The Italian casual dining chain missed the industry's top spot for the first time in nearly seven years due to slower growth in 2024.
Olive Garden Is No Longer America’s Top Restaurant Chain—Here’s What Took Its Spot
Published on Apr. 08, 2025
For some time now, Olive Garden’s reign as the nation’s top casual dining chain has felt as inevitable as its famous breadsticks are unlimited—but the times have changed. According to new industry data released this month, Olive Garden has surrendered its top spot in the industry for the first time since 2018.
The chain has long been a customer favorite for its wide-ranging menu of hearty Italian-American dishes, its never-ending soup and salad and, of course, those warm, perfectly buttery breadsticks. In 2024, however, Olive Garden experienced just 0.8% growth in its system-wide sales.
What chain took over for number one restaurant chain?
The new leader in the casual dining space saw its sales climb by 14.7% in 2024, and that leader is the steakhouse chain Texas Roadhouse.
The chain, which serves up Southwestern-style steakhouse cuisine, has benefited from an increased consumer appetite for steak. It has also managed to keep its menu prices affordable for diners.
In addition to its steaks, Texas Roadhouse is well-known for its flavorful ribs, fresh-baked rolls (hello, honey cinnamon butter!) and popular appetizers like the “cactus blossom” fried onion platter and cheese-stuffed “rattlesnake bites.”
Other chains also experienced significant growth last year, including Chili’s, which leapfrogged Applebee’s to place third in the new ranking due to its 15% growth in sales, and LongHorn Steakhouse, which saw 7.2% growth in sales. LongHorn passed over rival Outback Steakhouse to rank as the nation’s sixth-biggest casual dining chain.
What other restaurants are part of the Texas Roadhouse family?
Texas Roadhouse’s success has allowed the chain to expand its offerings to two other growing restaurant concepts—Bubba’s 33 and Jaggers. Bubba’s 33 is a sports bar-inspired casual dining concept known for its pizza, wings and burgers with over 40 locations across the country, including restaurants in Texas, Indiana and Florida. Jaggers is a fast-casual chain that offers burgers, chicken sandwiches and shakes. It currently boasts 20 locations across the U.S. including spots in Indiana, North Carolina and Kentucky.
