I ordered the same meal from Olive Garden and Carrabba's, and the winner blew me away with generous portions

Abigail Abesamis DemarestJan 13, 2024, 11:25 IST

I ordered the same dishes at Olive Garden and Carrabba's to find which chain I preferred.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

I dined at Olive Garden and Carrabba's to see which Italian chain had the tastiest food.
Olive Garden's take on fettuccine Alfredo, chicken Parm, and lasagna came out on top.

Some chain restaurants get a bad rap for being mediocre and homogenous, but as someone who grew up in suburban Long Island, places like Olive Garden and Carrabba's always had a special place in my heart.

Though restaurants like Olive Garden may not be the most authentic (I liken the place to Panda Express or Taco Bell), sometimes, you just want those warm, fluffy breadsticks and a chocolate-brownie lasagna. I rediscovered my love for Olive Garden's online ordering perks during the COVID-19 pandemic but wondered how it compared to Carrabba's.

I went to both Italian restaurant chains in the Panama City Beach, Florida, area to see which had the tastiest food.

First, I stopped by Olive Garden for a midday meal.

Olive Garden has a Tuscan-inspired exterior.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

Olive Garden felt welcoming when we stepped inside.

The interior of Olive Garden featured wooden and brick accents.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

At Olive Garden, we started with the house salad and breadsticks that came free with an entrée.

The house salad at Olive Garden was topped with croutons.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

Olive Garden's Tour of Italy was a combo plate of classics.

The Tour of Italy came with lasagna classico, fettuccine Alfredo, and chicken Parmigiana.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

The tiramisu at Olive Garden was a creamy, dreamy ending to a lovely meal.

The tiramisu at Olive Garden was beautifully plated.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

A few days later, we headed to Carrabba's for dinner.

The exterior of Carrabba's was lit up when we arrived.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

Carrabba's didn't feel as welcoming as Olive Garden.

Carrabba's interior was slightly more colorful, with red and green accents.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

Carrabba's bread, which was free with the entrée, was my favorite part of the meal there.

Our bread at Carrabba's was served with a small dish of spices and olive oil.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

Carrabba's house salad also came free with an entrée but it wasn't too impressive.

Carrabba's house salad didn't look as pretty as Olive Garden's.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

Carrabba's Italian Classics trio had some hits and misses.

Carrabba's Italian Classics trio came with lasagne, chicken Parmesan, and fettuccine Alfredo.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

The tiramisu at Carrabba's was served with elegant chocolate shavings.

I thought Carrabba's tiramisu was OK.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

From the food to the service to the atmosphere, Olive Garden won every category.

I preferred the entrée at Olive Garden to what I had at Carrabba's.Abigail Abesamis Demarest

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