Which is cheaper, Jimmy John's or Olive Garden?

Olive Garden is cheaper, averaging $7.98 per item versus $8.55 for Jimmy John's — a 7% difference. Based on 91 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Jimmy John's or Olive Garden?

Olive Garden has more menu items (49 vs 42). The total combined menu across both chains is 91 items.

Which has lower calories, Jimmy John's or Olive Garden?

Olive Garden averages 850 calories per item, compared to 996 for Jimmy John's. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Jimmy John's and Olive Garden similar?

Jimmy John's (2,550 US locations) and Olive Garden (956 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Jimmy John's vs Olive Garden (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 42 items at Jimmy John's vs 49 items at Olive Garden.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Jimmy John's averages $8.55 per item across 42 menu items, while Olive Garden averages $7.98 across 49 items. Olive Garden is $0.58 cheaper per item (7% difference). Olive Garden has lower average calories (850 vs 996 per item).

Quick Comparison

Jimmy John's vs Olive Garden: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Jimmy John's	Olive Garden	Winner
Avg Price	$8.55	$7.98	Olive Garden
Menu Items	42	49	Olive Garden
Avg Calories	996	850	Olive Garden
US Locations	2,550	956	Jimmy John's
Secret Menu	1	0	Jimmy John's

Olive Garden is 7% cheaper on average than Jimmy John's ($0.58 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Jimmy John's

Pickle $0.89

Real Potato Chips $1.39

Jumbo Kosher Dill Pickle $1.39

Soft Drink $1.49

Dasani® Water $1.49

Olive Garden

Sundae $1.79

Italian Bottled Water $2.50

Iced Tea Fresh Brewed $2.69

Fountain Drinks $2.69

Fruit Juices $2.89

Lowest Calorie Options

Jimmy John's

Jimmy Chips 140 cal

Cookie 410 cal

Chocolate Chunk Cookie 410 cal

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Tray 410 cal

#4 Turkey Tom 510 cal

Olive Garden

Minestrone 110 cal

Famous House Salad To Go 150 cal

Pasta e fagioli 150 cal

Zuppa Toscana 220 cal

Chicken And Gnocchi 230 cal

Deep Comparison: Jimmy John's vs Olive Garden

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Jimmy John's delivers 1.52¢/cal on average, while Olive Garden delivers 1.69¢/cal. Jimmy John's gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Jimmy John's and Olive Garden share 0 menu categories (0% Jaccard overlap). Low overlap — these chains serve mostly different food categories.

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Jimmy John's fits 0 items, Olive Garden fits 0 items
$15 budget: Jimmy John's fits 0 items, Olive Garden fits 1 item (1480 cal)
$20 budget: Jimmy John's fits 3 items (820 cal), Olive Garden fits 0 items

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Jimmy John's ranks #253 of 414 on price (pricier than 61% of tracked chains). Olive Garden ranks #229 of 414 (pricier than 55% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Jimmy John's, 20% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Olive Garden, 21% are under 500 calories. Olive Garden offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Olive Garden ($7.98 avg vs $8.55)
More variety: Olive Garden (49 items)
More locations: Jimmy John's (2,550 US locations)
Best calorie value: Jimmy John's (1.52¢/cal)

Full Menus

Jimmy John's Menu Olive Garden Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide