Olive Garden to bring back TWO fan favorite items as sales plummet and fears grow over future of chain

Olive Garden is set to bring back two fan favorite menu items as the chain battles falling sales.

The Italian chain, with 900 locations, will soon offer Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo and Stuffed Chicken Marsala again. 

Both items were axed during the pandemic when menus were simplified. 

They will now return with 'higher-quality ingredients,' Rick Cardenas, CEO of Olive Garden's parent company Darden, said on a recent earnings call. 

When the return of the two items was announced at a conference for general managers in August, the news was met with 'tremendous applause.' 

The move comes after disappointing financial results for the chain in the third quarter, with same-store sales dropping almost 3 percent in the period.

Foot traffic was also down, dropping off after  Fourth of July celebrations, and overall visitors declined 5 percent year over year.

Darden bosses blamed the poor results on weather, a rise in Covid cases, the Olympics and political upheaval.

As well as revamping its fan favorite items the chain is extending its 'Never-Ending Pasta Bowl' promotion for a further three weeks. 

Cardenas said the annual promotion is popular across income brackets and that it is being taken up at a higher rate than usual this year. 

Fans of the restaurant chain have long lamented that its pastas dishes and bread sticks were not available for delivery. 

Last week, we reported how Olive Garden is to finally offer its food via delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash.

The chain had resisted joining its competitors in using delivery services - claiming it did not want a third-party coming between the brand and its guests. 

Now, bosses have launched a two-year partnership with Uber. The major U-turn has delighted fans.

'Great news for foodies everywhere!' one fan wrote on X.

'Now I can get my breadstick craving at home too,' another commented.

Olive Garden angered its customers by hiking its prices earlier this summer despite lackluster sales. 

Executives announced in June that prices would rise 2.5 to 3 percent at not just Olive Garden but across Darden's massive portfolio of restaurants.

CEO Rick Cardenas also said the company would not be running deals to attract inflation-weary customers as rivals had.  

He was referring to rivals like Chilli's - with an appetizer, entree and drink deal for $11 - and Applebee's, which has two for $20 offers.

Casual dining chains like these have joined fast food companies in offering value deals as inflation weary customers cut back on eating out after years of rising prices. 

The likes of McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's have a $5 meal deal that comes with a burger, nuggets, fries and a drink. 

KFC revamped its $5 meal deal as it battles McDonald's and Wendy's, but there's a catch - it doesn't come with a drink. 

Popular sandwich chain Jimmy John's is offering a $10 Total Package Meal, which includes an 8-inch sandwich, a fountain drink, chips and a cookie or brownie. 

White Castle has slashed the price of its famed sliders to the lowest amount in a decade. The family run business, with 335 locations, is offering ten cheese sliders for $7.99 - more than 30 percent off the regular price.

Starbucks also made a surprise entry into the value war earlier this summer with a coffee and food breakfast combo from $5.