Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI): Canvas del Modelo de Negocio [Actualizado en Ene-2025]

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) se erige como una potencia culinaria, navegando magistralmente del complejo paisaje de cenas informales a través de un modelo de negocio estratégicamente diseñado que combina a la perfección diversas marcas de restaurantes, tecnología innovadora y experiencias centradas en el cliente. Desde el amado Olive Garden hasta el chisporroteante asador de Longhorn, este gigante del restaurante ha perfeccionado el arte de ofrecer opciones gastronómicas consistentes y asequibles que atienden a millones de estadounidenses en diferentes segmentos demográficos, transformando la forma en que pensamos en las experiencias de restaurantes familiares en la dinámica de hoy en día en la dinámica de hoy en día. Industria de servicios de alimentos.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: asociaciones clave

Asociaciones de gestión de la cadena de suministro de restaurantes

Darden Restaurants mantiene asociaciones estratégicas con principales distribuidores de alimentos:

Pareja	Valor anual del contrato	Volumen de suministro
Sysco Corporation	$ 425 millones	65% del suministro total de ingredientes del restaurante
Alimentos estadounidenses	$ 275 millones	35% del suministro total de ingredientes del restaurante

Tecnología y asociaciones de plataforma digital

Darden colabora con proveedores de tecnología para infraestructura digital:

• OpenTable para reservas en línea
• Oracle Cloud para la planificación de recursos empresariales
• Microsoft Azure para servicios de computación en la nube

Asociaciones de abastecimiento de alimentos

Tipo de asociación	Número de proveedores locales	Porcentaje de ingredientes locales
Agricultores locales	237 proveedores regionales	42% de la adquisición total de ingredientes

Asociaciones de servicio de entrega

Socio de entrega	Volumen de pedido anual	Participación de ingresos
Doordash	8.3 millones de pedidos	15% de comisión
Uber come	5.7 millones de pedidos	18% de comisión

Asociaciones de marketing y publicidad

Darden se involucra con agencias de marketing especializadas:

• Publicis Groupe para campañas publicitarias nacionales
• Digitas para estrategias de marketing digital
• WPP para el posicionamiento de la marca global

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: actividades clave

Operaciones y gestión de restaurantes

Darden Restaurants opera 1.868 restaurantes totales a mayo de 2023, con el siguiente desglose de la marca:

Marca de restaurantes	Número de ubicaciones
Oliva	849
Asador longhorn	598
Cocina de rastreo de Cheddar	178
Rejilla de capital	61
Otras marcas	182

Desarrollo de menú e innovación culinaria

Inversión anual en investigación y desarrollo del menú: $ 12.5 millones

• New menu items introduced annually: 15-20 across restaurant brands
• Culinary innovation team size: 37 professional chefs
• Average time to develop and test new menu item: 6-8 months

Brand Marketing and Customer Experience Enhancement

Gastos de marketing en el año fiscal 2023: $ 308.4 millones

Canal de marketing	Porcentaje de presupuesto
Marketing digital	42%
Medios tradicionales	33%
Campañas de redes sociales	15%
Eventos promocionales	10%

Coordinación de la cadena de suministro

Presupuesto anual de gestión de la cadena de suministro: $ 624 millones

• Número de proveedores de alimentos directos: 273
• Porcentaje de ingredientes de origen local: 28%
• Objetivo de mejora de la eficiencia de la cadena de suministro: 4.5% anual

Integración de tecnología digital y sistemas de pedidos en línea

Inversión en tecnología digital en 2023: $ 87.6 millones

Plataforma digital	Porcentaje de ventas digitales
Pedidos de aplicaciones móviles	37%
Pedidos por el sitio web	28%
Entrega de terceros	35%

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: recursos clave

Cartera de marca de restaurantes diversos

A partir de 2024, Darden Restaurants opera las siguientes marcas de restaurantes:

Marca	Número de restaurantes	Ingresos anuales (2023)
Oliva	854	$ 3.8 mil millones
Asador longhorn	592	$ 2.1 mil millones
Cocina de rastreo de Cheddar	178	$ 815 millones

Equipos culinarios y de gestión calificados

Darden emplea a aproximadamente 185,000 empleados en total en sus marcas de restaurantes.

