Olive Garden India Launch Planned With 10+ Outlets
Olive Garden India will launch through Gourmet Investments, with plans to open more than 10 outlets across major cities over the next three years.
nishathapa 
New Delhi, May 2026: India’s casual dining war is heating up again, and this time, a heavyweight global chain is stepping in. Gourmet Investments is bringing Olive Garden to India, with a plan to open more than 10 outlets over the next three years.
This isn’t a soft entry. It’s a calculated push into a premium dining segment that’s already getting crowded, and expensive to win.
Over 10 Olive Garden outlets planned in initial phase
Gourmet Investments will roll out over 10 Olive Garden restaurants across India in the next three years. The first phase will stick to metro cities. That’s where the money and the repeat diners are. More locations will follow once the brand finds its footing. This is part of a bigger play. The company is stacking up international brands to deepen its grip on India’s organised dining market. Olive Garden, founded in 1982 and owned by Darden Restaurants, runs nearly 1,000 outlets across 12 countries. It’s not a niche brand. It’s scale.
Positioned in premium casual dining segment
The brand will sit in the premium casual dining space in India. That means higher ticket sizes, but still accessible for urban diners. The focus is clear: international food, comfortable setting, and a familiar global name. But the menu won’t be copy-paste. The company plans to tweak it for India, especially by adding more vegetarian options. Because that’s where the demand is. Global brands that ignore this usually don’t last.
Part of broader portfolio expansion strategy
Gourmet Investments is part of Bharti Enterprises and already runs a mix of international brands in India. Its portfolio includes PizzaExpress and Chilis, along with Ministry of Crab and Thai Naam. Adding Olive Garden fills a gap. It brings in a strong Italian-American format, something that still pulls crowds in metros. And it spreads risk across cuisines and formats.
Target to scale portfolio to 100–125 outlets
The company isn’t thinking small. It wants to scale its total portfolio to 100–125 outlets in the next three years. Right now, it’s at around 55. That’s a sharp jump, and it needs speed. Growth will come from both existing brands and new launches like Olive Garden. Earlier in 2026, it expanded its PizzaExpress presence with a new outlet in Jaipur. It already runs about 35 PizzaExpress outlets across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. That’s the base it’s building on.
India’s premium dining market attracts global brands
Olive Garden’s entry says one thing clearly, India’s premium dining space is still wide open. Urban incomes are rising. People are eating out more. And they’re willing to pay for branded experiences. Global chains are watching this closely. And moving in fast. But competition is brutal. Between international brands and aggressive local players, every new entrant has to fight for attention, and repeat customers. Gourmet Investments is betting that scale, brand recall, and local tweaks will give it an edge. The next three years will decide if that bet holds.
