Jena Brown
- I ordered the same meals at Olive Garden and Red Lobster to see which chain had the tastiest food.
- Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits and shrimp Alfredo were super delicious.
- Olive Garden was my winner for its fried mozzarella and Sicilian cheesecake.
There’s nothing quite like a quick yet hearty lunch, so I headed to Olive Garden and Red Lobster to see which chain had the best offerings.
I compared each restaurant’s complimentary bread, fried mozzarella, shrimp Alfredo, and cheesecake.
Here’s how the chains stacked up.
Jena Brown
I’ve been to Olive Garden a few times before.
The casual-dining restaurant is known for its Italian-American cuisine and family-friendly atmosphere.
The Florida-based restaurant has more than 900 locations across the US.
Jena Brown
I went to Olive Garden for a late-afternoon lunch on a Sunday.
The entryway was bright and welcoming, with high ceilings and several windows letting lots of sunlight in.
The seating was spread out, so the dining area didn’t feel crowded.
The restaurant looked busy, but the wait for a table was less than 10 minutes.
Jena Brown
Olive Garden’s complimentary breadsticks are among my favorite things to get at the restaurant.
The batch I was served was warm and buttery and had a lovely salt-crusted layer.
I love that Olive Garden also serves a salad alongside the bread.
Jena Brown
The fried mozzarella came in flat, rectangular shapes rather than long tubes.
I loved the thinner shape because I felt as if there was a good balance between the cheese and the crust.
The crust was buttery and crisp, and the basil sprinkled on top popped with each bite.
The marinara was delicious, as it paired well with the mozzarella sticks without overwhelming them.
I thought $9.80 was a little pricey for an appetizer, though it was satisfying and a decent size.
Jena Brown
I was surprised by how large the portion of shrimp Alfredo was. I appreciated that there were more than a dozen perfectly cooked tail-off shrimp.
The fettuccine was cooked al dente, giving the pasta a firm texture without being too hard or mushy.
The thick Alfredo sauce had a rich, buttery flavor with a hint of garlic.
My only complaint was that I thought the dish was underseasoned and needed salt.
Still, I thought the shrimp Alfredo was worth the $22 price point.
Jena Brown
I thought Olive Garden’s real winner was the cheesecake. Its shortbread crust was perfectly crumbly, sweet, and buttery.
The creamy cheesecake was made with ricotta and had a sublimely mild yet rich flavor. The strawberries tasted fresh, and the sauce wasn’t overly sweet.
It was quite a large slice, which made the $10 price tag feel appropriate.
Jena Brown
It’d been years since I went to a Red Lobster, as there aren’t many near me. Still, I wanted to see if it was as good as I remembered.
The Florida-based casual-dining chain is known for its seafood and has more than 600 locations across the US.
Jena Brown
I loved the overall vibe of Red Lobster.
The restaurant’s exterior felt as if it belonged at the seaside, and the entryway’s low ceilings and dark wood reminded me of a pier.
It didn’t seem very busy when I went, but I waited almost 20 minutes for my table.
I went for a late lunch and saw only one small area of the restaurant being used. But once I was seated, the service was fantastic.
Jena Brown
Our server brought complimentary Cheddar Bay Biscuits right away. They were light and fluffy, with a crisp, buttery crust.
Each bite had a tangy cheese flavor and a burst of rosemary.
I had to force myself to stop eating these before my meal came.
Jena Brown
Red Lobster’s mozzarella sticks came in a basket with a newspaper-printed lining.
They were hot and crispy, with stretchy cheese in the middle. The breading had a light seasoning but tasted a little plain to me.
I thought the marinara sauce had a bit of an overwhelming tomato flavor as well.
At $11, I found the mozzarella sticks to be a bit overpriced.
Jena Brown
The shrimp Alfredo was served over a large portion of linguini.
Right off the bat, I didn’t love that the shrimp came with the tails on. Still, they were perfectly cooked and nicely sized.
I enjoyed the creamy Alfredo sauce, which was seasoned well and had a rich, garlicky flavor.
I thought the $18 price point was reasonable, even if it didn’t come with the salad or chowder that the other lunch specials did.
Jena Brown
Red Lobster’s cheesecake was topped with a thick layer of vanilla-bean whipped cream, which added a delicious sweetness to the dish.
It was stacked on a vanilla cookie crust that had a nice, dense texture.
There were a ton of fresh-tasting strawberries on the side and top of the cake. The strawberry sauce itself was lightly sweetened.
At $11, the strawberry cheesecake cost more than the Olive Garden version.
Because the biggest difference between the two cakes seemed to be the amount of strawberries that came on the dish, I thought it was a bit expensive.
Jena Brown
Though I enjoyed both meals and appreciated that both restaurants had their unique take on each dish, Olive Garden won by a narrow margin.
I felt the addition of salad and breadsticks and slightly lower prices of the appetizers and desserts was a better value.
Next time I’m craving pasta or breadsticks, I’m heading to Olive Garden.
(@HaBahrami) 