• Experiencia promedio de gestión de restaurantes: 8.5 años
• Inversión de capacitación anual: $ 42 millones
• Equipo de liderazgo corporativo con promedio de más de 15 años de experiencia en la industria

Extensa red de bienes raíces de restaurantes

Detalles de propiedades inmobiliarias y arrendamiento:

Métrico de propiedad	Valor
Ubicaciones totales de restaurantes	1,624
Propiedades propias	38%
Propiedades arrendadas	62%
Inversión inmobiliaria anual	$ 215 millones

Reconocimiento de marca y lealtad al cliente

• Miembros del programa de fidelización del cliente: 26 millones
• Frecuencia promedio de visita al cliente: 3.2 veces al mes
• Tasa de participación digital: 42% de las ventas totales

Infraestructura de tecnología digital

Inversión y capacidades tecnológicas:

Área tecnológica	Inversión	Capacidades clave
Plataforma digital	$ 87 millones	Pedidos móviles, sistema de reservas
Análisis de datos	$ 42 millones	Insights de comportamiento del cliente
Infraestructura	$ 65 millones	Sistemas de gestión de restaurantes basados ​​en la nube

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: propuestas de valor

Diversos conceptos gastronómicos que atienden a diferentes preferencias del cliente

Darden Restaurants opera múltiples marcas de restaurantes con propuestas de valor distintas:

Marca de restaurantes	Ingresos anuales (2023)	Número de ubicaciones
Oliva	$ 3.84 mil millones	874
Asador longhorn	$ 2.16 mil millones	572
Cocina de rastreo de Cheddar	$ 1.12 mil millones	169
Rejilla de capital	$ 534 millones	61

Calidad de los alimentos constante y cena familiar asequible

Métricas clave que demuestran una propuesta de valor:

• Cheque promedio por persona en Olive Garden: $ 19.50
• Cheque promedio por persona en Longhorn Steakhouse: $ 24.75
• Calificación de satisfacción del cliente: 4.2/5
• Tasa de cliente repetida: 62%

Opciones convenientes de pedidos y entrega en línea

Rendimiento de pedidos digitales en 2023:

• Ventas digitales: $ 1.2 mil millones
• Porcentaje de ventas totales de canales digitales: 22%
• Valor de pedido digital promedio: $ 45.30
• Descargas de aplicaciones móviles: 3.4 millones

Ofertas de menú personalizables

Marca	Opciones de personalización del menú	Alojamiento especial de dieta
Oliva	12 opciones de personalización de pasta	Opciones vegetarianas sin gluten
Asador longhorn	8 Métodos de preparación de filetes	Selecciones de baja carbohidratos y amigables con ceto

Entornos de restaurantes acogedores y cómodos

Métricas de inversión en el medio ambiente del restaurante:

• Presupuesto anual de renovación de restaurantes: $ 85 millones
• Costo promedio de renovación del restaurante: $ 350,000 por ubicación
• Frecuencia de rediseño interior del restaurante: cada 5-7 años
• Calificación de confort del cliente: 4.3/5

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: relaciones con los clientes

Programas de fidelización en todas las marcas de restaurantes

Darden Restaurants opera programas de fidelización en múltiples marcas:

Marca	Detalles del programa de fidelización	Miembros activos
Oliva	Programa de recompensas de jardín de oliva	13.5 millones de miembros activos
Asador longhorn	Recompensas de longhorn steakhouse	8.2 millones de miembros activos
Rejilla de capital	Recompensas de rejilla de capital	2.3 millones de miembros activos

Marketing digital personalizado

Métricas de marketing digital para restaurantes Darden:

• Base de datos de marketing por correo electrónico: 22.4 millones de suscriptores
• Tasa de conversión de oferta personalizada: 14.6%
• Descargas de aplicaciones móviles: 6.7 millones

