Olive Garden introduced its new Breadstick Bun Sandwiches on Monday, but customers won’t have to visit a restaurant to get one, at least for the next seven weeks.
The Orlando, Fla.-based casual-dining chain kicked off the debut of its much-anticipated breadstick line extension on Monday with the launch of a seven-week food truck tour of the country.
Breadstick Bun Sandwiches are part of several new menu items at Olive Garden, as the chain works to return to its Italian roots.
The sandwiches come in two varieties: Italian Meatball, priced at $6.99, and Chicken Parmigiana, priced at $7.99. Each sandwich comes with garlic Parmesan fries, unlimited breadsticks and a choice of soup or salad.
More new menu items available beginning Monday include a Shrimp Fresco Appetizer, Sausage Stuffed Giant Rigatoni and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Fresh Blueberries. Customers will also be able to add grilled chicken to their salads. The chain has also introduced a Tuscan Duo Create Your Own Lunch Combination, with a choice of soup or salad, plus a variety of lunch options, including the breadstick sandwiches, flatbreads or a new Italian Mac & Cheese Mini Pasta Bowl.
Additionally, Olive Garden has debuted a new 2 for $25 Tuscan Dinner, a three-course meal for two starting at $25.
The new menu comes as Olive Garden works to rebuild sales momentum after years of weakness. Improvement at Olive Garden would also be key to revitalizing its parent company, Darden Restaurants Inc., which has a new board of directors and a new management team led by CEO Gene Lee. The 800-unit Olive Garden chain is Darden’s flagship concept.
Olive Garden’s unlimited breadsticks became a focal point in the proxy fight led by the activist investor Starboard Value LP, whose slate won all 12 seats on Darden’s board of directors in October 2014. Starboard argued that the chain was too liberal in its distribution of breadsticks, and that it should give tables a single breadstick per person, plus one additional stick, at the beginning of a meal, and afterwards only upon request.
“It might surprise people, but I actually like the breadsticks,” Starboard Value CEO and Darden chairman Jeff Smith told Wall Street Week last month.
Olive Garden’s food truck tour promoting the sandwiches can be tracked on the website BreadstickNation.com, and is the centerpiece of a social media and online marketing campaign. The tour began Monday with a single food truck in New York City, and will be joined by additional trucks visiting 20 cities across the country.
The truck will give away free samples of the sandwiches, which have buns inspired by Olive Garden’s popular breadsticks.
“We’re always looking for new ways to reach and engage our most loyal fans,” said Jose Duenas, executive vice president of marketing at Olive Garden. “Not only are we giving guests more ways to enjoy our most iconic menu item, we’re making it easy for our guests to try our new Signature Breadstick Bun Sandwiches.”
The company is also giving its customers a chance to win free lunch for a year by sharing their love of breadsticks. Later this month, customers will be able to submit their own breadstick innovations and vote on favorite menu ideas. The company will also tell customers the food truck’s next destination via social media.
Contact Jonathan Maze at [email protected].
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