How to Use an Olive Garden Gift Card

There is nothing quite like dining with family members. From the large gatherings packed with relatives you barely recall the names of to modest evenings gathered around the dining table with those you are closest to, sharing a meal with your family is a wonderful experience that reminds you to take a moment out of your day to show your appreciation for the people who matter the most.

When it comes to picking the perfect family restaurant, you certainly have enough options to dine somewhere new every single day of the month. While it can be fun to explore different places and try new food, sometimes you simply want to spend time at a restaurant chain that never lets you down. For those fond of fresh Italian cuisine in a cozy family-friendly setting, you need not look beyond an Olive Garden near you. And if you have an Olive Garden gift card on hand, you have even more reason to give the restaurant chain a visit and order delicious food that will leave your stomach full and heart content.

In this article, we are going to discuss how you can make use of your Olive Garden gift card and get the most out of your dining experience. After all, you should always look forward to eating out, especially when you can save yourself on dining costs by applying a gift card to your bill’s total.

Where Can I Use an Olive Garden Gift Card?

If you are the recipient of an Olive Garden gift card and aren’t sure where to spend your funds, say no more. Not only can you use your Olive Garden gift card at any Olive Garden location in the country to pay for your meal, but you can also use your gift card to pay for goods and services online at OliveGarden.com. You can place takeout orders at Olive Garden, order catering service, and pay for food ahead of time with the Olive Garden app, and your Olive Garden gift card will be able to cover the cost of it all (so long as you have enough funds).

While being able to use your Olive Garden gift card at restaurant locations for various goods and services likely does not come as a surprise to you, since that is how gift cards typically work, you may be unaware that you can also use your Olive Garden gift card at any other dining establishment within the Darden family. This means that an Olive Garden gift card can be used to purchase meals at LongHorn Steakhouse and vice versa.

The Olive Garden menu is packed with mouthwatering authentic Italian dishes in a range of distinct flavors, and your Olive Garden gift card gives you access to try them all!

Olive Garden Gift Card Information

We know that you’re dying to use your Olive Garden gift card on some delicious food, and that all this reading is just making you even more hungry, but we promise taking the time to get to know the ins and outs of your gift card pays off in the end and helps makes using your gift card a much more enjoyable experience for everyone. Take the time to read our answers to common questions regarding Olive Garden gift cards and you will become an expert in no time.

How to activate my Olive Garden gift card?

Some gift cards require extra activation steps after purchase before they can be used to pay for goods and services. Olive Garden gift cards bought at restaurant locations will be activated by the cashier and are ready for immediate use. If you are giving an Olive Garden gift card as a gift to someone you know, you can feel confident knowing that they will be able to use their gift card funds without going through any arduous activation or registration process. This can also be said of any Olive Garden gift cards purchased from large retailers such as Walmart or Target, both of which will activate your gift card upon checkout so that you can use it after leaving the store.

While gift card activation is not typically something you have to worry about when buying an Olive Garden gift card, there may be certain situations that call for manual activation on the gift card user’s part. For instance, gift card orders placed for pickup from Kroger are not activated due to security reasons, meaning you will have to complete at-home activation of your Olive Garden gift card once you receive it. Other retailers have similar processes for manual gift card activation. Ordering gift cards online from certain stores may also require at-home activation, but that is not always the case; sometimes gift cards will become activated once shipped and arrive at your address ready to use.

Gift card activation can be confusing when there are so many different methods of activation, but even those tedious extra steps are always done with your protection in mind. Have questions about buying a gift card from a specific retailer? Give them a call and get assistance from an employee who can provide you with the answers you need.

How to check my Olive Garden gift card balance?

It is important to keep track of your gift card balance so that you know what you can afford when dining out. If your gift card does not have enough funds to cover the cost of your bill, you will want to make sure you have another method of payment on hand to avoid being stuck in a problematic situation.

You can always access your Olive Garden gift card balance online by visiting this website and entering your 16-digit gift card number. If you have a gift card for any other Darden restaurant, such as Seasons 52 or Bahama Breeze, you may also check the status of your gift card’s balance here.

Already at Olive Garden and aren’t quite sure how much is on your gift card? Ask your server if they can complete a quick balance check for you before you receive your bill so you can determine how you would like to pay. For an automated balance inquiry over the phone, simply dial 877-500-9706 during a time that is convenient for you.

