Where Can You Find The Biggest Olive Garden In The World?
Any regular Olive Garden diner knows that at the popular Italian-American restaurant chain, size matters. Olive Garden's portions are hefty, breadsticks are unlimited, and the restaurants regularly offer all-you-can-eat specials. But if you've ever wondered which Olive Garden location goes the biggest, literally speaking, the answer is in the big apple: New York City. While the brand doesn't list the square footage or seating capacity of any of its roughly 900 locations, in an email to The Daily Meal, Olive Garden confirmed that its three-floor Times Square location in Manhattan is indeed the world's largest.
In 2017, a Twitter thread by then-Twitter employee Joe Wadlington went viral, detailing a first date he had with a former general manager of the Times Square Olive Garden. The date had said it "may be the biggest Olive Garden in the world," as reported by New York Magazine. According to the former GM, the three-floor restaurant would regularly have a two-hour wait, and at the time, their final seating was as late as 2 a.m. Because, who among us hasn't found ourselves in New York City's biggest tourist destination, craving some late-night alfredo?
The incredibly centrally-located restaurant at 2 Times Square is the only Olive Garden location in Manhattan and one of just a handful within all of New York City's five boroughs, making it something of an anomaly in the city known for its world-class culinary scene.
The biggest Olive Garden is also the priciest in the U.S.
While the actual Olive Garden menu offerings are more or less identical at every location, the prices are not. Out of all the U.S. locations, the Times Square Olive Garden charges the most, by far. Each entrée at the Manhattan restaurant costs somewhere between five to eight dollars more, approximately, than at other NYC Olive Garden restaurants, which themselves tend to be slightly more expensive than Olive Gardens across the U.S.
Most New Yorkers do their best to avoid the crowds of Times Square, and the Olive Garden's elevated prices, opting instead to get their farfalle fix from one of the many smaller Italian restaurants in the city. It makes sense, then, that according to the former general manager quoted on Twitter, much of the clientele is international tourists understandably trying to experience two American gems — New York City and Olive Garden — at the same time. Besides, there's a strong argument to be made that the people-watching at the massive Times Square restaurant is worth the upcharge.
Times Square Olive Garden hosts pricey New Year's parties
On New Year's Eve, virtually everyone in the United States has their attention on Manhattan's Times Square, where the televised ball drop and accompanying show takes place. While the general public has to get to Times Square early and wait in a dense crowd for hours with no food, drink, or bathroom access, true Olive Garden disciples enjoy a more relaxing — though very pricey — experience.
In past years, the giant Times Square Olive Garden has hosted New Year's Eve parties, selling tickets for upwards of $400 each. In addition to a buffet, open bar, and DJ, guests get to watch the main event at midnight from a designated outdoor space — no hours spent waiting outside in the cold required. Still, if the price sounds absurdly expensive, know that Olive Garden isn't the only restaurant offering big-ticket NYE experiences. Fellow popular chain restaurant Applebee's, which has locations on 42nd and 50th Streets, has in the past offered tickets to their New Year's party for, starting price, around $600.