Latest news with #casualdining
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Olive Garden expanding across Canada
Canadians will soon enjoy the full Olive Garden experience, as the Italian-inspired chain famous for its unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks prepares for a major expansion across the country. Olive Garden currently has locations in every U.S. state. Recipe Unlimited, a major Canadian franchisor, has acquired Olive Garden's eight existing Western Canada locations. This deal also grants Recipe Unlimited exclusive rights to develop and operate all future Olive Garden restaurants across Canada. According to Recipe CEO Frank Hennessey, the Olive Garden acquisition and development agreement are a 'perfect' fit for the company's strategy. He stated in a press release that he sees 'immense potential for growth' by expanding their casual dining presence with brands that appeal to Canadian consumers. A key to Olive Garden's widespread success, in both Canada and the U.S., is its popular offering of unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks with any entree purchase. Diners ordering soup or salad individually also receive endless servings of these freshly-baked breadsticks. Recipe Unlimited plans to reveal more expansion details as 'development plans take shape,' and National Post has reached out for further information. The eight existing Olive Garden locations, previously run by U.S.-based Darden Restaurants, include three in Alberta (two in Edmonton, one in Calgary), two in Winnipeg, and one each in Saskatoon, Regina, and Langley, B.C. Last month, Darden CEO Rick Cardenas revealed that Recipe Unlimited has committed to opening 30 new Olive Garden locations in Canada over the next decade. This expansion is expected to include a return to Ontario, where Darden previously closed 11 Olive Garden restaurants in 1997, including seven in Toronto and two in Ottawa. Olive Garden first opened its doors in Orlando, Florida, in 1982, initially as part of General Mills. The original restaurant still operates today. In 1995, General Mills spun off its restaurant brands, including Olive Garden and Red Lobster, into the newly formed Darden Restaurants. Olive Garden currently boasts over 900 U.S. locations, with more than a quarter concentrated in Texas, Florida, and California. Beyond the U.S. and soon Canada, the brand has a significant international presence, most notably in Mexico with 13 restaurants, and locations in Brazil, Panama, El Salvador, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Further expansion is planned for Costa Rica and the Philippines. Darden CEO Rick Cardenas recently announced agreements for 40 new Olive Garden restaurants in India and Spain. Annually, Olive Garden generates over $4 billion in sales, solidifying its position as the leading Italian casual dining restaurant in the United States.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beloved Burger Chain Quietly Closed 79 Locations This Year
Burger chains are one of the most popular restaurant chains in America. There are more than 86,000 businesses in the burger restaurants industry in the U.S. according to research conducted by QSR Magazine. Of course, while places like McDonald's and Burger King are known for their fast food burgers, there are plenty of other establishments that are more in the casual dining area that are also popular for their burgers. Now, one popular burger chain has been quietly closing locations this year. This chain isn't going away or going bankrupt, though, and the chain's CEO is clarifying what these closings really mean. Wahlburgers burger chain, owned by Paul, Donnie and Mark Wahlburg, has closed 79 locations this year, according to Eat This, Not That. But, it's not as bad as it looks. One of the reasons for the closings is the end of a franchise agreement, with Eat This, Not That stating, "Wahlburgers closed down several locations located within Hy-Vee stores, ending a franchising agreement that started in 2017." CEO Randy Sharpe set the record straight on what was going on with those locations in February. In an article from Nation's Restaurant News, he firmly stated, "It's not 79 restaurants closing. If you saw what was being shuttered, it's a food court kiosk. It's not a full-service restaurant, and it wasn't a significant revenue driver for either side." "We've learned from the past, and we're focused on quality, not quantity,' he added. "This isn't about closing locations; it's about ensuring that every Wahlburgers represents what we stand for — great food, great service, and great partnerships." In some good news for Wahlburgers, the restaurant recently updated its menu and added new menu items such as Teriyaki Pineapple Smashburger, WahlStreet Spritz and Strawberry Shortcake Shake. "At Wahlburgers, we're always pushing flavor forward while staying rooted in what our guests crave," Sharpe said in a statement. "This limited-time lineup was inspired by bold, summer-driven flavors — from tropical pineapple and savory teriyaki to nostalgic sweets like our strawberry shortcake with a classic Twinkie."Beloved Burger Chain Quietly Closed 79 Locations This Year first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 12, 2025
