Darden Restaurants, Inc. is a publicly traded company that owns and operates over 1,500 restaurants in the United States and Canada. It is headquartered in Orlando, Florida and has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1995. Darden primarily operates full service restaurant brands such as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52.
The company also owns specialty concepts such as Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and Wildfish Seafood Grille. As of 2021, Darden Restaurants is owned by shareholders who purchased shares through the New York Stock Exchange or other stock exchanges where it trades its common stock (NYSE:DRI).
Darden Restaurants is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world. Owned by Darden Corporation, it operates more than 1,500 restaurants across North America and employs over 180,000 people. The company owns several well-known chains such as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen and Bahama Breeze.
Founded in 1968 by Bill Darden and Charley Woodsby, today Darden Restaurants continues to be owned and operated by their families with a commitment to providing quality food at reasonable prices in a comfortable atmosphere for everyone who visits their establishments.
We are Darden
Bill Darden Net Worth
Bill Darden is a successful restaurateur who has amassed an impressive net worth of $1.2 billion from his chain of restaurants, including Red Lobster and Olive Garden. He is the founder and former CEO of Darden Restaurants, Inc., which operates more than 2,000 casual dining establishments throughout the United States and Canada. Since founding Darden in 1968, he has earned numerous awards for his innovative business practices and leadership style.
Who is Owned by Darden?
Darden Restaurants is a publicly-traded company that owns and operates more than 1,700 restaurants in the United States and Canada. It was founded in 1968 by Bill Darden and grew to become the largest full-service restaurant company in the world. Its portfolio of brands includes Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52 Grill & Wine Bar, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and The Capital Grille.
With its headquarters located in Orlando Florida it employs over 180 thousand people across its various holdings around North America. Darden has consistently ranked as one of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” since 2014 due to its commitment to providing employees with excellent benefits such as flexible working hours for parents or those who have other commitments outside work. Furthermore Darden has also been recognized for their dedication towards diversity within the workplace through awards such as Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Award or being named among Bloomberg Gender Equality Indexes best companies list year after year.
Who is the Current Ceo of Darden Restaurants?
The current CEO of Darden Restaurants is Eugene I. Lee, Jr., who has been in the role since July 2019. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Lee served on Darden’s board for four years and held various executive positions at leading companies such as The Home Depot and Toys “R” Us. He returned to the restaurant industry after a two-year stint as managing director at private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R).
During his time with CD&R he was instrumental in transforming several foodservice brands including Burger King and Sonic Drive-In. With over 25 years of experience in the restaurant sector, Lee brings an extensive knowledge of operations, finance and strategic planning that will help him lead Darden into its next phase of growth. Under his leadership, Darden is focused on providing an exceptional guest experience while leveraging technology to drive operational efficiencies across all its brands: Olive Garden®, LongHorn Steakhouse®, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen®, Yard House® and The Capital Grille®.
Is Red Lobster Owned by Darden?
Yes, Red Lobster is owned by Darden. The two companies have been connected since 1995 when Darden acquired the seafood chain from General Mills and has operated it ever since. As one of the largest full-service dining restaurant companies in the world, Darden owns and operates more than 1,500 restaurants across North America under a variety of brands including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and Bahama Breeze.
Red Lobster is currently their most popular brand with over 700 locations throughout North America serving up classic seafood dishes like lobster tail, shrimp scampi and crab legs. With its wide array of menu items made with fresh ingredients sourced straight from the ocean to your plate, Red Lobster continues to be a top choice for customers looking for delicious seafood at an affordable price point.
Who Owns Olive Garden Now?
Olive Garden is a casual dining Italian-American restaurant chain that is owned and operated by Darden Restaurants, Inc., which was founded in 1998. Darden Restaurant’s portfolio of brands include Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House and Bahama Breeze. In 1995, General Mills acquired Red Lobster from Pillsbury and merged it with the then stand-alone Olive garden to form what we now know as Darden Restaurants.
Since then, the company has grown exponentially to become one of the world’s largest full-service restaurant companies today with 1,821 restaurants across North America. With its headquarters located in Orlando Florida ,Darden Restaurants provides employment for more than 150 thousand people around the world who are dedicated to making each guest experience amazing at all their locations including those within Canada!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Darden Restaurants is a large and successful restaurant chain owned by an investment firm called Golden Gate Capital. Its portfolio of restaurants includes Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, and many others. Despite the fact that it’s majority-owned by an outside company, Darden has managed to maintain its independence with operations still being run from its headquarters in Orlando, Florida.
With such a strong business model that focuses on customer service and innovation as well as a wide range of popular restaurants under its banner, there’s no doubt that Darden will remain a leader in the foodservice industry for years to come.
