Carrabba's Italian Grill vs Olive Garden: Menu Prices Compared (2026)
The short answer
Carrabba's Italian Grill is the cheaper of the two. Of the 6 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Carrabba's Italian Grill is cheaper on 4 of them, by an average of $0.73 per item.
Deals Worth Knowing at Both
Carrabba's Italian Grill
- Bread with herbed olive oil is free, so a soup or salad plus the bread makes a light meal for under $11.
- Spaghetti at about $14.99 and Fettuccine Alfredo at about $15.99 are the lowest-priced entrées; adding grilled chicken is what pushes a pasta past $19.
- Family bundles feed about four: the Spaghetti Bundle at about $49.99 comes to roughly $12.50 a person.
Olive Garden
- Never Ending Soup, Salad & Breadsticks at $11.99 for lunch is the cheapest complete meal Olive Garden sells, and refills are unlimited.
- Order Cucina Mia at $14.99 instead of a named pasta — the base pastas and sauces are largely the same for six dollars less.
- Buy One Take One returns most years in the autumn and effectively halves the price of a pasta entree.
Carrabba's Italian Grill vs Olive Garden — FAQ
Is Carrabba's Italian Grill cheaper than Olive Garden in 2026?
Carrabba's Italian Grill is cheaper on most matched items — 4 of 6. Across the whole menu Olive Garden is the lower-priced of the two, at $15.49 for a typical item against $16.99 at Carrabba's Italian Grill.
What is the price difference between Carrabba's Italian Grill and Olive Garden?
On matched items the average difference is $0.73, or about 3% overall. Carrabba's Italian Grill averages $20.17 across 64 priced items; Olive Garden averages $19.63 across 40.
Which has the cheaper entry price, Carrabba's Italian Grill or Olive Garden?
Carrabba's Italian Grill starts at $3.99 (Soft Drink) and Olive Garden at $6.49 (Side of Meatballs).
Are these prices the same at every location?
No. Both chains let franchise owners set prices, so figures move by a dollar or more between markets and run highest at airport, stadium and highway locations. Treat these as the typical U.S. price, not a quote.