Fact Check: Is Olive Garden going out of business? Closing down stores claim explained 

Several advertisements on Facebook and other social media platforms have been claiming that the popular Italian restaurant, Olive Garden is going out of business and has decided to shut down. The ads started making their way on social media platforms in early November 2023, with “CLOSING” written on top of them, with the picture of the restaurant right below it.

While the text on one ad said “Closing Time,” and stated how the chains were closing permanently, the text on other ads stated:

“Say goodbye to the breadsticks forever?”

Fake news debunked as several Facebook ads claimed that the popular Italian restaurant is closing all its branches. (Image via Facebook/ @theinvestingpublication)

The ads stated how all the locations and branches of the popular restaurant are closing as they are going bankrupt. All of the advertisements lead to an article that has a list of several businesses that are allegedly shutting down in 2023. The article stated:

“Olive Garden has announced the closure of 45 locations nationwide, mainly due to a decline in customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these Olive Garden locations were smaller, older locations located in California, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida. All affected employees will receive transition assistance as part of their separation packages from Olive Garden.”

However, no such official claim was made by the restaurant or any of its employees. Furthermore, the same was reported by an unknown website. No other reliable or verified news or media outlet ever reported the shutting down of the restaurant. Hence, the news about Olive Garden’s permanent shutdown is fake and untrue.

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"I’m not sure where the original information came from but I can assure you it is false”: Olive Garden’s representative speaks out as fake news floats on the internet

As much as the internet is an excellent source of information, it often spreads fake news and makes one believe in it. Something similar happened when several sponsored posts started floating on social media, with claims about the popular Italian restaurant's closing.

As the news became viral, and many people started reacting to it, the restaurant brand’s representative spoke up and said:

"I’m not sure where the original information came from but I can assure you it is false."

Olive Garden has been a popular choice amongst Americans since 1982, with its headquarters in Orlando, Florida. The restaurant became so popular right after its opening that within 7 years, the owner was able to open 145 outlets of the restaurant, making it the fastest-growing brand in the restaurant division.

Furthermore, it went viral in 2023 as it gained a lot of popularity amongst Gen Z customers, who actively started posting about the restaurant’s food on social media. The restaurant chain is known for its pasta dishes, steaks, salads, etc. Its breadstick is a hot favorite amongst the masses, along with special soups and salads.

While the news about Olive Garden’s permanent closing is fake and holds no truth, it once again points out the importance of verifying the news before sharing it, as sharing fake news can make it viral, and misleading for many.

Hence, one should always cross-check the news, and if found fake, then reporting it would be the best option so that it stops from spreading further.