Which is cheaper, Olive Garden or Subway?

Subway is cheaper, averaging $5.57 per item versus $7.98 for Olive Garden — a 30% difference. Based on 132 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Olive Garden or Subway?

Subway has more menu items (83 vs 49). The total combined menu across both chains is 132 items.

Which has lower calories, Olive Garden or Subway?

Subway averages 586 calories per item, compared to 850 for Olive Garden. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Olive Garden and Subway similar?

Olive Garden (956 US locations) and Subway (16,177 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Olive Garden vs Subway (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 49 items at Olive Garden vs 83 items at Subway.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Olive Garden averages $7.98 per item across 49 menu items, while Subway averages $5.57 across 83 items. Subway is $2.41 cheaper per item (30% difference). Subway has lower average calories (586 vs 850 per item).

Quick Comparison

Olive Garden vs Subway: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Olive Garden	Subway	Winner
Avg Price	$7.98	$5.57	Subway
Menu Items	49	83	Subway
Avg Calories	850	586	Subway
US Locations	956	16,177	Subway
Secret Menu	0	3	Subway

Subway is 30% cheaper on average than Olive Garden ($2.41 less per item).

Cheapest Items

Olive Garden

Sundae $1.79

Italian Bottled Water $2.50

Iced Tea Fresh Brewed $2.69

Fountain Drinks $2.69

Fruit Juices $2.89

Subway

Chocolate Chip Cookie $0.59

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie $0.59

Double Chocolate Cookie $0.59

White Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie $0.59

Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookie $0.59

Lowest Calorie Options

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

Subway

1% Low Fat Milk 160 cal

Little Cheesesteak 180 cal

Cookie 200 cal

Fountain Drink (Medium) 200 cal

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie 200 cal

Deep Comparison: Olive Garden vs Subway

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Olive Garden delivers 1.69¢/cal on average, while Subway delivers 1.46¢/cal. Subway gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

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

What Fits in Your Budget

$10 budget: Olive Garden fits 0 items, Subway fits 0 items
$15 budget: Olive Garden fits 1 item (1480 cal), Subway fits 3 items (1380 cal)
$20 budget: Olive Garden fits 0 items, Subway fits 3 items (1520 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Olive Garden ranks #229 of 414 on price (pricier than 55% of tracked chains). Subway ranks #132 of 414 (cheaper than 68% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Olive Garden, 21% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Subway, 50% are under 500 calories. Subway offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Subway ($5.57 avg vs $7.98)
More variety: Subway (83 items)
More locations: Subway (16,177 US locations)
Best calorie value: Subway (1.46¢/cal)

Full Menus

Olive Garden Menu Subway Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide