Olive Garden is a great option for those evenings when you want to enjoy a healthy meal but can't cook yourself. Although the popular Italian-style restaurant guarantees its customers quality cuisine combined with the comfort of a dining room, it is not exactly a fast food restaurant. Instead, Olive Garden falls into the casual dining category.
One of the main differences between a regular restaurant and a fast food restaurant is the type of service customers receive. At restaurants like Olive Garden, customers are served by servers who deliver to customers immediately after ordering. On the other hand, fast food establishments require customers to place and pick up their orders at the counter and window. Additionally, brick-and-mortar establishments tend to offer more extensive menus than fast food restaurants, which in many cases prioritizes efficiency. In terms of atmosphere, casual restaurants like Olive Garden fall somewhere between fast food and fine dining. Not to be confused with fast food joints, which generally offer a more elaborate menu than fast food restaurants, but the speed of service is similar. These fast food restaurants offer make-your-own meals like salads, sandwiches and wraps like Panera Bread and Chipotle.
Learn more. Ranking the best fast food restaurants in America
Casual food is comfort food.
Although food quality is important in all restaurants, restaurant atmosphere can affect customer satisfaction. Meanwhile, the interiors of casual restaurants are often a cut above fast food chains. At Olive Garden, visitors can expect a warm and spacious interior with artistic lighting and subtle wood accents. Many places feature exposed beams and stark white walls that look like the kind of decor you'd find in a restaurant in Italy (at least that's what the interior design team at Olive Garden would have you believe).
Despite the more refined cuisine served in conventional settings, these restaurants strive to provide their customers with the best dining experience. For example, the booths and tables are designed to offer as much space as possible, ensuring that diners are spread out after eating endless vegetable soup with olives, salad and bread. Likewise, casual restaurants try to make the seating as comfortable as possible and there is no strict dress code.
How to distinguish an olive garden from a good restaurant?
When comparing an establishment like Olive Garden to fine dining, chains like Capital Grille and Ruth Chris Steakhouse are good examples of the latter category (although it should be noted that Darden Restaurants owns Olive Garden and Ruth Chris The Steakhouse: Usually fine dining customers it's you You can expect high-quality food and great service.What's more, these restaurants are known for their stunning decor and may impose a dress code to ensure guests look their best.
Of course, casual and fine dining restaurants have a big price difference. A grilled salmon steak costs about $20.99, while the same salmon steak at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse will set you back $37, depending on your location. Additionally, casual dining restaurants often offer discounts and promotions, while fine dining restaurants do not. Establishments like Olive Garden combine the best elements of other restaurant categories to ensure guests are satisfied in body, mind (and stomach).
Read the main article on daily nutrition.
