The Best Time To Eat At Olive Garden Might Not Be When You Think

When planning a visit to Olive Garden, you naturally want to beat the crowds to ensure a relaxed and tranquil experience. However, timing your visit just right can also help you get more value for your money when enjoying this chain's Italian-inspired comfort food. By visiting the restaurant between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. during the week, you can take advantage of Olive Garden's dinner duo deal. For just $8.99, this midday special offers one of Olive Garden's tasty entrées for a reduced price, in addition to limitless breadsticks and salad. 

When compared to standard entrée prices, the dinner duo provides unbelievable savings. Consider that Olive Garden's lasagna classico normally costs $17.79 when ordering the popular items during dinner time. Similarly, Olive Garden's famous chicken alfredo will cost you $19.49 if you visit after 5 p.m. during the week. By having dinner a little earlier, you can enjoy a tasty meal while also saving a few bucks in the process.

Olive Garden lists general hours of operation on its website, but you should always check with your local establishment to determine its exact hours. During the week, visitors can enjoy the lunch menu until 3 p.m., at which point the establishment will switch to its dinner menu. Over the weekend, diners can enjoy dinner all day long, although guests can request a lunch menu at any time if they prefer. Keep in mind that the Olive Garden lunch menu features the same entrées but in smaller portions for reduced prices.

Olive Garden also provides lunch and dinner options during any holidays when the restaurant is open. However, the restaurant is closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving. Additionally, some locations may close early the day before — but this practice can vary from restaurant to restaurant. As a result, you're encouraged to contact Olive Garden when planning a visit close to a major holiday. There's also a way to reduce your table wait time, no matter when you plan on visiting.

In the event you're planning a special trip to Olive Garden, you may be interested in making a reservation to ensure you get a table when guest volume is high. While the establishment does not take reservations, they do offer an online waitlist, which can be found on the Olive Garden website. You'll be asked to provide your name, phone number, email address, and the number of people in your party. If you have a party of seven or more, you must call the location you plan on visiting to inquire about availability.

Once you arrive at the establishment, you can check in with the host as you normally would. Depending on the number of people in your party and how busy the establishment is, you may have a small wait before your table is ready. Once it's ready, you'll receive a text on your mobile device informing you. The host will even reserve your spot in line for up to 10 minutes after your check-in time (at which point the spot will go to the next group in line). Olive Garden's waitlist is just one of many ways that the restaurant strives to create a wonderful experience for customers.