Olive Garden Hours 2026: What Time Does Olive Garden Open and Close?
The vast majority of Olive Garden restaurants, over 95 percent of all locations, follow the same hours of operation: open 7 days a week starting at 11 AM. That is the straightforward answer for most days of the year. The exceptions are two specific days when every location closes nationwide and a handful of holidays where hours get reduced or extended depending on local management decisions.
This guide covers the complete Olive Garden hours schedule for 2026, standard weekday and weekend times, lunch hours, dinner hours, every major holiday, happy hour, and the fastest ways to confirm hours at your nearest location before you make the drive.
Olive Garden Hours Today - Standard Weekly Schedule
Olive Garden operates on a consistent weekly schedule across more than 900 locations in the United States. Every restaurant opens at 11:00 AM, seven days a week. Closing time is 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday.
Day
Opens
Closes
Monday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM
11:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM
11:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM
10:00 PM
What Time Does Olive Garden Open?
Most Olive Garden locations open at 11:00 AM every day of the week, including weekends. Some locations may open at 10:00 AM.
11:00 AM is the number to plan around for virtually every standard Olive Garden location in the country. The restaurant opens simultaneously for both lunch and dinner service, there is no separate lunch opening with a gap before dinner begins. From 11:00 AM the full breadstick, soup, and salad experience is available alongside the complete lunch menu.
Visit between 2 PM and 4:30 PM on weekdays for the shortest wait. The lunch rush from noon to 1:30 PM and the early dinner rush starting around 5:30 PM are the two peak windows at most locations. The 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM window is genuinely the quietest period of the day, lunch has cleared out and dinner has not started. Tables are available immediately, service is unhurried, and the full lunch menu is available until 3:00 PM during this window.
Olive Garden Lunch Hours
The lunch menu at Olive Garden is available Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with some locations extending it to 4:00 PM on weekends.
The lunch menu and lunch pricing are not the same as the dinner menu. No, Olive Garden lunch hours and the reduced lunch pricing run from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Friday only.
Arriving at 2:55 PM and expecting to order from the lunch menu works, you will be served. Arriving at 3:05 PM means the kitchen has switched over to the dinner menu and lunch-sized portions at lunch prices are no longer available. The transition happens at 3:00 PM regardless of when you sat down.
For the full breakdown of everything available during lunch hours including every lunch item with prices and calories visit our Olive Garden Lunch Menu page.
Olive Garden Dinner Hours
Dinner at Olive Garden begins at 3:00 PM when the lunch service ends and runs until closing, 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. If you plan to dine in during the final hour of service, arrive at least 30 minutes before the posted closing time to guarantee a full menu experience.
Unlike the lunch menu which has a strict 3:00 PM cutoff, the dinner menu has no equivalent upper cutoff beyond the restaurant’s closing time. Every item on the dinner menu is available from 3:00 PM through to closing without any menu reduction or service restriction as you approach closing.
The busiest dinner window at most locations is 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on weeknights and 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM on Friday and Saturday. Reservations can be made through the Olive Garden app or website and are particularly useful for groups of six or more during peak dinner hours.
For the complete dinner menu with prices and calorie counts visit our Olive Garden Dinner Menu page.
Olive Garden Happy Hour Time
Olive Garden’s happy hour typically runs Monday through Friday from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at participating locations. This window coincides with the beginning of dinner service and covers discounted cocktails, wines, and select appetizers for early dinner visitors.
Happy hour is not available at every location and the specific offerings vary by restaurant. Italian Margaritas, house wines by the glass, and the signature bar cocktails are typically included at reduced prices during the happy hour window. Some locations extend happy hour to bar seating only rather than applying it to the full dining room.
Check the Olive Garden app for your specific location’s happy hour availability. The app reflects real-time promotions at each restaurant and is more reliable than calling ahead since happy hour timing can shift seasonally.
Is Olive Garden Open on Christmas?
Is Olive Garden Open on Christmas?Olive Garden is closed on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026. All services including dine-in, to go, and online ordering are unavailable.
Christmas Day is one of only two days per year when every Olive Garden in the country closes completely. There are no exceptions at standard locations. Some non-traditional Olive Garden locations in airports or entertainment complexes may operate differently but standard restaurant and mall locations are universally closed on December 25.
Christmas Eve hours:
Most Olive Garden locations close by 8:00 PM on Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, 2026. Some locations close as early as 5:00 PM.
On Christmas Eve, most locations operate with reduced hours, typically closing around 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Always call your nearest location directly to confirm before making the trip.
Christmas Eve is typically the highest-volume day of the holiday period for Olive Garden, many families specifically choose it for a pre-Christmas dinner out before the holiday. Reservations on Christmas Eve fill quickly at most locations. If you are planning a Christmas Eve dinner at Olive Garden, booking a week in advance and arriving by 5:00 PM gives you the most comfortable experience before reduced hours kick in.
Is Olive Garden Open on Sundays?
Yes, Olive Garden is open every Sunday. Standard Sunday hours are 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, though some locations may close slightly earlier or later.
Sunday is one of the most popular dining days at Olive Garden – family dinners, post-church groups, and weekend gatherings all converge on Sunday afternoon and evening at most locations. The Sunday peak is typically 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM for lunch and 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM for dinner.
