Olive Garden Franchise FDD, Profits & Costs (2025)
Olive Garden is owned by Darden Restaurants, a leader in full-service dining in North America. Founded in 1982, Olive Garden specializes in Italian-American cuisine and is a flagship brand for Darden, alongside LongHorn Steakhouse and Yard House.
Darden operates over 2,000 restaurants, with Olive Garden being a key contributor.
While most U.S. locations are company-owned, Olive Garden franchises in non-traditional locations like airports and internationally. The brand stands out for its warm dining experience, quality Italian-inspired dishes, and memorable service.
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Initial Investment
How much does it cost to start a Olive Garden franchise? Olive Garden does not offer franchise opportunities, as all of its locations are company-owned in the US.
Therefore, it is not possible to start a Olive Garden franchise, and there is no associated cost for franchising with the company.
For similar Italian-American style restaurant franchises, however, the initial investment is on average $1,330,000.
In comparison, for example, Villa Italian Kitchen (a Quick-service Italian restaurant franchise brand) requires an investment upfront of $303,000 up to $1,016,000 for a franchised restaurant.
| Franchise | Initial investment |
|---|---|
| Fazoli’s | $378,000 – $2,329,000 |
| Villa Italian Kitchen | $303,000 – $1,016,000 |
Average Revenue (AUV)
How much revenue can you make with a Olive Garden franchise?
Since Olive Garden does not franchise its stores and all locations are company-owned, Olive Garden does not publish a Franchise Disclosure Document. Therefore, it does not disclose the average revenue of its stores.
However, a similar Italian-American franchise makes on average $1,198,000 in revenue (AUV) per year. For example, a Villa Italian Kitchen franchised store makes on average $635,000 in revenue per year.
| Franchise | Revenue (AUV) |
|---|---|
| Fazoli’s | $1,094,000 |
| Villa Italian Kitchen | $635,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Olive Garden locations are there?
As of the latest data, there are 924 Olive Garden locations in the United States. Texas has the highest number of locations, with 111, making up 12% of all Olive Garden restaurants in the country.
What is the total investment required to open a Olive Garden franchise?
Olive Garden does not offer franchise opportunities and therefore, it is not possible to establish the initial investment to start a Olive Garden franchise.
However, the total investment required to open a franchised restaurant similar to the Olive Garden franchise ranges from $61,000 to $16,113,000.
What are the ongoing fees for a Olive Garden franchise?
Since Olive Garden does not offer franchises and all stores are company-owned, the ongoing fees such as royalty fees or advertising fees associated with franchising the brand are not readily available.
Yet, similar Italian-American franchises in the industry charge an average of 2%-3% in royalty fees and 2%-5% in advertising fees (e.g. Pop’s Italian Beef & Sausage).
What are the financial requirements to become a Olive Garden franchisee?
All Olive Garden locations are company-owned, and the brand does not offer opportunities for independent ownership or franchising. Therefore, it is not possible to meet any financial requirements or apply to become a franchisee with Olive Garden.
For Italian-American franchises similar to Olive Garden, the average net worth requirement typically ranges from $1 million to $3 million. The liquid capital requirement generally falls between $500,000 to $1 million. These figures can vary depending on the specific franchise brand and its financial requirements.
How much can a Olive Garden franchise owner expect to earn?
Since Olive Garden is entirely company-owned and does not operate as a franchise, there is no earning disclosure for a Olive Garden franchise.
Now, assuming the average gross sales for an Italian-American franchise similar to a Olive Garden franchise of $874,000 per store. And assuming a 15% operating profit margin, $874,000 yearly revenue would result in about $180,000 operating profit per year.
Who owns Olive Garden?
Olive Garden is owned by Darden Restaurants, Inc., which is one of the largest full-service dining restaurant companies. Darden also owns other well-known restaurant brands like LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, and The Capital Grille.
Disclaimer
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