The Chain Famous for Unlimited Breadsticks Was Born Here in Minnesota

It’s one of the most popular chain restaurants in America, but most diners don't know the local connection: Olive Garden was created in Minnesota.

The empire of unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks wasn't founded by an Italian nonna. It was built from the ground up by a team of people, inspired by grocery store spaghetti sauce, at General Mills in Minneapolis.

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The Rise of Italian Food in America

Today, Italian food is the top global cuisine in America, ranking ahead of Mexican and Chinese food in a national survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association.

But rewind 60 years, and Italian restaurants were practically nonexistent outside of major cities. The average American simply wasn't exposed to quality marinara or pasta dishes.

That changed with the arrival of iconic products like Campbell's SpaghettiOs and Prego sauce, according to the History Channel docuseries The Food That Built America.

These grocery store staples were very popular from the start, and while they aren't authentic, they did get people excited about Italian food.

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General Mills Cashes In With The Olive Garden

Execs at General Mills in Minneapolis had already found success with Red Lobster when they noticed America’s growing appetite for Italian food.

They decided the best way to seize the opportunity was with another national restaurant chain, but there weren’t any major Italian brands to acquire, so the Minnesota-based company chose to build one from scratch.

After a ton of research at their Minnesota-based headquarters, the team settled on Orlando, Florida, as the test market, knowing its steady flow of tourists would provide invaluable national feedback.

The Name Wasn't Originally Olive Garden

The restaurant was originally going to be called The Olive Tree, but that name was already taken. An audible was called, and The Olive Garden opened its doors on December 13, 1982.

The rest is history. Born in Minnesota, the concept quickly grew into a national powerhouse. Americans couldn't (and still can't) get enough of Olive Garden’s “Italian” dishes, but what really made the restaurant chain a hit was its introduction of unlimited options, something no one else was offering at the time.

In 1995, General Mills got out of the restaurant business by spinning off Olive Garden into a new company called Darden Restaurants Inc.