Latest news with #CasualDining
Arab News
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Arab News
Where We Are Going Today: Dombo in Jeddah
Located on Prince Saud Al-Faisal Street in Jeddah, Dombo is a lively spot promising bold and classic American flavors. With industrial-chic interiors, a blend of modern and rustic elements, warm lighting, simple wooden furnishings, upbeat music and the tempting aroma of sizzling steaks, the restaurant creates a cozy yet lively setting for a casual, feel-good dining experience. The appetizer menu includes crowd pleasers like golden, crunchy mozzarella sticks and hearty mac and chicken balls served with grilled corn that offers a simple, smoky balance. The beef sauce lamb is the surprise star with tender, deeply flavored meat, perfectly paired with mashed potatoes. For mains, the striploin and ribeye steaks showcase Dombo's use of high-grade Australian meat, grilled to order with a nice char. The cheesy upsize burger is indulgent and messy in the best way, with a sauce that drips down your fingers, exactly how a burger should. The Dombo fried chicken, with its crisp coating and tender, juicy meat, is a must-try. Personally, I expected the Manhattan hot dog to be outstanding, but while generously portioned, it lacked the punchy seasoning needed to stand out. The kale quinoa salad felt more like an afterthought than a menu staple. The dessert menu is simple, featuring treats like homemade cheesecake and classic pancakes that offer a sweet and comforting finish to the meal. Overall, Dombo is a good spot for a relaxed meal rather than a fine dining experience. For more details, check @
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Brinker International Inc (EAT) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue and Strong ...
Chili's Same-Store Sales Growth: +24% in Q4, outperforming the casual dining industry by 1,890 basis points. Chili's Average Unit Volumes (AUVs): Increased to $4.5 million. Chili's Restaurant Operating Margin: Improved from 11.9% in fiscal '22 to 17.6% in fiscal '25. Total Revenue Growth: 21.9% for the year, surpassing $5 billion for the first time. Adjusted EPS Growth: 117.1% for the year. Q4 Total Revenues: $1,462 million with consolidated comp sales of +21.3%. Q4 Adjusted Diluted EPS: $2.49, up from $1.61 last year. Chili's Q4 Comp Sales: +23.7%, driven by positive traffic of 16.3%, mix of 4.7%, and price of 2.7%. Brinker Restaurant Operating Margin: 17.8% in Q4, a 260 basis points improvement year over year. Q4 Adjusted EBITDA: Approximately $212 million, a 50% increase from prior year. Debt Repayment: Over $350 million repaid year-to-date, reducing lease adjusted leverage to 1.7 times. Fiscal 2026 Revenue Guidance: Expected in the range of $5.6 billion to $5.7 billion. Fiscal 2026 Adjusted Diluted EPS Guidance: Expected in the range of $9.90 to $10.50. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Signs with EAT. Release Date: August 13, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Positive Points Chili's same-store sales increased by 24%, outperforming the casual dining industry by 1,890 basis points. Chili's has achieved 17 consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales growth. Restaurant operating margins at Chili's expanded from 11.9% in fiscal '22 to 17.6% in fiscal '25. Brinker International Inc (NYSE:EAT) reported total revenue growth of 21.9%, surpassing $5 billion in revenues for the first time. The company has significantly reduced its debt, paying down over $570 million in the past three years, resulting in a strong 1.7% lease adjusted leverage ratio. Negative Points Maggiano's reported a slight decline in comp sales for the quarter, at negative 0.4%. Food and beverage costs were unfavorable by 60 basis points year over year due to unfavorable menu mix and commodity inflation. The company anticipates only moderate gains in same-store sales in subsequent quarters due to high comparison bases from the previous year. There is concern about food inflation impacting restaurant margins. The company is still in the early stages of its store reimage plans, with uncertainty around the timeline and scope of required investments. Q & A Highlights Q: Can you provide details on the expected restaurant margin expansion for next year and how it compares to street expectations? Also, how does the Maggiano's turnaround differ from Chili's? A: Mika Ware, CFO: We anticipate a margin expansion of 30 to 40 basis points, not 100 as some might expect. This aligns with our revenue guidance. We plan to invest in cost of sales and labor, which will help leverage margins. Kevin Hochman, CEO: The Maggiano's turnaround is similar to Chili's. The focus is on core guest preferences like scratch-made Italian favorites and abundant portions. We aim to align operations with guest expectations, similar to our approach with Chili's. Q: With fiscal '26 being the final year of the three-year growth outlook, do you see a need to update growth targets? A: Kevin Hochman, CEO: The biggest change is our ability to build new restaurants faster. We're in a better position