7 Italian Chain Restaurants With the Best Meals Under $20
I am a sucker for Italian food. I love loading up on carb-heavy pasta topped with delicious sauces, proteins, and veggies, and I have never turned down a fresh, tossed salad or a cup of soup to start. If you are craving an Italian meal but are on a tight budget, there are lots of dinner options to choose from at your favorite chains. Here are 7 Italian chains with the best meals under $20.
Olive Garden
Olive Garden offers endless value on comforting classics. All entrees are a meal, as they come with your choice of endless soup or salad and breadsticks. Lasagna Classico is $18.49, Ravioli Carbonara $18.29, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce is $12.99, and Fettuccine Alfredo is $16.49.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Carrabba’s is more expensive than Olive Garden, but feasting on the chain’s scratch sauces is still possible. One of the best deals is the spaghetti, $15.99, hand-tossed in their Pomodoro sauce, with the option to add meatballs or meat sauce for $3. The meal comes with soup or salad.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill
Romano’s Macaroni Grill is a popular Italian chain, especially for those on a budget. One of the most popular menu items is the Create Your Own Pasta for $16. You select your pasta and sauce, and up to three toppings. If you want a protein, you can add everything from chicken to sausage for a few extra bucks.
Bertucci’s
Over at Bertucci’s you can get everything from brick-oven pizzas to filling pasta meals under $20. Some popular pasta entrees include Fettucine Alfredo, $18.99, Four Cheese Ravioli, $19.99, and Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, $18.99. Each comes with your choice of Caesar or Insalata salad.
Johnny Carino’s
Johnny Carino’s is a smaller chain serving big plates and bold flavors for affordable prices. Meals include unlimited House Salad. For under $20 you can get the Classic Fettuccine Alfredo, $16.99, Spaghetti with Artichokes, $15.99, or Create Your Own Pasta for $14.99.
Brio Italian Grille
Many of the entrees at Brio Italian Grille are over $20, but you can still feast at the Italian spot on a budget. There are a handful of options to choose from on the dinner menu. Choose from Spaghetti Pomodoro, $17.99, Spaghetti Bolognese, $19.99, or Spaghetti Alfredo, $17.99.
Noodles & Company
If you want a quick pasta meal for super cheap, head to Noodles & Company. The fast casual spot offers lots of options, most under $10, including the Basil Pesto Cavatappi. If you want a protein, try the Rigatoni Rosa with Parmesan Chicken, $13.25. For a meal, try a “duo,” like the Spaghetti & Meatballs Duo For $10.95, which comes with spaghetti noodles in crushed tomato marinara with oven-roasted meatballs, topped with parmesan. Choose or swap a protein and then select a Side.