Survey Says This Is America’s Favorite Casual Restaurant, Except Among Gen Z

Americans can turn almost anything into a generational argument, including where to eat dinner. Yet one familiar chain has managed something unusual: millennials, Gen X and older diners all put it on top. The restaurant has been around since the early 1980s, built an identity around Italian-American comfort food and made unlimited breadsticks practically part of its personality. But Gen Z looked at the same casual-dining landscape and chose something else.

Yes, It’s Olive Garden

Olive Garden was the most-considered casual-dining brand among millennials ages 30 to 44, Gen Xers ages 45 to 64 and adults 65 and older in YouGov’s annual U.S. restaurant brand rankings. The survey covered more than 750 Gen Z adults, 2,300 millennials, 5,900 Gen Xers and 7,500 older adults between March 2025 and February 2026. Across age groups combined, Olive Garden also finished first overall.

This Isn’t Just About Breadsticks

Unlimited breadsticks are an obvious part of Olive Garden’s appeal, but the survey suggests diners see more than a glorious bottomless carb basket. Olive Garden ranked first for service, value and overall dining experience. Food quality was the notable exception, with Texas Roadhouse and The Cheesecake Factory finishing ahead of it in that category. In other words, America’s favorite is not necessarily the restaurant people think serves the very best food. That distinction gets interesting.

The Real Product May Be Predictability

You know roughly what happens when you walk into an Olive Garden. The menu is familiar, portions are generous and a family with different appetites can probably negotiate dinner without starting a small war. Morning Consult found Olive Garden particularly associated with family outings, not wanting to cook and generous portions. Its report put the feeling more simply: “More people think of Olive Garden — and feel good about it — than any competitor.”

For Older Diners, That Familiarity Can Run Deep

There may also be nostalgia baked into the lasagna. Olive Garden opened in 1982, when many boomers were younger adults and Gen Xers were growing up. Online discussions offer a more personal explanation for why familiar chains can remain appealing. One Reddit commenter recalled that as his father’s eyesight declined, “he liked chains because he knew something he could order without having to read the menu.” It is only one family’s experience, but it captures how predictability can become genuinely useful.

Olive Garden Had Plenty of Competition

This was hardly a runaway contest with nobody else at the table. Among adults 65 and older, 33.8% said they would consider Olive Garden, followed by Texas Roadhouse at 28.2%, Applebee’s at 24.7%, Cracker Barrel at 24% and Outback Steakhouse at 22.1%. Texas Roadhouse also placed second overall across generations. Plenty of America still wants steak, ribs and loaded potatoes. Olive Garden simply managed to appeal across more age brackets.

Then Gen Z Broke the Pattern

Here comes the generational plot twist. Among respondents ages 18 to 29, Chili’s took first place with 29.6%, while Olive Garden landed remarkably close behind at 28.7%. Gen Z’s top five also looked different: Chili’s, Olive Garden, Wingstop, Texas Roadhouse and The Cheesecake Factory. Wingstop did not even crack the overall top 10, yet younger diners pushed it to third place within their generation.

Chili’s Has Been Fighting for Younger Attention

That Gen Z result matters because casual dining is competing for customers who have endless takeout, delivery and fast-food options. Chili’s managed to edge out the chain that dominated every older age bracket, while Olive Garden remained a very close second. The difference was less than one percentage point. So this is not evidence that young adults suddenly dislike Olive Garden. It shows just how tight the fight for their dinner money has become.

Not Everyone Is Buying the Chain-Restaurant Love

Mention Olive Garden online and somebody will inevitably tell you about the fantastic independent Italian restaurant down the street. Comments beneath the USA Today report were no exception. One reader wrote, “I’d rather support a small, local eatery,” while another reacted, “Really, Olive Garden?!” Those comments are anecdotes, not survey data, but they expose the divide behind chain dining: familiarity and consistency are selling points to some diners and precisely what others want to escape.

Gen Z May Be the Group Worth Watching

Restaurant loyalty is increasingly being tested by consumers watching what they spend. National Restaurant Association chief economist Chad Moutray says “quality, hospitality and the overall dining experience” matter as customers become more selective with their money. For now, Olive Garden has achieved something competitors would love: broad appeal spanning several generations. But Chili’s narrow Gen Z victory raises the more interesting question for future rankings: as today’s youngest adults age, will their tastes move toward the old favorite, or will the casual-dining pecking order move with them?