olive garden

If you're finding it a bit easier to snag a table at your favorite restaurant lately, don't go crediting your debonair charm or your glowing Yelp review. Eateries really are less crowded these days.

As the economy improves, Americans have begun splurging again. But they're limiting their indulgences to haircuts, casual dining and coffee, while continuing to forego many bigger expenditures, like vacations and dining at expensive restaurants.

Spending for the lovers' holiday this year is expected to climb 5.8% over 2009, and that spells opportunity for investors. Here are some greeting card, candy, jewelry, flower and restaurant stocks that could get a lift from sweethearts looking for that special something.

The recession swept across this country like a storm; hitting hard and wreaking noticeable damage. In response, a lot of Americans began making more responsible financial decisions, paid more attention to their savings and began consuming more consciously and cooperatively. John Gerzema and...

If lasagna wasn't already heavy enough, how about tossing it into a deep fryer? The Olive Garden chain figured that was a great idea and now one healthy eating advocacy group is saying the appetizer is so over-the-top bad for you that it's "food porn." The healthy eating advocates at the Center...

Advertising can be a murky world. It's hard to tell what's real, and what's not. There really was a Chef Boyardee, for instance, although the inspiration behind Chef Boyardee spelled his last name in the more ethnically-correct manner: Boirdi. The easier to pronouce Betty Crocker, however, was a...

If you ate at an Olive Garden restaurant between Dec. 4, 2006 and Aug. 10, 2007 you could be getting a free appetizer, courtesy of a class action lawsuit. The settlement was made official on Tuesday.What exactly did you do deserve this? Nothing really, except having an extra digit of your credit or...

The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently released a report condemning the love affair our restaurants have been having with salt. In the study of 17 chain restaurants, the CSPI found that 85 out of 102 meals had more salt than an individual's recommended intake. Not only that, but the...

Not even a Playboy centerfold can boost Olive Garden's profits in this economy, so the restaurant is taking matters into its own hands and raising its menu prices to offset skyrocketing costs. Parent company Darden Restaurants will be raising menu prices at its Olive Garden and Red Lobster...

Most companies would do anything for a celebrity endorsement, but the Olive Garden is looking askance at the over-friendly overtures from Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson, who just loves her some Olive Garden. The Wall St. Journal reports that the unofficial association is turning into unwelcome...