now to allocate capital for new builds, given improved restaurant conditions and contributions. Mika Ware, CFO: Our long-term growth targets remain relevant, but as we ramp up new unit growth, we'll ensure our growth algorithm reflects our expectations. Q: How are you thinking about marketing investments and the value innovation pipeline? A: Mika Ware, CFO: We're maintaining our marketing spend at about 3% of total revenues, allowing for incremental investments. Kevin Hochman, CEO: We'll continue with successful strategies like the Big QP and introduce new value messages. We're also exploring new advertising ideas that emphasize value without focusing solely on price points. Q: Can you provide insights into the same-store sales components and expectations for Chili's in FY26? A: Mika Ware, CFO: We plan for 3% to 5% pricing, with a focus on maintaining value. Mix is expected to be flat, with any positive mix being upside. We aim for positive traffic growth, despite tougher comparisons in the latter half of the year. Q: What are the plans for store reimaging, particularly for the 200 priority assets? A: Mika Ware, CFO: We're in the early stages, planning to reimage four restaurants in Dallas with varying scopes. We'll evaluate results before scaling. The goal is to refresh 10% of the fleet annually, ensuring restaurants remain updated and relevant. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
National Post
16-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Olive Garden is expanding across Canada. Here's what to know
Olive Garden, the Italian-inspired chain restaurant found in all 52 U.S. states — including Hawaii and Alaska — with unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, will soon be expanding across Canada. Article content The eight existing locations in Western Canada were acquired by Recipe Unlimited, franchisor for more than a dozen recognizable Canadian brands, along with 'the exclusive rights to develop and operate new' Olive Garden restaurants throughout the country. Article content Article content Article content In a press release announcing the acquisition, Recipe CEO Frank Hennessey said he sees 'immense potential for growth.' Article content 'This acquisition and subsequent development agreement align perfectly with our strategy to expand our presence in the casual dining segment with leading brands that resonate with Canadian consumers,' he stated. Article content For those unfamiliar, a large part of the chain's success is that diners — at both Canadian and U.S. locations — are offered unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks with the purchase of any entree. Similarly, anyone who comes in to order soup or salad individually can have as much as they want and also avail of the famous freshly-baked breadsticks. Article content Article content Where is Olive Garden in Canada and where are they expanding? Article content The company said it'll have more details on expansion as 'development plans take shape.' National Post has contacted Recipe for more information. Article content The current locations, previously operated by U.S.-based Darden Restaurants, consist of three in Alberta — two in Edmonton, one in Calgary — a pair in Winnipeg, and one each in Saskatoon, Regina and Langley, B.C. Article content It's not immediately clear if Olive Garden restaurants previously operated elsewhere in Canada; however, National Post has contacted Darden for clarification. Article content Where are Olive Garden's origins? Article content The first Olive Garden opened in Orlando, Fla., in 1982, as an arm of mass food manufacturer General Mills, according to food website Delish and the History Channel show The Food That Built America. It remains standing to this day. Article content The company also created Red Lobster and other brands, all of which were spun into Darden when it was formed in 1995. Article content Looking at the past with breadstick colored glasses. 😎 Posted by Olive Garden on Thursday, February 27, 2025 Article content Today, there are over 900 U.S. Olive Garden locations, more than a quarter of which are in Texas, Florida and California, and restaurants in countries other than Canada, including Mexico, with 13, the most outside of the U.S. There are also restaurants in Brazil, Panama, El Salvador, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait and more opening in Costa Rica and the Phillipines. Article content According to Darden, the brand brings in more than USD$4 billion annually in sales and is the United States's 'leading restaurant in the Italian casual dining segment.' Article content Brad Smith, president of Darden International and franchising, said Recipe's Canadian brand experience unlocks Olive Garden's growth potential north of the border. Article content What else does Recipe own in Canada? Article content Recipe, formerly known as CARA and whose origins are in airline catering, boasts a roster that already includes signature Canadian brands like Swiss Chalet, The Keg, Harvey's, and East Side Mario's, to name but a few of the 18, including the newest addition.
