Ames diners won’t have to imagine those famous bowls of soup and salad much longer.
The city’s first Olive Garden is gearing up for its debut, and general manager Amanda Peterson said her team is getting ready to welcome guests with the full lineup of classics.
The Ames Tribune confirmed that the restaurant will open its doors on Monday, June 1, according to Peterson, and will operate on regular hours from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
She expects to employ 120 to 150 people once hiring wraps.
Applicants can scan the QR codes posted outside the building in south Ames, visit olivegarden.com and search for the Ames location, or use the text‑to‑apply option listed on the signage.
“We’ve been out in the community putting up flyers and meeting people,” Peterson said during a phone interview on May 5. “We’re excited to get the team in place and start serving.”
Olive Garden is a long‑planned addition to a growing corridor
The long-awaited restaurant sits at 1820 SE 16th St., on the southwest corner of SE 16th Street and South Dayton Avenue near Highway 30. Construction began on the 6,500‑square‑foot building in 2025, though persistent rain pushed the timeline later than planned.
Olive Garden first explored sites along South Duff Avenue before shifting its focus to the Highway 30 corridor. That move came after more than two years of conversations between the company and the Ames Regional Economic Alliance.
Ames Olive Garden could be a catalyst for nearby development
Dylan Kline, director of business development for the Ames Regional Economic Alliance, has long viewed Olive Garden as a strategic win for the area.
“That’s a developing corridor that has available commercial land around it,” Kline said in a previous interview. “Once you plant the Olive Garden flag in an area, they tend to act as a catalyst for other business development.”
Olive Garden will join a gaggle of popular businesses in the area, including Kwik Star, El Azteca, Theisen’s, Flip ‘N Jacks Pancake House and a swath of hotels.
With the tall Olive Garden sign erected near the highway, staff hiring underway, and the final touches happening inside, Ames residents are just weeks away from twirling their first forkful of fettuccine at the city’s newest national restaurant.
Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rfaaborg@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Dreams do come true. Ames’ first Olive Garden finally has an open date
Reporting by Ronna Faaborg, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
