I attempted Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta Bowl. It was a reminder of why chains can't quit bottomless deals.

Why stop at seconds when you can go back for thirds, fourths — even fifths?

I recently visited Olive Garden's flagship Times Square restaurant for my first-ever meal at the chain.

While I couldn't wait to try its iconic breadsticks, there was one specific deal I was gunning for: Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta Bowl, which starts at $14.99, depending on location.

The limited-time deal, first launched in 1995, is running nationwide from August 31 through November 22, 2026.

Stomach empty and heart full, I ate my way through the promo and came away thinking bottomless deals are great for both chains and customers, if they're done right. (Looking at you, Red Lobster.)

Here's what it was like to attempt Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta Bowl promotion, why it makes sense for the chain, and if you should try it, too.

I arrived at Olive Garden's Times Square restaurant hungry and ready to gorge on pasta.

The restaurant itself was a little difficult to spot amid the traffic, the hot-dog cart outside, and the massive billboards. The restaurant has stood at 2 Times Square since 1994 — it predates much of the tourist-district version of Times Square that New Yorkers and visitors recognize today.

The restaurant occupies three floors and roughly 20,000 square feet, making it the chain's largest location and more of a high-volume flagship than a typical suburban Olive Garden.

Red Lobster shuttered its flagship location in June after prolonged construction significantly impacted access to the restaurant, street visibility, and foot traffic.

A Times Square flagship can be a powerful billboard for a brand, but when its large footprint leaves many tables empty, that visibility can backfire, making the restaurant look unpopular.

Unlike when I visited Red Lobster's Times Square location, Olive Garden was busy.