End of an era: Olive Garden no longer America’s top casual restaurant
After dominating the casual dining scene for seven years, Olive Garden slips to second place in 2024, signaling a major shift in consumer preferences.
After spending seven years as America's top casual restaurant, Olive Garden is no longer No. 1.Texas Roadhouse has displaced Olive Garden as America's leading casual restaurant, Restaurant Business Magazine reported, citing Technomic 500 data.According to Texas Roadhouse's latest investor report, the company generated nearly $5.4 billion in revenue in 2024, which is up 16% from the year earlier. In comparison, Olive Garden generated about $5.1 billion, which is up just 1% from the year prior.RELATED STORY | Why do longtime restaurant chains keep shuttering locations?The combination of a growing number of locations and increased sales at existing locations contributed to Texas Roadhouse's explosive growth in 2024. Texas Roadhouse finished the year with 26 additional locations compared to the start of the year.At Texas Roadhouse locations in the U.S., comparable restaurant sales were up 6.3% in 2024.Despite falling in the rankings, Olive Garden continues to grow, adding 10 new locations in 2024.Another restaurant vying for the top spot, Chili's, ranked No. 3 after growing nearly 15% in 2024.Applebee's and Buffalo Wild Wings rounded out the Top 5.Here is the top 10:Texas RoadhouseOlive GardenChili'sApplebee'sBuffalo Wild WingsLongHorn SteakhouseOutback SteakhouseCheesecake FactoryRed LobsterRed Robin