Compromiso activo de las redes sociales

Plataforma	Seguidores	Tasa de compromiso
Instagram	1.2 millones	3.7%
Facebook	2.5 millones	2.9%
Gorjeo	450,000	1.8%

Comentarios de los clientes y mejora continua

Métricas de satisfacción del cliente:

• Encuestas anuales de clientes completadas: 285,000
• Puntaje promedio de satisfacción del cliente: 4.2/5
• Tasa de respuesta de revisión en línea: 92%

Servicio constante y experiencia gastronómica

Indicadores de calidad de servicio:

Métrico	Actuación
Horas de entrenamiento promedio del servidor	42 horas por empleado
Puntuación de satisfacción del comprador misterioso	8.7/10
Tiempo de rotación de la mesa	45 minutos

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: canales

Ubicaciones de restaurantes físicos

A partir de 2024, Darden Restaurants opera 1.850 ubicaciones totales de restaurantes en los Estados Unidos.

Marca de restaurantes	Número de ubicaciones
Oliva	854 restaurantes
Asador longhorn	570 restaurantes
Cocina de rastreo de Cheddar	250 restaurantes
Rejilla de capital	61 restaurantes

Plataformas de pedidos en línea

Las ventas digitales representan el 8,5% de las ventas totales de restaurantes en 2024, con un estimado de $ 425 millones generados a través de canales en línea.

Aplicaciones móviles

• Descargas de aplicaciones móviles de Olive Garden: 3.2 millones de usuarios activos
• Descargas de aplicaciones móviles de Longhorn Steakhouse: 2.1 millones de usuarios activos
• Frecuencia promedio de pedido móvil mensual: 2.7 veces por usuario

Servicios de entrega de terceros

Las asociaciones incluyen:

• Doordash: 65% del volumen de entrega de terceros digitales
• Uber come: 22% del volumen de entrega de terceros digitales
• Grubhub: 13% del volumen de entrega de terceros digitales

Marketing directo y campañas promocionales

Canal de marketing	Gasto anual
Marketing digital	$ 87 millones
Publicidad de medios tradicional	$ 62 millones
Marketing del programa de fidelización	$ 41 millones

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: segmentos de clientes

Mercado de comedor familiar

Darden Restaurants se dirige a familias con un ingreso familiar anual de $ 75,000 a $ 125,000. Las marcas de restaurantes familiares de la compañía sirven a aproximadamente 400 millones de invitados anualmente.

Demográfico del cliente	Porcentaje
Familias con niños menores de 18 años	42%
Parejas casadas	53%
Tamaño promedio de la familia	3.4 personas

Consumidores de comidas informales

El segmento de comidas informales de Darden se dirige a los consumidores de 25 a 54 años, con un cheque de restaurante promedio de $ 19.50 por persona.

• Frecuencia promedio de visita al restaurante: 2.3 veces al mes
• Edad media de los comidas informales consumidores: 38 años
• Rango de ingresos disponibles: $ 50,000 - $ 95,000 anuales

Millennials y Gen Z

Darden se enfoca en atraer demografía más joven a través del compromiso digital y la innovación del menú.

Demográfico	Porcentaje de visitas al restaurante
Millennials (25-40 años)	35%
Gen Z (18-24 años)	22%

Segmento de restaurantes de precio medio

Darden apunta al segmento de restaurantes de precio medio con un precio promedio de comida entre $ 15 y $ 25.

• Cuota de mercado en el segmento de precio medio: 18.5%
• Ingresos anuales de restaurantes de precio medio: $ 8.2 mil millones
• Número de ubicaciones de restaurantes de precio medio: 1.700

Clientes gastronómicos urbanos y suburbanos

Las marcas de restaurantes de Darden sirven a mercados urbanos y suburbanos en todo Estados Unidos.

