The home of never-ending soup and salad is aiming to attract more millennial customers with tapas.
Olive Garden wants to bring in more millennial customers, said Tara Gray, a media relations worker for the restaurant. This is a change of pace for the mega-chain, which usually caters to diners looking for large portions at low prices.
“During our tests, we’ve seen millennial guests enjoying a combination of small plates as a new meal occasion between lunch and dinner,” she wrote in an email. “We’ve also seen families ordering a variety of small plates with dinner as a way to explore and share new tastes together.”
Some of the new dishes include parmesan-roasted asparagus, crispy risotto bites and grilled chicken spiedini. Prices for each are about $4, Gray said. Three more dishes will debut in December.
“We believe ‘Tastes of Italy’ small plates will create new dining occasions and reach new guests,” Gray said.
UF student Nick Gomez, a 19-year-old mechanical engineering sophomore, said he’s excited about the idea because it works with his busy schedule.
“I know I don’t really eat three big meals a day anymore,” he said. “I like to space it out with little meals along the day because I’m on the go.”
Gomez said although he and his friends don’t particularly enjoy Olive Garden, the idea of new menu offerings could be enough to reel him in.
“As long as they keep their old stuff along with the new stuff, they could definitely get more customers,” he added. “Especially because it’s cheaper, which college kids love.”
A version of this story ran on page 9 on 9/17/2013 under the headline "Olive Garden tailoring menu for millenials"
