Olive Garden is relaunching its popular Never-Ending Pasta Pass for the first time since 2019, giving fans the chance to enjoy unlimited portions pasta Meals for 13 weeks, one-time payment of $100.
The restaurant chain announced that 10,000 Pasta Passes will be on sale through PastaPass.com on July 16 at 2 p.m. ET. The limited-edition product has developed a loyal following over the years, with previous editions selling out in minutes.
What is this concept?
The Never-Ending Pasta Pass gives holders unlimited access to never-ending pasta bowl meals for 13 weeks.
According to Olive Garden, the pass includes:
- Unlimited pasta for 13 weeks
- Choice of homemade sauces
- protein Ingredients
- Unlimited soup or salad
- Unlimited breadsticks
Pass holders can also get early access to the “Never-Ending Spaghetti Bowl” promotion starting August 24, one week before the promotion kicks off nationwide.
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The broader promotion will run from August 31 to November 22, with meals starting at $14.99 for customers without a pass. Guests who join Olive Garden’s EClub will also receive early access on August 24th.
What’s new this year?
Olive Garden says diners can choose from 120 different pasta combinations, sauce and ingredients during this year’s sale. The menu also introduces two new options: Spicy Alfredo Sauce and Crispy Shrimp Frittata, expanding the options available.
The promotion was first launched in 2014 and has become one of Olive Garden’s most popular offers. Since 2019, this feature is no longer available.
Jaime Bunker, Olive Garden’s senior vice president of marketing, said customers ask for passes every year.
“Bringing it back seemed like the right way to recognize the loyalty of the many guests who have made it their top priority over the years,” Bunker said in a statement.
Demand is expected to rise again. According to Axios, all 24,000 Pasta Passes released in 2019 sold out within “milliseconds.”
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Is it worth buying?
The answer depends largely on how often you plan to dine at Olive Garden.
According to Axios, a $100 pass typically becomes cost-effective after about seven visits. Earlier versions of the promotion lasted for eight weeks, but this year’s pass extends the offer to 13 weeks, giving customers more time to take advantage of it.
The return of Pasta Pass comes as Olive Garden’s parent company, Darden Restaurants, also hopes to increase customer traffic. Olive Garden reported same-store sales growth of 2.4% in the latest quarter, while sister chain LongHorn Steakhouse posted strong growth of 9.5%, according to company data.
With only 10,000 passes available, customers hoping to get their hands on a pass may need to act quickly before the limited supply sells out.