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Major chain shuts with seven hours notice leaving location 'abandoned'
By Haunting images show the 'abandoned' location of a once popular local restaurant. The beloved casual dining chain Applebee's closed its once bustling location in St. Petersburg, Florida, over the weekend. A sign on the front door of the building thanks locals for their 'many years of business' and encourages patrons to visit another local Applebee's. Outraged locals revealed on Facebook that the restaurant's employees were only given seven hours notice that they were out of a job. 'The lease for the building was ending and corporate decided the location didn't make enough money to stay open,' one former employee wrote on Reddit. 'The workers got a days notice that they were all losing their jobs.' Pictures of the closed restaurant showed chairs piled on to bare tables, the sign stripped from the building's exterior and an empty parking lot. Applebee's also closed its University Parkway location in Florida in May . Dine Brands Global, the owner of Applebee's, reported a 2.2 percent sales decline during its first earnings call of the year. 'We are focused on elevating guests' experience, enhancing the menu by focusing on our core products, and better communicating offers through dynamic marketing,' John Peyton (pictured), the company's CEO, said during the company's March earnings call. Once dominant Applebee's has fallen out of favor with consumers, and has been forced to close around 300 locations between 2016 and 2023 . The restaurant chain went on to shutter up to up to 35 restaurants closed in 2024 . The brand has forecast it will need to close a further 20 to 35 locations this year, The Sun reported. In an effort to boost two of its legacy brands and save on costs, Dine Brands has also consolidated a number of its IHOP and Applebee's locations. 'The dual brand concept is now a core pillar of our development strategy, and we're optimistic about the long-term upside potential,' Peyton said previously. 'On average, we've seen these locations achieve 1.5 to 2 times the revenue compared to a single brand restaurant.' The company said it is planning to open a further 12 to 14 dual brand location in 2025. Dine is also undertaking a major remodeling program to refresh the brand's tired image. The 'Lookin' Good' scheme is revamping 30 Applebee's locations that Dine took over last November, Restaurant Dive reported.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Major restaurant chain shuts with just seven hours notice leaving popular location 'abandoned' in haunting photo
Haunting images show the 'abandoned' location of a once popular local restaurant. The beloved casual dining chain Applebee's closed its once bustling location in St. Petersburg, Florida, over the weekend. A sign on the front door of the building thanks locals for their 'many years of business' and encourages patrons to visit another local Applebee's. Outraged locals revealed on Facebook that the restaurant's employees were only given seven hours notice that they were out of a job. 'The lease for the building was ending and corporate decided the location didn't make enough money to stay open,' one former employee wrote on Reddit. 'The workers got a days notice that they were all losing their jobs.' Pictures of the closed restaurant showed chairs piled on to bare tables, the sign stripped from the building's exterior and an empty parking lot. Applebee's also closed its University Parkway location in Florida in May. Dine Brands Global, the owner of Applebee's, reported a 2.2 percent sales decline during its first earnings call of the year. The corporation said Applebee's had raked in $1 billion in the first three months of 2025. In an effort to reinvigorate customers, Applebee's has leaned into more deals and better customer rewards. 'We are focused on elevating guests' experience, enhancing the menu by focusing on our core products, and better communicating offers through dynamic marketing,' John Peyton, the company's CEO, said during the company's March earnings call. Once dominant Applebee's has fallen out of favor with consumers, and has been forced to close around 300 locations between 2016 and 2023. The restaurant chain went on to shutter up to up to 35 restaurants closed in 2024. The brand has forecast it will need to close a further 20 to 35 locations this year, The Sun reported. In an effort to boost two of its legacy brands and save on costs, Dine Brands has also consolidated a number of its IHOP and Applebee's locations. Pictures of the closed restaurant showed chairs piled on to bare tables Applebee's is known for its comfort food and $1 dollarita drinks 'The dual brand concept is now a core pillar of our development strategy, and we're optimistic about the long-term upside potential,' Peyton said previously. 'On average, we've seen these locations achieve 1.5 to 2 times the revenue compared to a single brand restaurant.' The company said it is planning to open a further 12 to 14 dual brand location in 2025. Dine is also undertaking a major remodeling program to refresh the brand's tired image. The 'Lookin' Good' scheme is revamping 30 Applebee's locations that Dine took over last November, Restaurant Dive reported.