Tipo de mercado	Ubicación de restaurantes	Distribución del cliente
Áreas urbanas	680 ubicaciones	38%
Áreas suburbanas	1,020 ubicaciones	62%

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: Estructura de costos

Adquisición de alimentos e ingredientes

Para el año fiscal 2023, los restaurantes Darden informaron costos de alimentos y bebidas de $ 3.9 mil millones, lo que representa aproximadamente el 31.5% de las ventas totales de restaurantes.

Categoría de costos	Gasto anual	Porcentaje de ventas
Ingredientes proteicos	$ 1.42 mil millones	11.5%
Producir	$ 620 millones	5%
Productos lácteos	$ 480 millones	3.9%

Salarios laborales y del personal

En el año fiscal 2023, los costos laborales totales de Darden fueron de $ 4.6 mil millones, lo que representa el 37.2% de las ventas de restaurantes.

• Salario promedio por hora para el personal del restaurante: $ 15.37
• Número total de empleados: 185,000
• Compensación de gestión: $ 92.3 millones

Alquiler y mantenimiento del restaurante

Los gastos de ocupación total para el año fiscal 2023 fueron de $ 1.1 mil millones.

Tipo de gasto	Costo anual
Alquilar	$ 780 millones
Mantenimiento de la instalación	$ 320 millones

Gastos de marketing y publicidad

El gasto de marketing para el año fiscal 2023 totalizaron $ 340 millones.

• Presupuesto de marketing digital: $ 128 millones
• Publicidad tradicional: $ 212 millones

Tecnología e inversiones en infraestructura digital

Las inversiones tecnológicas en el año fiscal 2023 alcanzaron los $ 215 millones.

Área de inversión tecnológica	Gasto anual
Desarrollo de plataforma digital	$ 95 millones
Sistemas de punto de venta	$ 62 millones
Ciberseguridad	$ 58 millones

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negocios: flujos de ingresos

Ventas de restaurantes de cena

Para el año fiscal 2023, Darden Restaurants reportó ventas totales de $ 9.61 mil millones. Olive Garden generó $ 4.24 mil millones, Longhorn Steakhouse produjo $ 2.05 mil millones, y otras marcas de restaurantes contribuyeron con $ 3.32 mil millones en ventas de restaurantes.

Marca de restaurantes	Ventas anuales ($ B)
Oliva	4.24
Asador longhorn	2.05
Otras marcas	3.32

Órdenes de comida para llevar y entrega

Las ventas digitales representaron el 32% de las ventas totales en el año fiscal 2023, ascendiendo a aproximadamente $ 3.07 mil millones.

Servicios de catering

Los ingresos de catering para los restaurantes Darden alcanzaron los $ 412 millones en el año fiscal 2023, principalmente impulsado por el programa de catering de Olive Garden.

Ventas de tarjetas de regalo

Las ventas de tarjetas de regalo para restaurantes Darden totalizaron $ 568 millones en el año fiscal 2023.

Ingresos de franquicia y licencias

Los ingresos por franquicia y licencia representaron $ 94 millones en el año fiscal 2023.

Flujo de ingresos	Cantidad ($ m)
Ventas digitales	3,070
Servicios de catering	412
Ventas de tarjetas de regalo	568
Franquicia/licencia	94

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Canvas Business Model: Value Propositions

You're looking at the core reasons why Darden Restaurants, Inc. keeps winning in a tough market, right around the end of fiscal year 2025. It's about delivering specific value to different diners, which you can see clearly in the numbers.

Value-focused casual dining with unlimited offerings (Olive Garden).

Olive Garden continues to be the engine, showing strong demand even when consumers are cautious. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, Olive Garden same-restaurant sales grew by an impressive 6.9%. For the full fiscal year 2025, the brand delivered 1.7% same-restaurant sales growth, contributing significantly to the total. The brand operates 935 locations as of May 25, 2025. The value proposition is reinforced by its off-premise success; delivery made up about 3.5% of Olive Garden's total sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, and overall off-premise sales grew nearly 20% over the prior year.

High-quality, consistent steakhouse experience at a casual price point (LongHorn Steakhouse).

