We may not agree on everything from music and fashion to what belongs in a group chat, but apparently there’s one thing that can bring generations together: a good casual restaurant.
A recent YouGov ranking of U.S. restaurant brands found some surprisingly strong similarities between generations. While Gen Z has its own favorite, Olive Garden has something of a cross-generational fan club.
Olive Garden Takes the Top Spot
According to YouGov’s annual U.S. restaurant brand rankings, Olive Garden was the most popular casual-dining restaurant among millennials, Gen X and baby boomers.
Gen Z went in a slightly different direction, choosing Chili’s as its No. 1 casual-dining restaurant. Still, Olive Garden came in second among Gen Z, making it one of the few restaurants with such broad appeal across age groups.
And Olive Garden wasn’t simply popular overall. The study found that it ranked highest for casual-dining service, value and dining experience.
The rankings were based on surveys of more than 750 Gen Z respondents, 2,300 millennials, 5,900 Gen X respondents and 7,500 baby boomers between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026.
The 10 Most Popular Casual-Dining Restaurants
Looking across all surveyed age groups, these were the top 10:
- Olive Garden
- Texas Roadhouse
- Applebee’s
- Chili’s
- IHOP
- The Cheesecake Factory
- Outback Steakhouse
- Cracker Barrel
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Red Lobster
What’s interesting is how familiar this list feels. These aren’t necessarily restaurants reserved for special occasions. They’re the places people know, return to and often associate with birthdays, family dinners, date nights, road trips or simply not wanting to cook.
What Does Each Generation Order?
The generational lists reveal some differences—but perhaps more similarities than you might expect.
Gen Z: Chili’s Leads the Way
For diners ages 18–29, Chili’s took the No. 1 spot, followed by:
- Olive Garden
- Wingstop
- Texas Roadhouse
- The Cheesecake Factory
Gen Z was the only generation in the survey that didn’t put Olive Garden at No. 1. But having it at No. 2 still shows that the brand has managed to connect with younger diners.
Millennials: Olive Garden Comes Out on Top
Among millennials ages 30–44, the ranking was:
- Olive Garden
- Texas Roadhouse
- Chili’s
- The Cheesecake Factory
- Applebee’s
This group seems to favor a mix of familiar comfort-food destinations, steakhouses and restaurants that work equally well for casual dates, family meals or meeting friends.
Gen X: Familiar Favorites
Gen X, ages 45–64, had a very similar top two:
- Olive Garden
- Texas Roadhouse
- Applebee’s
- Outback Steakhouse
- Cracker Barrel
The list leans toward classic American casual dining, with several restaurants that have been part of the U.S. dining landscape for decades.
Baby Boomers: A Familiar Lineup
For baby boomers, ages 65 and older, the top five were:
- Olive Garden
- Texas Roadhouse
- Applebee’s
- Cracker Barrel
- Outback Steakhouse
Again, Olive Garden claimed the top spot, while Texas Roadhouse and Applebee’s followed closely behind.
The Surprisingly Small Generational Divide
Perhaps the most interesting part of the survey isn’t which restaurant came in first.
It’s how much overlap there is.
Olive Garden appears in the top two for every generation surveyed. Texas Roadhouse also appears among the top five for every generation. Applebee’s makes the top five for millennials, Gen X and baby boomers, while The Cheesecake Factory appears among the favorites of Gen Z and millennials.
So while younger and older diners may have very different ideas about what’s trendy, casual dining seems to be one area where familiarity still matters.
And maybe that’s the secret.
A restaurant doesn’t necessarily have to be the newest or most fashionable place in town to become a favorite. Sometimes people simply want good food, reasonable value, friendly service and an experience they already know they’ll enjoy.
So, What’s Your Favorite?
The YouGov ranking gives us the national picture—but everyone’s personal restaurant ranking is probably very different.
Maybe your perfect casual dinner is Olive Garden breadsticks. Maybe it’s a steak at Texas Roadhouse. Maybe you’re loyal to Chili’s, can’t resist The Cheesecake Factory menu, or think the best restaurant on this list is the one nobody else in your family picked.
