Which is cheaper, Olive Garden or Panda Express?

Olive Garden ($7.98 avg) and Panda Express ($7.73 avg) have similar pricing — within 3% of each other. Based on 60 menu items as of April 2026.

Which has more menu items, Olive Garden or Panda Express?

Olive Garden has more menu items (49 vs 11). The total combined menu across both chains is 60 items.

Which has lower calories, Olive Garden or Panda Express?

Panda Express averages 479 calories per item, compared to 850 for Olive Garden. Both chains offer items under 500 calories.

Are Olive Garden and Panda Express similar?

Olive Garden (956 US locations) and Panda Express (2,500 US locations) compete on 0 similar menu categories. Cuisine overlap: 0%.

Olive Garden vs Panda Express (2026)

Side-by-side comparison of menu prices, calories, and value. 49 items at Olive Garden vs 11 items at Panda Express.

Quick answer: As of April 2026, Olive Garden averages $7.98 per item across 49 menu items, while Panda Express averages $7.73 across 11 items. Prices are within 3% — neither chain is meaningfully cheaper. Panda Express has lower average calories (479 vs 850 per item).

Quick Comparison

Olive Garden vs Panda Express: Quick Price & Menu Comparison
Metric	Olive Garden	Panda Express	Winner
Avg Price	$7.98	$7.73	Tie
Menu Items	49	11	Olive Garden
Avg Calories	850	479	Panda Express
US Locations	956	2,500	Panda Express
Secret Menu	0	1	Panda Express

Olive Garden and Panda Express have similar average prices.

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

Panda Express

Honey Walnut Shrimp $1.50

Bowl (1 entree + 1 side) $8.30

Plate (2 entrees + 1 side) $9.80

Bigger Plate (3 entrees + 1 side) $11.30

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

Panda Express

Broccoli Beef 150 cal

Kung Pao Chicken 290 cal

Honey Walnut Shrimp 360 cal

White Steamed Rice 380 cal

Beijing Beef 470 cal

Deep Comparison: Olive Garden vs Panda Express

Calorie Value (cents per calorie)

Olive Garden delivers 1.69¢/cal on average, while Panda Express delivers 1.18¢/cal. Panda Express gives more calories per dollar — a key metric for value-per-meal seekers.

Menu Category Overlap

Olive Garden and Panda Express 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, Panda Express fits 0 items
$15 budget: Olive Garden fits 1 item (1480 cal), Panda Express fits 1 item (360 cal)
$20 budget: Olive Garden fits 0 items, Panda Express fits 2 items (860 cal)

Where They Rank in Our 414-Chain Dataset

Olive Garden ranks #229 of 414 on price (pricier than 55% of tracked chains). Panda Express ranks #218 of 414 (pricier than 52% of chains).

Calorie Distribution (items under 500 cal)

At Olive Garden, 21% of menu items with calorie data come in under 500 calories. At Panda Express, 55% are under 500 calories. Panda Express offers more lower-calorie options proportionally.

Bottom Line

Budget pick: Panda Express ($7.73 avg vs $7.98)
More variety: Olive Garden (49 items)
More locations: Panda Express (2,500 US locations)
Best calorie value: Panda Express (1.18¢/cal)

Full Menus

Olive Garden Menu Panda Express Menu Cheapest Fast Food Low Calorie Guide