CNN
05-07-2025
- Business
- CNN
The untold story about how Olive Garden's most popular special came to be
New York CNN — When the first Olive Garden opened in 1982 in Orlando, Florida, it was a disaster. Long lines formed to get inside. The cooks couldn't make enough sauce to keep up with demand. Bells constantly rang, alerting the kitchen staff that a table was waiting more than 10 minutes for their meal. The second day wasn't any better. It was immediately clear to Blaine Sweatt, an Olive Garden cofounder and general manager, that he needed a quick and cost-efficient way to satisfy hordes of hungry customers as they waited for their entrées. Enter an endless supply of breadsticks, soups and salads. 'It made guests really happy, but it also helped the kitchen catch up since servers could get them themselves,' said Jaime Bunker, senior vice president of marketing for Olive Garden. The special — albeit slightly tweaked to choose either soup or salad — was added to menus and included for free to guests ordering an entrée. Four decades later, the 'endless' option remains a hallmark on Olive Garden's menu. Endless breadsticks, soup and salad are still coveted by cash-conscious guests seeking value amid economic uncertainty that's hurting the casual dining sector. The deal includes unlimited freshly baked breadsticks along with a choice of a soup (Chicken and Gnocchi, Pasta e Fagioli, Minestrone and Zuppa Toscana) or a salad. 'It's a tradition for the brand that even to this day embodies that spirit that we have of Italian generosity, of family, hospitality, of being in someone's home, where they just want nothing more than for you to have a good time and to be well fed,' Bunker told CNN. The special has become a 'core element' to Olive Garden's identity, said Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters, noting that there's been 'a lot of pressure from some of the investment groups that wanted to get rid of it because of profitability and cost.' About a decade ago, a prominent investor in Olive Garden's parent company was so fed up with the chain's sluggish sales that it released a nearly 300-page slideshow criticizing its breadsticks and sauce, suggesting changes like a management overhaul. Some things on its menu changed as a result, but the endless breadsticks stuck around. 'You have to give Olive Garden and those running it credit for being true to that brand identity and sticking with it, even if it costs a little bit more,' Webster told CNN. Expanding the 'endless' Olive Garden's endless option offers value to both customers and the company, Webster said. 'It's value, from a price point of view, where you're getting an enormous amount for the money you're spending,' she said, adding that there is a benefit for Olive Garden in messaging to consumers that 'this chain is truly trying to take care of them.' Breadsticks and soups are easy to plate and are both cost-efficient foods with high-profit margins, meaning they don't dent the chain's bottom line. Salads are a 'little higher' in cost because 'produce is a little more costly and you actually have to throw the salad together,' she said. However, Bunker said the pricing of the three items is 'built in' to the menu costs. Darden Restaurants, the chain's parent company, is cautious about hiking prices. It only raised Olive Garden's prices by about 2% last year, which is lower than the rate of inflation. The special was expanded into a meal option for lunch in 1991 and three years later as a dinner option. Beyond that, the popularity of those 'endless' offerings prompted Olive Garden to expand the concept to other parts of its menu. In 1995, Olive Garden launched an unlimited pasta offer that makes yearly appearances, except for a brief break during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 'Never Ending Pasta Bowl' promotion happens around the back-to-school time in the fall when 'people have a lot of expenses' and 'consumers are looking to save,' Bunker added. Focus on value Value options for customers, notably the return of its buy-one meal and get a take-home meal deal following a five-year hiatus, helped raise Olive Garden's sales by 6.9% in its most recent quarter. That was the chain's best same-store sales performance in three years and a sharp reversal from the 2.9% decline it experienced in the same quarter a year ago. Darden doesn't expect growth to remain that high, but it is forecasting a solid 2% to 3.5% rise in same-store sales for the next year. Similar to Chili's, Olive Garden says it's seeing customers revisit the chain because it offers a better value compared to fast food and grocery shopping. 'Our consumers want to go out and spend their hard-earned money, and we think we're taking some wallet share from fast food and fast casual,' Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said on call with analysts in June. Olive Garden is adding more lower-priced options in the coming months and isn't planning any additional price increases, executives said on the call. Darden's (DRI) stock is up nearly 20% for the year. Part of Olive Garden's success, in Webster's opinion, is that the chain hasn't 'allowed themselves to get too distracted by the relentless pursuit of trends that the industry finds itself in.' Bunker said Olive Garden has no plans to tinker with or axe the endless soup or salad and breadsticks option — and confirmed that there's no limit to how much a guest can order in one sitting. 'We're very committed to giving our guests never-ending, abundant, crave-able Italian food at an everyday value,' she said. 'It's just part of who the brand is.'
