If You're On A Budget, These 8 Italian Chain Restaurants Are For You

Italian restaurants are some of the most popular eateries across America. The industry was set to hit $112 billion in revenue growth in 2025, per NAICS, with restaurants like Olive Garden leading the way. That kind of growth might be surprising as inflation drives up food prices, but for many customers, dining out just means finding the best value for something tasty.

And value doesn't just mean getting the most food for the lowest price, although that is part of it. Instead, many customers are looking for a better overall experience, not just discounts. Better dining experiences often include having more ways to order, like in-store kiosks or phone apps, better food quality, loyalty programs, and take-out or delivery options.

If you're a fan of pasta, one of Italy's most iconic exports, these Italian chain restaurants can satisfy a growling belly without emptying your wallet. And the next time you want to try one of these classic Italian dishes, check out this list of 100 Italian words and phrases before you go. It can help you find what you'll like on the menu, while avoiding these common ordering mistakes. Prices may vary based on your location.

Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1969, The Old Spaghetti Factory has locations in a dozen different states. The business is known for serving affordable three-course meals, with smaller portions available for senior citizens and simple selections for kids. Many of the chain's dishes come with mizithra, a salty Greek cheese that can be difficult to find.  Luckily, the restaurant sells the cheese on its website for fans. The chain also has several rewards programs for customers of all ages. Children can earn free meals by reading books in the Pages for Pasta initiative, while adults can collect Trolley Tickets for complimentary dishes and drinks.

If you'd like to try The Old Spaghetti Factory, you might choose to enjoy your meal in a refurbished trolley car that many locations have in the main dining area. Classic pastas range from around $17 to $21, while ravioli dishes cost between $20 and $24. The restaurant's three-course meals include an appetizer, entrée, and dessert, along with hot bread, a salad, or minestrone soup.

While Olive Garden might not be the most faithful Italian food out there, it's still a massively popular chain. And not just because the company's New York City Times Square location is three-stories tall and over 20,000 square feet. The business has almost 900 restaurants throughout the world and works with local community food banks across the country. It offers online ordering for regular meals or catering, and even has the option to join the waitlist for your local Olive Garden on its website, making getting a table that much easier.

The chain is famous for its endless soup, salad, and breadsticks. But the chain's value doesn't stop there. It has an e-club that customers can join to receive discounts and exclusive offers. The restaurant also sells family-style meals that feed between four and six people for between $44 and $68. There's also a buy-one-take-one option, where the guest eats one entrée in the establishment and gets another chilled one to take home, with options ranging from $15 to $22.

Founded in 1986, Carrabba's Italian Grill is an Italian chain that owes its existence to Sicilian immigrants who made their way to the coast of Texas in the 1890s. Each location has a wood-burning grill and participates in the company's Dine Rewards program. Signing up online gets customers a free appetizer and access to special deals.

In addition to rotating seasonal selections, Carrabba's Italian Grill offers family meal bundles and a tasting menu for two. If you dine at the restaurant, there's also the option of bringing home an extra entrée for $10. Customers using the mobile app get exclusive offers, and lunch specials include sandwich combos and trios of a soup, salad, and beverage. The restaurant's pasta selections range from $16 for spaghetti to $30 for the filet and shrimp Toscana. If you're more in the mood for steak, dishes like the Tuscan-grilled sirloin come in 7-ounce and 10-ounce options for $24 and $28, respectively.

Maggiano's Little Italy is one of those unique restaurants that was a success from the very beginning. Begun in Chicago in 1991, the business quickly expanded and became known for its generous portions and family-style dining atmosphere. Large portions are shared around the table, giving everyone a chance to try new dishes. The restaurant also offers delivery through DoorDash and has a carryout menu you can order from online. Those who take part in the eClub get exclusive deals through email and a free appetizer for joining.

Maggiano's Little Italy offers a family-style meal for parties of four or more and a wide variety of dishes for solo diners or couples. Marco's meal for two includes an appetizer or two side salads, two pasta dishes, and a dessert for $59. Pastas here range from $21 for spaghetti to $28.50 for jumbo stuffed shells or shrimp fettuccine Alfredo. Dishes like chicken Parmesan and chicken Marsala cost around $26 and $27, respectively.

Brio Italian Grille restaurants cook in a wood-fired oven to give meals an authentic taste. The chain decorates each location in the style of a Roman ruin, providing guests with an ancient Tuscany aesthetic of marble countertops and large mosaics. If you wouldn't care to dine in, the chain offers curbside delivery and online ordering. Some locations will even bring the meal directly to your home.

Brio restaurants offer weekend brunches and weekday happy hours, with food specials and cocktails. No matter what day of the week it is, customers can enjoy traditional pastas, such as ravioli, lasagna, and spaghetti, for prices ranging from $19 to $22. Different Alfredo dishes range from $19 to $25, while the lobster and shrimp fettuccine costs $38. It comes with Maine lobster, shrimp, and roasted tomatoes in a cream sauce. If you want to finish the meal with an Italian treat, the tiramisu is $11.

Giordano's has more than 60 locations across the country and is well-known for its stuffed deep-dish pizzas. But that's not all it offers. Chicago tavern-style and traditional thin-crust pies are available, too, as well as sandwiches and classic pasta dishes. The chain has a meal deal for four people, costing $55 for a two-topping pizza or a family-size entrée, a large salad, and four cookies.

Customers who join Club Gio receive special promotions and earn points toward food items with each order. Those using the app also get exclusive offers. There's a daily lunch special until 3 p.m. for $11, which includes a personal pizza and a side of garlic fries, a salad, or a cup of soup. Classic Italian dishes come in entrée or family-size portions, starting at $13 for a spaghetti entrée and continuing to $38 for a family platter of chicken and broccoli fettuccine Alfredo. Of course, if you aren't able to make it into a Giordano's location, you can have a frozen pizza sent straight to your doorstep, courtesy of dry ice and FedEx.

California Pizza Kitchen, or CPK for short, began in Beverly Hills in 1985 by selling the first barbecue chicken pizza. In the decades since, the brand has gone global, with nearly 200 locations across 11 countries. The brand offers online ordering, curbside delivery, and pickup, with select locations partnering with drivers for home delivery, too. There's also the option of joining the waitlist for your local restaurant to avoid long lines.

The company has a rewards club that gives members a starter when they register and a free dessert on their birthdays. If you want to bake your own CPK pie at home, there's a take-and-bake option that lets you have the pizza hot and fresh whenever you like. Main plates and pastas range from $16.50 for mac and cheese to $27 for the braised short rib ragu. For those wanting lighter fare, the chain offers a Smart Swap menu with items like a cauliflower steak piccata for $22.50 or cedar plank salmon for $26.50.

Another Chicago-based chain, Uno Pizzeria & Grill, has been serving up Italian favorites since the early 1940s. Uno's invented the deep-dish pizza and takes that legacy seriously. Each of the brand's 100 locations makes the pizza dough fresh daily. The company's Uno Extras rewards program lets customers earn points toward free items, and each person who signs up receives an individual-sized pizza. You can order through the app or online.

There are a variety of lunch specials ranging from $10 to $11.50, and meal deals for two to six people cost between $30 and $55. Pasta dishes like shrimp scampi and Romano-crusted chicken Parmesan are $22 and $19, respectively. The deep-dish pizzas come in three sizes — 7-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch– and include classic, farmer's market, steak and cheese, and more. The chain also offers steak and seafood options, with a lemon basil salmon entrée costing $23 and a 10-ounce grilled ribeye for $26.