Olive Garden's Tour Of Italy Vs Carrabba's Italian Classics Trio: What's The Difference?

Olive Garden and Carrabba's Italian Grill have built their reputations as go-to spots for Italian-American comfort food, both known for generous portions and inviting atmospheres. For years, the restaurant chains have drawn loyal customers with promises of indulgent classics. Naturally, some have even wondered which restaurant is better — Olive Garden or Carrabba's Italian Grill? We found both have strengths and weaknesses. 

Both restaurants have devoted followings, but the competition between Olive Garden's Tour of Italy and Carrabba's Italian Classics Trio brings the rivalry into sharper focus. Each dish promises a tasting tour of Italian comfort food, giving diners the chance to sample the most iconic offerings in one sitting — lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo, and chicken parm. The noticeable differences are in pricing and portions, while the core ingredients in both dishes are quite similar.

Olive Garden's Tour of Italy

Olive Garden's Tour of Italy offers a trio of their best-loved dishes: Chicken Parmigiana, Lasagna Classico, and creamy fettuccine Alfredo. Priced at $22.99 and coming in at 1,550 calories, it offers a mix of classic flavors in one plate.

The meat sauce for the lasagna at Olive Garden is made with pan-seared beef and Italian sausage, it's then layered with pasta and cheese. The Parmesan-breaded chicken is deep-fried, topped with marinara sauce and melted Italian cheeses; classic creamy fettuccine Alfredo rounds out the "tour".

And while Olive Garden happens to be just below Carrabba's on the list of America's favorite restaurants, it's likely not because of these two dishes.

Carrabba's Italian Classics Trio

Carrabba's Italian Classics Trio also brings together chicken Parmesan, lasagna, and fettuccine Alfredo, starting at a higher price point of $25.49. The 1,930 calories suggest it's a heftier portion than Olive Garden's Tour of Italy, but there are a few notable differences in preparation and presentation.

The lasagna is made with fresh pasta, and combines pomodoro and meat sauces, layered with Romano, ricotta, and mozzarella cheeses.  The meat sauce is also made with beef and pork. The chicken Parmesan at Carrabba's is coated with bread crumbs and pan-seared (opposed to deep-fried), and topped with pomodoro sauce (opposed to Olive Garden's marinara sauce), Parmesan, Romano, and mozzarella cheeses. Pomodoro sauce is smoother and cooked longer than marinara, which is chunkier.

One of the 10 things you may not know about Carrabba's is that some of the menu items are inspired by original Carrabba family recipes — which adds a personal touch to the dishes. 

Olive Garden and Carrabba's may serve up similar dishes, but the differences are all in the details. With Carrabba's promise of fresh pasta and two sauces for the lasagna, plus a pan-seared chicken parm, this option seems to have more finesse. At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you're craving — and there's no wrong choice.