Darden Restaurants(NYSE) DRI

Darden Restaurants, Inc. runs various full-service dining brands across the United States. It offers people a place to eat for casual or upscale meals. These restaurants provide sit-down service and prepared food for a range of budgets.

Feeding America's Appetite

• Olive Garden: Italian-style dining that generated $1,329.8 million in sales for the three months ended Aug. 30, 2026.
• LongHorn Steakhouse: Casual steakhouse chain that contributed $860.9 million in sales for the three-month period ended Aug. 30, 2026.
• Other Business: Diverse brands including Yard House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, and Chuy’s; total sales for this segment were $705.4 million for the three months ended Aug. 30, 2026.
• Fine Dining: Premium brands such as Ruth’s Chris Steak House and The Capital Grille; this segment had $304.2 million in sales for the three months ended Aug. 30, 2026.

Growing the Portfolio

• Acquired Chuy’s in fiscal 2025 and integrated the brand into the company's Other Business segment.
• Permanently closed approximately half of all Bahama Breeze locations in April 2026 to focus on higher-performing brands.
• Started a 12- to 18-month plan in 2026 to convert remaining Bahama Breeze sites into other company restaurant concepts.
• Sold all Olive Garden restaurants located in Canada during fiscal 2026.
• Opened 53 net new restaurants between the first quarter of fiscal 2026 and the first quarter of fiscal 2027.

What Makes Darden Run

Darden manages 2,218 company-owned restaurants in the U.S. and oversees 86 international franchised locations around the world. The company maintains an investment-grade credit rating to ensure it can fund new restaurant construction and technology projects at reasonable costs.

The Recent Scorecard

• Total sales rose 5.1% to $3.20 billion for the three months ended Aug. 30, 2026, compared to $3.04 billion in the prior year.
• Net earnings from continuing operations were $234.3 million for the first three months of fiscal 2027, down 9.2% year over year.
• Net cash flows from operating activities reached $279.0 million for the three-month period ended August 30, 2026.
• The company repurchased 1.1 million shares of its common stock during the first quarter of fiscal 2027.
• Capital expenditures for new restaurant construction and remodeling totaled $175.3 million for the three months ended Aug. 30, 2026.

Bottom Line

Darden has evolved from a single-brand operator into a multi-brand powerhouse with presence in casual, premium, and fine dining. This variety allows the business to adapt to changing consumer habits across different price points.