Bottomless food deals are making a comeback at some of America's largest restaurant chains as they compete for budget-conscious diners during the ongoing affordability crunch. However, whether these promotions truly deliver savings depends heavily on how much and what customers actually eat.
Why Restaurants Are Bringing Back Bottomless Deals
While retail sales remain resilient despite economic challenges, restaurant spending has lagged behind broader consumer spending growth, according to data cited by MarketWatch. This gap highlights the growing pressure on restaurants as diners cut back or trade down, forcing chains to rely more on promotions and value deals to keep customers coming through the door.
The return of bottomless menus marks the latest strategy to attract diners after chains like McDonald's introduced new cost-effective menus. The Golden Arches' new value menu offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner items under $3, but replaces the previous buy-one-add-one-for-$1 deal, meaning savings can vary depending on what and where customers order.
Expert Tips for Maximizing Value
While the deals may seem like good value, experts told MarketWatch that customers should avoid carb-heavy foods like bread, pasta, rice, and fries before they can get to the higher-value items. Skipping those pre-entree fillers can help you get the most value out of your meal.
Applebee's All You Can Eat Deal
The All You Can Eat deal is back for a limited time at Applebee's, giving diners unlimited servings of boneless wings, riblets, Double Crunch Shrimp, and fries for $15.99. It is being promoted as a summer dine-in special, with a variety of options including six wing sauces and multiple rib styles. The offer is meant for individual diners only and cannot be shared between people at the table.
To get the most bang for your buck, start with boneless wings since they are quick to eat, then move to Double Crunch Shrimp for more filling but higher-value bites. Save riblets for last because they are the most filling, and avoid eating too many fries early since they can fill you up without much protein value.
Red Lobster's Endless Shrimp
For $24.99 to $30, depending on location, Red Lobster's Endless Shrimp deal offers a huge variety, including Garlic Shrimp Scampi, Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp, and Shrimp Linguini Alfredo. The limited-time promotion is available only as a dine-in special.
A good strategy is to skip filling pasta-based dishes like Shrimp Linguini Alfredo and instead choose more protein-focused options such as coconut shrimp or shrimp scampi. Kristin McGrath of The Krazy Coupon Lady told MarketWatch: "As delicious as it is, the Shrimp Linguini Alfredo is loaded up with cheese and pasta, so that restaurant is betting that you are going to fill up faster."
Experts at the Washington Post said that diners should think in terms of a break-even point before ordering. For example, a 14-shrimp plate costs $19 at the restaurant, meaning you would have to eat 22 shrimp just to break even under the deal. If you are trying to make it last and avoid getting full too quickly, work your way from lighter to heavier dishes. Start with Garlic Shrimp Scampi since it is the lightest, then move to Walt's Favorite Shrimp, which is fried but still fairly simple. After that, go into richer options like Parrot Isle Coconut Shrimp and Marry Me Shrimp, and save the Shrimp Linguini Alfredo for last since the pasta and Alfredo sauce are the most filling.
Olive Garden's Never-Ending Pasta Bowl
While it is not currently available, Olive Garden typically brings back its popular Never-Ending Pasta Bowl promotion toward the end of August, usually priced around $13.99. You can choose from options like spaghetti, fettuccine, rigatoni, and angel hair paired with sauces including Alfredo, marinara, meat sauce, Five Cheese Marinara, and seasonal specialties. The deal also includes unlimited soup or salad and Olive Garden's signature breadsticks, while extras like meatballs, Italian sausage, or Crispy Chicken Fritta can be added for an additional charge. Refills are dine-in only, and many customers pace themselves by starting with lighter sauces before moving to heavier Alfredo dishes later in the meal. For now, customers will have to wait and see what else Olive Garden has planned for the potential return of the fan-favorite deal.