The full dinner menu is available on Sunday from 11:00 AM through to closing at 10:00 PM. The lunch menu is available 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM for customers who want to take advantage of the reduced lunch pricing on weekend visits.
Olive Garden New Year's Eve and New Year's Day Hours
New Year’s Eve:
Olive Garden is open on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31, 2026, with reduced hours. Most locations close by 9:00 PM.
New Year’s Eve falls in the middle of the week in 2026 which means reduced hours are more likely than in years when it falls on a Friday or Saturday. The 9:00 PM closing time at most locations means dinner service needs to begin by 7:00 PM at the latest for a complete meal experience before closing.
New Year’s Day:
Most locations are open on January 1 but hours can vary. New Year’s Day typically operates on regular hours at most locations, 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Some locations that stayed open late on New Year’s Eve may open slightly later on January 1 to accommodate staffing after the previous night but this varies by restaurant.
Olive Garden Hours Near Me - How to Check
The Olive Garden website has a locator tool where you can search for nearby locations and view their hours of operation. The Olive Garden mobile app allows you to check business hours, order takeout or delivery, and review menus.
Three reliable methods for checking Olive Garden hours at your specific location:
Olive Garden App (Most Reliable):
The app shows real-time hours for your nearest location pulled directly from each restaurant’s operating schedule. It also shows any temporary hour changes, holiday adjustments, and current promotions. The app is the most reliable source because it reflects actual current hours rather than standard corporate hours that individual franchises sometimes vary from.
Google Maps:
Open Google Maps on your phone or desktop, search for Olive Garden near me, select the nearest location, and view opening and closing hours under business details. Google Maps hours are generally accurate but may lag behind temporary changes by a day or two. For standard weekday hours Google Maps is reliable. For holiday hours the app or a direct call is more dependable.
Call the Location Directly:
You can call your local Olive Garden as their staff should be friendly and have recently updated hours. The most reliable method for holiday hours, reduced hour events, or any situation where you need absolute certainty before making the trip.
Olive Garden Hours - Location Variations
Actual Olive Garden hours can vary slightly due to franchise versus corporate ownership, regional regulations, and seasonal demand.
The types of locations most likely to vary from standard hours:
Mall-based locations: Follow the mall’s operating hours which may open earlier or close earlier than a standalone restaurant. During holiday shopping seasons mall Olive Gardens may have extended hours. During quiet periods they may reduce hours alongside the rest of the mall.
Airport locations: Extremely variable. Airport food court Olive Garden locations sometimes operate on airport traffic schedules rather than standard restaurant hours. Some airport locations open before 11:00 AM for early departure crowds.
High-traffic tourist areas: Locations in resort areas, near major attractions, or in tourist-heavy cities sometimes extend hours beyond 11:00 PM on weekends during peak tourist season.
Low-traffic suburban locations: May close slightly earlier than the standard 10:00 PM on weeknights if customer traffic does not justify full staffing through closing time.
Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam, and other territories may have modified hours.
FAQs
What time does Olive Garden open?
Most Olive Garden locations open at 11:00 AM every day of the week, including weekends. Some locations may open at 10:00 AM.
What time does Olive Garden close?
Olive Garden’s closing time is typically 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday and Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, most locations stay open until 11:00 PM.
Is Olive Garden open on Sundays?
Yes, Olive Garden is open every Sunday. Standard Sunday hours are 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, though some locations may close slightly earlier or later.
What are Olive Garden lunch hours?
The lunch menu is available Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Lunch pricing and lunch-sized portions are not available outside these hours.
Is Olive Garden open on Thanksgiving?
No, Olive Garden is closed on Thanksgiving Day. However, they are open on Thanksgiving Eve with regular hours.
Is Olive Garden open on Christmas?
No. Olive Garden is closed on Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026. All services including dine-in, to go, and online ordering are unavailable.
How do I find Olive Garden hours near me?
The Olive Garden mobile app allows you to check business hours, order takeout or delivery, and review menus. The Olive Garden website has a locator tool where you can search for nearby locations and view their hours of operation.
Final Thoughts
Olive Garden hours are consistent enough that you can plan around them without much thought most of the year. Olive Garden keeps consistent and reliable hours at most U.S. locations, open at 11:00 AM daily and closing between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM depending on the day. The only times to double-check are major holidays, especially Christmas Day and Thanksgiving, where hours vary the most from location to location.
The two days that matter are Thanksgiving and Christmas, both are closed nationwide with no exceptions at standard locations. Every other holiday operates on regular or slightly reduced hours depending on the restaurant. For those days the Olive Garden app is the most reliable way to confirm your nearest location’s schedule before you make the trip.
For the complete Olive Garden dining experience including the full menu, prices, and catering options visit our Olive Garden Menu with Prices homepage.
Important Notice:
OliveGarden-MenuPrices.com is an independent informational website. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with Olive Garden® or Darden Restaurants, Inc. If you need assistance with restaurant reservations, online ordering, gift cards, customer support, or any official services, please contact Olive Garden through its official website.
Website link: https://olivegarden.com/