AR Holdings, member of Promerica Group had already announced in November 2019 their intentions of bringing to Costa Rica the Olive Garden restaurant franchise, the biggest Italian food chain in the United States where it has 850 locations.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic which has impacted many industries, one of them being restaurants, the plans continue except that instead of opening doors in July as initially planned they will open doors in September this year.

The first two locations will open in Santa Ana and Escazú, at the Terrazas shopping center and Escazú Village respectively.

The investment for each restaurant is calculated in $1.3 million and they are expected to generate at least 50 direct jobs.

In general terms the menu is expected to be the same as the menu offered in the United States, including the breadsticks, house salad, their famous chicken alfredo and Tour of Italy.

AR Holdings expects to maintain similar prices to those in the USA.

Early this year another US franchise, Applebee’s closed its operations in Costa Rica due to profitability issues, one of these restaurants was located in Terrazas shopping center.