Olive Garden was the surprising food of choice on iconic band's tour bus

FANS of a legendary band may be surprised to know that its members opted for Olive Garden while on the tour bus.

The beloved casual dining chain is continuing to open more locations around the country in 2026, and even launched its Pasta Pass again.

Olive Garden was the restaurant of choice for an iconic band while on tour (stock image) Credit: Getty

NSYNC members Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, and Joey Fatone pose backstage at the 2023 Video Music Awards. — NSYNC (pictured) ate Olive Garden on tour buses almost every night Credit: Getty

Even though the Pasta Pass came after the height of NSYNC’s popularity between 2000 and 2001, former members Joey Fatone and Lance Bass revealed recently that they often opted for Olive Garden after shows.

“We didn’t even have time to eat,” Bass said of the time NSYNC was consistently on the road during their teenage years while on Delish’s SNACKS! podcast.

“The only time we had to eat was like, snacks in the dressing room. Or it was on the bus after a show.”

“Tour of Italy from Olive Garden was on our bus almost every night,” he added.

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Olive Garden’s Tour of Italy is an entree that features Parmigiana, lasagna, and fettuccine Alfredo.

The former NSYNC members said they had to get the chain’s famous breadsticks as well.

“Breadsticks too, with Alfredo sauce. Oh, the whole thing,” Bass said.

Fatone emphasized that he has a soft spot for Olive Garden to this day.

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“It’s a difference experience, as I like to call it,” he said.

“I appreciate it 100%. That’s why I like the tour.”

Some Olive Garden fans who landed the Pasta Pass earlier this summer are also getting the most out of their favorite meals like Bass and Fatone.

On July 16, the chain released just 10,000 Pasta Pass cards for customers to purchase for $100, and they all sold out within minutes.

Another 100 were given away for free soon after in a social media promotion.

Those who snagged or won the Pasta Pass get 13 weeks of unlimited pasta dishes, sauces, toppings, soups, salads, and breadsticks.

The 13-week period started on August 24 and runs through November 22.

This is the seventh time Olive Garden has offered the Pasta Pass since it first launched in 2014.

It remained a yearly promotion through 2019.

That year, the chain also offered a Lifetime Pasta Pass to the first 50 diners who paid $100 for the standard Pasta Pass.

They needed to pay an extra $400, but it meant free pasta for life.

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The U.S. Sun had an exclusive conversation recently with a Pasta Pass holder who revealed a little-known sauce hack to spice up orders.

She also shared a “100”goal and detailed the epic lengths she goes to in order to make the most out of the deal.