Olive Garden Loses Its Spot as Top US Casual Dining Restaurant

Texas Roadhouse has replaced Olive Garden as America’s top casual dining chain. The two chains were followed by Chili’s, Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings. Olive Garden had held the title since 2018, but a resurgence in Texas Roadhouse’s popularity has pushed the casual steakhouse ahead.

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Last year, Texas Roadhouse reportedly saw a 14.7% increase in sales, pulling in $5.5 billion, according to Restaurant Business, which cited Technomic’s ranking of the top 500 largest restaurant chains in the country. On its website, Texas Roadhouse says there are 722 restaurant locations, likely including those outside the U.S.

Meanwhile, Olive Garden saw a 0.8% increase in sales in 2024, bringing in $5.2 billion from its more than 920 locations across the country. According to Restaurant Business, despite bringing back never-ending pasta and other promotions, the Italian chain only saw a fraction of its 8.8% surge in 2023.

Texas Roadhouse, Chili’s and LongHorn Steakhouse saw larger boosts in sales than their counterparts, despite struggles in the industry. Chili’s, which was ranked third, saw a 15% increase in sales, while LongHorn Steakhouse, which came in sixth place, experienced a 7.2% sales bump. Four other restaurants on the list — Applebee’s, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster and Red Robin — saw decreases in sales, with Red Lobster seeing the largest drop at -22.7%, according to Restaurant Business, which cited Technomic. 

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