Other popular Olive Garden gift card questions we’ve answered

Q: Where can I redeem my Olive Garden gift card?

You can naturally use your Olive Garden gift card for purchases made at Olive Garden restaurants, alongside orders placed through their official website and app. In addition to Olive Garden establishments, an Olive Garden gift card may also be redeemed at any restaurant owned and operated by Darden.

The following locations where you can redeem Olive Garden gift cards are:

Olive Garden
LongHorn Steakhouse
Bahama Breeze
Seasons 52
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
The Capital Grille
Yard House
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Q: Do you need to activate an Olive Garden gift card?

An Olive Garden gift card that is purchased directly from the restaurant will be activated by the cashier during checkout, so you do not have to worry about activating your gift card at home before you can use it. This is a particularly nice feature when it comes to giving someone else an Olive Garden gift card, as they will be able to immediately make use of the funds without going through any extra steps.

You can also purchase Olive Garden gift cards from other major retailers and online shops. If you buy an Olive Garden gift card in-store, then the cashier handling your items will activate your gift card for you. Placing an online order or a pickup order may require different steps depending on the retailer you are ordering from. Some retailers cannot activate Olive Garden gift cards that have been purchased online for delivery or pickup, and you will instead receive an email confirmation with your gift card details and instructions on how to activate your gift card through the merchant’s website.

For examples, gift card orders placed through Kroger for pickup are not activated when you receive them and have no monetary value until you visit the merchant’s website and complete the activation process. Though this can be viewed as a drawback when it comes to purchasing gift cards through pickup, these measures are in place for security reasons and protect both you and the store from fraud.

This may not always be the case, as some online retailers that specialize in the sale of gift cards will ship your order straight to your house already activated and ready for use. It largely depends on where you buy your gift cards from and your method of purchase. If you are ever unsure about what to expect, it never hurts to give the retailer you plan on buying from a call to talk to someone who can guide you through their process.

Q: How do you use a gift card in-store?

There is no trick when it comes to using your Olive Garden gift card to pay for your meal when eating out at an Olive Garden location. Like any other payment method you are familiar with using, all you have to do is hand over your gift card to your server once they bring you your bill. They will take your Olive Garden gift card back with them to complete your transaction, and then they will return your gift card to you along with your receipt. If your gift card does not end up having enough funds to cover the entire cost of your meal, you will be asked to provide another payment method to cover the remaining balance. After everything goes through and you’re in the clear to leave, you may leave a tip for the server and be on your way. It’s that easy!

Q: Can you use Olive Garden gift cards for takeout?

Yes, you can absolutely use your Olive Garden gift card to pay for takeout orders. Since online ordering has become increasingly popular among consumers, Olive Garden makes it easy to pay ahead of time through their website or by app. Whichever way you decide to place your takeout order, you should be able to use your Olive Garden gift card as your preferred payment method. You will be required to enter your gift card details no matter which way you decide to place your order, so be sure to have your gift card information on hand to make the transaction go smoothly.

From refreshing and light salads to hearty pasta dishes, zesty soups, and buttery breadsticks, every menu item at Olive Garden will give you something to look forward to.

Purchase an Olive Garden Gift Card

If you think an Olive Garden gift card sounds right for you, then don’t wait and pick one up today!

You can buy an Olive Garden gift card at any location you happen to be dining at, or you can bypass the trip and purchase one at OliveGarden.com. Their website offers different methods of gift card purchasing to best fit your buying needs, including digital gift card options and physical gift cards sent via mail.

Olive Garden also offers large bulk orders for transactions that exceed $500, which are great for businesses who want to reward employees or clients with a delicious meal courtesy of them. If dinner and a movie is your idea of a perfect evening out, you can order the $50 dinner and movie combo pack from Olive Garden, which consists of a $25 Olive Garden gift card and a $25 Fandango gift card.

Buy an Olive Garden gift card from Gift Card Granny

Want to save when you buy an Olive Garden gift card? Place your gift card orders with Gift Card Granny and earn easy cash back, which you can then use to purchase even more amazing gift card options. You can send a digital Olive Garden gift card to anyone you know and they will receive it within a matter of moments. It is a fantastic gift idea for folks who you do not often see because of conflicting schedules or distance, and it definitely shows them how much you care.

Enjoy your next meal when you use an Olive Garden gift card today!