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Hawkers, Asian Street Food, Boosted By Private Equity Investment
Hawkers, specializing in Asian street food, launched in Orlando, Fl, (pictured above) in 2011 by ... More four friends, but now has 15 locations in 7 states and a major investment from private equity Savory Fund. The four friends from the Orlando and Winter Haven, Fl. area felt that Asian street food called 'hawkers' was missing from Florida. So in 2011, the quartet with the help of one of their aunts bootstrapped $80,000 to open Hawkers in Orlando, where it is headquartered. Three of them, Wayne Young, Allen Lo, and Kin Ho (who died of leukemia in Jan. 2024) had roots in Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong, and Kaleb Harrell hails from Florida. Then to expand they raised additional funds from a contingent of about 60 friends and family as shareholders while still maintaining majority ownership and now operate 15 Hawkers locations, all company-owned, across 7 states--Fl., Ga., N.C., Tenn, Md., Va. and Tx. But now with an investment from the private equity firm Savory Fund, which is based in Lehi, Utah, which has invested in Mo' Bettahs, Saigon Hustle and Swig, Hawkers is ready to step up expansion. An Alternative to Casual Dining The quartet felt that Orlando was 'the land of casual dining,' Harrell said, but needed a jolt of 'Asian street food.' He adds that his family didn't travel much so getting to taste dim sum, dumplings, or noodle dishes excited him. He and his friends opened Hawkers with 'the perspective of the guests who wanted to visit an amazing place and taste its authentic food.' At most actual hawkers in Asia, diners eat on dishes such as Singapore Mei fun, and the ingredients come from a small farm a few miles away. An Asian-style cuisine Hawkers is proving to be an effective alternative to the many burger, taco, pizza and chicken chains, and with a private equity partner, is primed to grow. Three Founders Drive Hawkers Of the three remaining founders, Harrell serves as CEO, Lo as brand chef overseeing the menu, and Yang as vibe director in charge of its physical designs. Savory Fund is the majority investor, but Hawkers, Harrell points out, remains founder-led. At Hawkers, some of the most popular dishes include roti Canai, Malaysian flatbread with curry dipping sauce, Korean twice-fried wings, and soup dumplings filled with pork and bone broth. Diners can't eat burger and fries, pizza and tacos all the time and Hawkers offers Chinese dumplings, BBQ pork bao and chili crisp wontons as tasty alternatives. Take-out and delivery constitute about 25% of its overall revenue, and it partners with Uber Eats and Door Dash. Keeping all of their 15 locations company-owned made sense, Harrell said, because 'our food is complex; it's a scratch kitchen,' not easy to replicate and therefore doesn't lend itself easily to a franchising model. Andrew K. Smith, a co-founder and managing director at Savory Fund, said it was attracted to invest in Hawkers because of its 'passionate guest following, bold flavors and magnetic energy. It's a dining experience unlike any other.' Its data also revealed that Asian cuisine in the U.S. was growing at 12% annually but traditional foods at 1% or 2%. Moreover, he cites that it's been able to attract and retain loyal customers. More than 50% of its sales stems from guests who average visiting Hawkers 8 times a year. Harrell explains that Savory Fund and the Hawkers owners are aligned in their 'values, the integrity of the brand, and what scale looks like.' Smith says that Savory Fund thinks it can 'scale without losing what makes them special like Mo' Bettahs.' The chain was 'built by founders who care deeply about the guest experience.' And Harrell points out that its investment enables it to be a 'debt-free company and make it possible for us to grow in an intentional and thoughtful way, more locations, more development opportunities for our team.' Smith expects that most of its growth will stem from the 7 states it's currently located in, and continue to be company-owned, not from franchising. However, in the future, he's open to considering larger metropolises such as Chicago or New York City or licensing deals overseas. Asked the keys to the future success of Hawkers, Smith replies: 1) Keeping the cuisine simple and approachable for all customers, 2) Creating a culture in each restaurant where the guest feels at home, 3) Maintaining a disciplined approach to growth and not expanding too rapidly.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TGI Fridays Is Shrinking Rapidly After Closing 185 Locations
A beloved restaurant chain is rapidly closing locations, with 30 locations closing in just one recent month alone and 185 being lost in just over a year. TGI Fridays used to be a popular restaurant chain, familiar to people throughout the US. But now the number of restaurants that remain open is shrinking rapidly. According to the chain's website, there are now only 85 TGI Fridays restaurants left in the entire U.S. The restaurants are located in 19 states. Georgia has the most remaining with seven, according to the website. According to CNN, this represents a "sharp decline," from the 270 locations that were left at the beginning of 2024. The chain had 600 restaurants across the U.S. at its height in 2008, after launching in 1965, CNN reported. In late 2024, the parent company for the brand filed for bankruptcy and has now been closing locations with "an additional 30 locations shuttering over the past month," in March, 2025, CNN reported. The company told CNN in April 2025 that TGI Fridays is "now led by franchisees, with a franchisee advisory board empowering and shaping brand-wide decisions.' However, according to the company's website, TGI Fridays has more locations in other countries, 44 in all. There are a total of 461 restaurants in all of those countries, the site says, calling the chain "the original casual dining bar and grill." In November, TGI Fridays announced that it had filed "voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the Northern District of Texas. The Company expects to use the time and legal protections made available through the Chapter 11 restructuring process to allow the Company to explore strategic alternatives in order to ensure the long-term viability of the brand," its statement reads.
