Olive Garden No Longer Best Casual Dining in ID, WA, and UT

Going to eat can be a special treat from time to time. Many do it to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, or to go out and enjoy a date night. Choosing where to eat is never easy, especially when going as a family. The more involved in the decision, the tougher it is to agree on one place. There are many options on where to go and sit down and enjoy a delicious meal, especially in Idaho, Washington, and Utah. When it comes to casual dining, one popular chain has dominated for years as the best in the country, but a new number one has taken over the top spot. 

The Best Casual Dining Restaurant in Idaho, Washington, and Utah

For 7 years, Olive Garden has had the claim as the top casual restaurant in America. It has been profitable, has great reviews, has good customer service, is clean, and has delicious food. While all of these factors have led to it being among the best for close to a decade, in 2025 it no longer sits atop the list, as it has been knocked off and fallen to number two. According to Fox4news.com, the new king of casual dining is Texas Roadhouse. The popular restaurant saw an increase in sales last year of over 14 percent and currently has over 700 restaurants in business. In a time when many restaurant chains are closing, Texas Roadhouse is thriving and growing. 

The Top Casual Dining Restaurants in Idaho, Washington, and Utah

With Texas Roadhouse at number one and Olive Garden at two, who else ranks near the top of the list for best casual dining restaurants? Coming in at number three is Chili's, followed by Applebee's at number four, and Buffalo Wild Wings rounding out the top five. Texas Roadhouse and Chili's were among the highest increase in profit, compared to Red Lobster, Red Robin, and Outback who all saw a significant decrease in sales, with Red Lobster being the worst. This list makes it easier to understand why so many chains have been closing locations and filing for bankruptcy, while others are adding new locations and continuing to do well. To see the full list, make sure to click the link in the paragraph above. 

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The next time you and your family are trying to decide where to eat when going out to a casual dining restaurant, it might be wise to refer back to this list. There is a reason these restaurants rank among the best. They offer good food, are typically clean, well well-priced, and are the best of the best when it comes to casual dining in Idaho, Washington, and Utah.