I went to Olive Garden, Carrabba's, and Maggiano's with a $50 budget. One chain had the best value, and another served the best food.

I compared $50 meals at three different Italian restaurant chains to find the best value. Amanda Shammas I dined at Olive Garden , Carrabba's, and Maggiano's with a $50 budget. I ordered the same menu items at each restaurant chain — fried calamari and chicken Parmesan. Olive Garden definitely offered the most value, but I thought Maggiano's had the best food. Growing up in an Italian-American family, I rarely ordered Italian food at restaurants, since my mom's homemade versions set the bar pretty high. Still, I've always wondered whether the big Italian chain restaurants are actually worth the money. So, within the same week, I visited Olive Garden, Carrabba's Italian Grill, and Maggiano's Little Italy in New Jersey, each with a $50 budget. I ordered the same meal at each restaurant — calamari and chicken Parmesan .