LongHorn Steakhouse shows strong execution on its value promise, often leading the segment growth. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, LongHorn Steakhouse same-restaurant sales were up 6.7%. For the full fiscal year 2025, this brand achieved 5.1% same-restaurant sales growth. Darden operated 591 LongHorn Steakhouse locations as of May 25, 2025. This brand's performance suggests consumers see it as a reliable, affordable indulgence.

Here's a quick look at how the major segments performed in same-restaurant sales for the last reported quarter of fiscal 2025:

Brand Segment	Q4 Fiscal 2025 Same-Restaurant Sales Change
Olive Garden	6.9%
LongHorn Steakhouse	6.7%
Consolidated Darden	4.6%

Upscale, experiential fine dining for affluent consumers (The Capital Grille, Ruth's Chris).

The Fine Dining segment, which includes The Capital Grille and Ruth's Chris Steak House, faced headwinds in the latter part of fiscal 2025, indicating that even affluent consumers pulled back slightly on experiential spending. The segment posted a same-restaurant sales decline of (3.3)% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. For the full fiscal year 2025, the segment saw a (3.0)% decline in same-restaurant sales. Still, the company is committed to this portfolio, having authorized a new share repurchase program of up to $1 billion, signaling confidence in its overall cash flow generation.

Portfolio diversity that hedges against economic and consumer taste shifts.

Darden Restaurants, Inc.'s portfolio diversity is a key value driver, evident in the varied segment performances. Total sales for the full fiscal year 2025 reached $12.1 billion, a 6.0% increase over fiscal 2024, despite the Fine Dining softness. The company operated 2,159 restaurants as of May 25, 2025, spanning multiple price points and cuisines, including 181 Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen locations and the recently acquired Chuy's Tex Mex restaurants. This diversity helps stabilize overall results. The commitment to shareholder returns, a reflection of this stable model, is seen in the quarterly cash dividend being increased by 7.1% to $1.50 per share.

Seamless off-premise experience via ToGo and delivery.

The focus on making the experience portable is a clear value-add. Olive Garden's delivery check size is currently 20% higher than traditional small order takeout, which helps lift average transaction value. The company is actively investing in this area, with Olive Garden achieving a nearly 20% increase in takeout sales year-over-year in the last quarter. The rollout of delivery, such as the Uber Direct partnership, is a tangible step in meeting modern consumer convenience demands.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Relationships

You're looking at how Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) keeps its guests coming back, which is really the engine for their $12,076.7 million in total sales for fiscal year 2025. The relationship strategy hinges on balancing that classic, high-touch dining experience with modern convenience.

High-touch, in-restaurant service model focused on guest satisfaction.

The core relationship is built on the floor of the restaurant. When you look at the operational execution, it translates directly into guest perception. For instance, LongHorn Steakhouse achieved an all-time high for steaks grilled correctly, which is a concrete measure of in-restaurant execution that builds trust. This focus supports the overall portfolio, which saw consolidated same-restaurant sales growth of 4.6% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. Even with economic shifts, the major brands show consistent strength:

• Olive Garden same-restaurant sales (FY2025 Q4): 6.9%
• LongHorn Steakhouse same-restaurant sales (FY2025 Q4): 6.7%
• Fine Dining same-restaurant sales (FY2025 Q4): 6.7%

The sheer scale of the in-restaurant presence is significant, with 2,159 restaurants owned and operated in the United States and Canada as of May 25, 2025, including 935 Olive Garden locations and 591 LongHorn Steakhouse locations.

Digital and mobile ordering for convenient ToGo and delivery orders.

