When you sit down at an Olive Garden, you might think you’re in control of what ends up on your plate. But behind the scenes, the Italian chain is employing a sneaky psychological trick to get you to order more food than you originally intended. It’s a tactic that’s helped Olive Garden become the largest full-service Italian dining chain in the U.S., with over 800 locations. So how exactly do they convince customers to splurge on extra appetizers, drinks, and desserts? The answer lies in their carefully crafted marketing strategy.
1. Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere
One of the first things you’ll notice when you walk into an Olive Garden is the inviting ambiance. The restaurants are designed to evoke an “idealized Italian family meal” with their Old-World Italian decor, complete with stucco walls, Italian background music, and cozy lighting. This warm, homey atmosphere puts diners at ease and encourages them to settle in and stay awhile.
By making customers feel relaxed and comfortable, Olive Garden sets the stage for a longer dining experience. The more time you spend at the table, the more likely you are to order additional courses, drinks, or desserts. After all, what’s the rush when you’re enjoying good company in such pleasant surroundings?
The family-style dining setup also promotes a sense of abundance and generosity. Big platters of pasta are meant for sharing, breaking down the barriers between individual portions. This subtly inspires a “the more the merrier” mentality that can lead to over-ordering.
2. Emphasizing Variety and Value
Another key aspect of Olive Garden’s strategy is its focus on providing an extensive selection of Italian-inspired dishes at affordable prices. The chain regularly updates its menu with new recipes dreamed up by chefs who have trained at the company’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany in Italy.
By constantly introducing novel flavors and preparations, Olive Garden keeps customers engaged and excited to try the latest offerings. Limited-time specials tap into diners’ fear of missing out, motivating them to visit more frequently and sample items before they disappear from the menu.
At the same time, Olive Garden promotes the idea that each meal is an unbeatable deal. With its unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, the chain has long emphasized abundance over portion control. While the company has come under fire from investors for giving away too much food, this “generosity” makes customers feel like they’re getting their money’s worth, which in turn takes away the sting of splurging on extras.
3. Targeting Families and Large Parties
Olive Garden has astutely identified families as its core customer base, and much of its marketing is geared toward attracting large parties. Promotional materials play up the idea of the restaurant as a gathering place to celebrate milestones and make memories with loved ones. Appetizers, family-size entrees, and sweet treats are all framed as shareable indulgences for the whole table to enjoy together.
By catering to bigger groups, Olive Garden increases the likelihood that at least some people will order extras. After all, a party of eight is likely to rack up a higher bill than a party of two. Families with kids are an especially desirable demographic, since parents are often more willing to spend on treats to keep young diners happy and occupied.
The physical layout of Olive Garden restaurants reinforces this emphasis on large parties, with plenty of oversized booths and long tables that can accommodate extended families. The more the merrier, as they say and the more profitable for Olive Garden’s bottom line.
4. Leveraging the Power of Suggestion
Upselling is a tried-and-true tactic in the restaurant industry, and Olive Garden has perfected the art of gentle suggestion. Servers are trained to recommend specific appetizers, drinks, and desserts at key points throughout the meal, planting the idea that no dinner is complete without mozzarella sticks to start and tiramisu to finish.
Menu design also plays a crucial role in steering customers toward higher-priced items. Enticing photos, bold fonts, and prominent placement all draw the eye to dishes that pad the final bill. Detailed descriptions whet the appetite and make it harder to resist temptation. And by showcasing the array of options available, Olive Garden taps into the paradox of choice — the idea that having too many appealing possibilities actually makes us more likely to over-order.
Even the way servers clear plates and reset the table between courses sends a subtle signal that there’s more to come. A dessert menu placed in front of you is a wordless invitation to linger and indulge. Before you know it, you’ve talked yourself into one last treat.
5. Cultivating a Sense of FOMO
In today’s social media-driven world, the fear of missing out (FOMO) is a powerful motivator. Olive Garden taps into this by promoting limited time offers and seasonal specials that create a sense of urgency and exclusivity. Customers are more likely to visit and spend when they feel like they might miss their chance to try a buzzed-about dish.
The chain also leverages user-generated content to stoke FOMO and inspire copycats. By reposting diners’ drool-worthy photos on its own social media accounts, Olive Garden reinforces the idea that a trip to the restaurant is an event worth capturing and sharing. Customers who see their peers enjoying decadent pasta creations and colorful cocktails may feel compelled to get in on the fun themselves.
In a way, Olive Garden has gamified the dining experience, encouraging a “collect them all” mentality when it comes to trying every new menu item. Customers who pride themselves on being in the know may go out of their way to sample the latest dishes before they disappear, even if it means spending more than they planned.
6. Offering Customization and Combos
Another way Olive Garden entices diners to pad their orders is by offering a high degree of customization. Pasta dishes can be mixed and matched with different sauces and toppings, while menu combinations let you create your own multi-course meal. This not only caters to individual tastes, but also encourages a bit of experimentation.
By presenting so many potential permutations, Olive Garden taps into the human desire for novelty and makes it easy to justify sampling something new. And by bundling courses together at a slight discount compared to à la carte prices, the chain makes it feel like you’re getting a deal, even as your total bill creeps higher.
7. Banking on Loyalty and Familiarity
Finally, Olive Garden understands the value of building a loyal customer base. The chain’s highly successful Never Ending Pasta Pass promotion, which lets diners enjoy unlimited pasta over a set period for a flat fee, encourages repeat visits and turns customers into unofficial brand ambassadors.
By making regulars feel like part of the Olive Garden “family,” the chain inspires a deep sense of brand affinity. Loyal patrons are not only more likely to choose Olive Garden over competitors; they’re also more likely to splurge once they’re seated at the table. After all, if you’re already committed to the Olive Garden experience, why not go all in and order everything that catches your eye?
Familiarity also breeds comfort, and comfort breeds indulgence. When you know exactly what to expect from your go-to Olive Garden order, branching out feels more exciting than risky. Trying something new almost becomes a challenge to your usual routine. What’s the harm in one more breadstick?
So, there you have it, the not-so-secret ways Olive Garden gets inside your head and encourages you to order more. The next time you find yourself tempted by an extra appetizer or intrigued by a new menu special, remember it’s all part of the plan. But hey, as long as you leave with a full belly and a smile on your face, does it really matter if you ordered a bit more than you meant to? We won’t tell if you don’t.
