phrases to know in an Italian restaurant), there's some overlap between Olive Garden and Carrabba's. Here, prices were compared at two nearby outlets in the South Coast New England region, though they may vary by location. Take classic spaghetti with marinara: Olive Garden's plate is $14.99, while Carrabba's is $16.49. Craving chicken parm? You can get it at Olive Garden for $21.29, while Carrabba's offers its entree for $24.49. How about a calamari appetizer? Once again, Olive Garden wins, with a price of $13.49 compared to $15.99 for Carrabba's. Most entrees at both restaurants are served with your choice of soup or salad and bread, further leveling the playing field.

There's a whole slew of Olive Garden restaurant secrets to explore, but one hidden truth that's shared between the OG and Carrabba's is that the two menus are actually pretty different once you venture beyond bog-standard pasta fare. Speaking of standard Italian fare, Carrabba's doesn't even offer a typical fettuccine alfredo, that icon of pasta dinners that actually isn't "authentically" Italian. It does have fettuccine dishes, but they are stuffed with protein and veg ... and none are chicken alfredo, either! Note that Carrabba's features steak on its varied menu, a higher-end flourish that Olive Garden lacks. Interestingly, one area where Carrabba's and Olive Garden have a lot in common are dessert menu selections. Both offer tiramisu and strawberry cheesecake ... and, yes, Olive Garden is cheaper when it comes to both.

At the end of the day, Olive Garden should be your destination when it comes solely to sourcing a cheaper Italian dinner, but price isn't necessarily the only criterion when it comes to choosing a restaurant. There are enough distinct items on the two restaurants' menus that you might just choose one or the other based on which carries your favorite dish. While Olive Garden and Carrabba's are similar in tone, they each paint a slightly different picture of Italian food. If budget isn't your number one consideration, you would be perfectly within reason if you really wanted some Chicken Bryan, a Carrabba's exclusive, or if you simply preferred the vibes of one restaurant over another.