Olive Garden is a popular American Italian-themed restaurant chain and a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants. With over 900+ restaurants in North America, this casual dining restaurant has changed how Americans perceive and consume Italian cuisines.
Most people would want Olive Garden restaurants to open their doors for business every single day. But the truth is businesses may choose to operate differently during holiday periods.
So, Olive Garden may open on certain holidays and remain closed on some. Thus, if you plan to visit them, make an effort to learn about their operating hours on holidays.
This takes us to a popular question many have been asking about Olive Garden.
Is Olive Garden open on Labor Day?
Yes, you can visit Olive Garden to grab your favorite meals on Labor Day. Additionally, the restaurant also operates normally on Labor Day.
However, don’t forget that many Olive Garden restaurants are franchised. Thus, they may have varying operating hours on holidays and even normal days.
So, if you plan on visiting Olive Garden, it would make sense to contact them before making a move.
Keep reading to learn more about Olive Garden holiday operating hours.
When Was Olive Garden Founded?
Olive Garden has an interesting history that makes the company worth discussing. They have built a solid reputation as one of the top Italian-themed restaurants in America, with hundreds of branches spread across the country.
Interestingly, Olive Garden was founded by General Mills in 1982 and was the commercial supplier’s first original restaurant.
It will also interest you to know that Olive Garden’s first restaurant was in Orlando, Florida, they’re currently headquartered.
The Italian-themed restaurant has shown its massive growth potential since its early days. They only established one restaurant in 1982, but in 1989, they had already opened over 145 restaurants.
So, Olive Garden was the fastest-growing restaurant among the diverse General Mills restaurant business division.
Now, how was the name “Olive Garden” coined?
Well, name is an identity to any brand. People may forget the list of foods on a restaurant’s menu or its location but may not forget the brand name easily.
The name “Olive Garden” was coined by the restaurant’s owner, Joe Bastianich, when he visited Italy. He saw a blossoming olive tree growing on a grove near Lake Bracciano and that was where he got the inspiration.
Does Olive Garden Serve Authentic Italian Foods As Claimed?
If you’re going to Olive Garden thinking you’ll find authentic Italian meals there, you may go home disappointed.
Firstly, you have to understand that Olive Garden is a great restaurant and a nice place to eat. They’re also one of the largest Italian-themed casual restaurants in the country.
Unfortunately, Olive Garden doesn’t serve authentic Italian foods. Don’t forget they’re an American restaurant.
One thing you have to realize is that Olive Garden makes their breadsticks and pasta sauces, though these still have the classic Italian flavors in them.
So, you may find it hard to differentiate between authentic Italian dishes and the ones Olive Garden serves.
However, Olive Garden has been in business since 1982 and keeps expanding. This alone is an indication that many Americans fancy their foods.
Olive Garden Opening And Closing Hours
Olive Garden operates in diverse locations. Thus, the Italian-themed restaurant’s opening and closing hours may vary from one location to another.
However, the operating hours below are adopted by many of their branches.
Days Of The Week | Opening Hours | Closing Hours |
Monday | 11:00 AM | 10:00 PM |
Tuesday | 11:00 AM | 10:00 PM |
Wednesday | 11:00 AM | 10:00 PM |
Thursday | 11:00 AM | 10:00 PM |
Friday | 11:00 AM | 11:00 PM |
Saturday | 11:00 AM | 11:00 PM |
Sunday | 11:00 AM | 10:00 PM |
You can see that Olive Garden doesn’t operate 24 hours a day. Most locations don’t also open their doors for business earlier like most restaurants do.
Excitingly, the Italian-themed restaurant operates throughout the week. They are open for business everyday from Mondays through Sundays.
Remember that it was stated earlier that the operating time on the table provided might differ from one location to another. So, it would make sense to contact the Olive Garden near you to know their opening and closing hours.
How Olive Garden Operates On Holidays
Several holidays are celebrated in the United States throughout the year. But companies get to choose the ones they want to observe.
So, if you plan to visit Olive Garden on any of the holidays, learn about their availability before making a move. You’ll save time, gas, and ensure you don’t starve yourself for so long.
Now, how does Olive Garden operate on holidays? Check out the table below.
Holidays | Hours of Operation |
New Year’s Day Celebration | Open |
Martin Luther King’s Day | Open |
Valentine’s Day | Open |
President’s Day | Open |
Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday | Open |
St. Patrick’s Day | Open |
Good Friday | Open |
Easter Day (Sunday) | Open |
Easter Monday | Open |
Cinco De Mayo | Open |
Mother’s Day | Open
10:30 AM – 10:00 PM |
Memorial Day | Open |
Father’s Day | Open |
Independence Day (July 4th) | Open |
Labor Day | Open |
Columbus Day | Open |
Halloween | Open |
Veterans Day | Open |
A Day Before Thanksgiving | Reduced Hours |
Thanksgiving Day | Closed |
Black Friday | Open |
Christmas Eve | Open
11:00 AM – 8:00 PM |
Christmas Day | Closed |
Boxing Day (Dec. 26) | Open
11:00 AM – 10:00 PM |
New Year’s Eve | Open |
Olive Garden doesn’t operate on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Operating hours also vary on some of the holidays, as you can see.
Additionally, Olive Garden usually opens a day before Thanksgiving Day. But they may operate on reduced hours.
What States In The U.S. Has More Olive Garden Locations in 2022?
Three states top the chart for states in the United States of America with the highest Olive Garden restaurants.
Currently, Texas is the state with the highest Olive Garden location. They operate in 104 locations, which is 11 percent of the restaurants Olive Garden has.
Texas’ current population size is 29 million people. So, if you do the math, you’ll discover that there is one Olive Garden location for 278,807 people in Texas.
Florida is the state with the second-highest Olive Garden restaurant, with 76 locations. So, approximately 8 percent of total Olive Garden restaurants are based in Florida.
Furthermore, Florida’s current population size is 21.48 million. Thus, this means there’s an Olive Garden location for 282,605 Floridians.
California has the third-highest Olive Garden restaurants, with 76 locations (the same as Florida).
So, there’s 8 percent of the total Olive Garden restaurant in California. The state’s current population size is also 39.51 million, meaning there’s an Olive Garden restaurant for 519,854 Californians.
Conclusion
Is Olive Garden open on Labor Day? Yes, the Italian-themed casual dining restaurant operates on Labor Day.
It will also interest you to know that Olive Garden’s operating hours on Labor Day are like every other normal day. But keep in mind that the restaurant doesn’t operate on some holidays.
For example, Olive Garden doesn’t operate on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Most of them also operate on reduced hours on the day before Thanksgiving Day.
Additionally, most of Olive Garden’s Italian-themed casual restaurant locations operate on reduced hours on Christmas Eve. They stay open from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
So, if you plan to visit Olive Garden, establish contact with any of their locations near you. You have to get information about their opening and closing hours, including how they operate on holidays.