The U.S. restaurant industry struggled throughout 2024, but restaurant operator Darden Restaurants closed out the year strong, reporting higher earnings year over year in its most recent fiscal quarter.
The Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.-based operator of such restaurant chains as Ruth’s Chris, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Olive Garden reported a 6 percent total sales increase in its fiscal second quarter of 2025.
The company largely attributed that increase to a blended same-restaurant sales increase of 2.4 percent in the quarter, along with sales from adding 103 Chuy's restaurants and 39 other net new restaurants to its portfolio.
Notably, same-restaurant sales surged 7.5 percent at LongHorn Steakhouse and rose 2 percent at Olive Garden.
One of the only bleak spots in the quarter for Darden was that sales in its fine-dining segment dropped 5.8 percent year over year.
"We had a strong quarter, and I am pleased that our four largest brands – Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen – generated positive same-restaurant sales, as did three of our four business segments," Darden President and CEO Rick Cardenas said...