Convenience is now table stakes, and Darden Restaurants has pushed hard on off-premises channels. Olive Garden's off-premises sales surged 20% year-over-year in a recent period. The digital relationship is being cemented through delivery partnerships; Olive Garden completed the rollout of Uber Direct delivery across nearly all its locations. This focus on digital access is paying off, as delivery orders generally carry higher average checks than curbside pickup orders. The investment in this channel is clear, with adjusted diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations hitting $1.97 in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

Brand-specific value promotions to drive traffic and perceived value.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. uses targeted promotions to manage traffic flow and perceived value, especially with its largest brand. Olive Garden, which contributes approximately 40% of quarterly revenue, successfully reintroduced its 'Buy One Take One' promotion, priced at $14.99 for a second meal to take home. This specific value play boosted Olive Garden sales by 6.9% and widened its sales advantage over the broader casual dining industry by 450 basis points. The focus on value is a recurring theme, as seen in LongHorn Steakhouse's continued outperformance, driven by the promise of reasonably priced quality meat.

You can see how these relationship drivers impact sales momentum across quarters:

Metric (Same-Restaurant Sales)	FY2025 Q2	FY2025 Q3	FY2025 Q4	FY2026 Q1
Consolidated Darden	2.4%	0.7%	4.6%	4.7%
Olive Garden	2.0%	0.6%	6.9%	5.9%
LongHorn Steakhouse	7.5%	2.6%	6.7%	5.5%

Standardized operational excellence across all brands (brilliant with the basics).

Operational consistency underpins the entire relationship structure. This commitment to the basics allows for efficient execution, even when integrating new concepts. For example, the introduction of smaller restaurant prototypes for Yard House and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen has successfully reduced construction costs by approximately 15% while maintaining brand essence. This efficiency helps maintain margin health, which was 18.9% for the restaurant-level EBITDA margin in the first quarter of fiscal 2026. The company's full-year fiscal 2025 diluted net earnings per share was $8.86.

• Total capital spending planned for fiscal 2026: $700 million to $750 million.
• New restaurant openings planned for fiscal 2026: 60 to 65.
• FY2025 total dividends declared per share: $5.60.

The focus on disciplined execution across the portfolio of 10 major brands is what keeps the guest relationship strong enough to support a new share repurchase authorization of up to $1 billion. Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Canvas Business Model: Channels

You're looking at how Darden Restaurants, Inc. gets its food and experiences to the customer, which is a mix of old-school real estate and modern digital reach. It's a multi-pronged approach, really.

The core channel remains the company-owned physical restaurant locations. As of the end of fiscal year 2025, which concluded on May 25, 2025, Darden Restaurants, Inc. owned and operated 2,159 restaurants across the United States and Canada. This massive footprint is the primary way they serve nearly 360 million guests annually.

The unit count breaks down across their key brands, showing where the volume is:

• Olive Garden: 935 locations.
• LongHorn Steakhouse: 591 locations.
• Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen: 181 locations.

Growth in this channel for fiscal 2025 included the addition of 103 net company-owned Chuy's restaurants and 25 other net new restaurants, totaling 128 net company-owned additions for the year.

For the fiscal 2026 outlook, Darden planned for continued physical expansion, guiding for new restaurant openings between 60 and 65 units.

Darden uses direct digital platforms-their websites and apps-to handle ToGo and catering orders. While specific digital sales percentages aren't broken out for every channel, the overall digital engagement is clearly important for driving incremental revenue. For instance, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, delivery fees themselves contributed a small boost of about 4% to their average check size for that quarter. This shows the direct transactional value of their digital ordering capabilities, whether fulfilled in-house or via partners.

The use of third-party delivery services is integrated into their digital strategy. The data point showing that delivery fees added about 4% to the average check size in Q4 2025 suggests a measurable financial impact from these off-premise channels. You can see the scale of the company's owned vs. franchised operations in this table as of May 25, 2025:

Channel Type	Unit Count (as of May 25, 2025)	Geographic Scope
Company-Owned Restaurants	2,159	United States and Canada
Franchised Restaurants	154	International (Latin America, Asia, Middle East, Caribbean) and US Airports
Total Restaurants (Owned + Franchise)	2,313 (Approximate)	Global

The international franchise network is a key growth lever outside of the core U.S. and Canada operations. As of May 25, 2025, Darden had 154 franchised restaurants. The company is actively expanding this channel, announcing new development agreements for 40 Olive Garden locations in India and another 40 Olive Garden locations in Spain, plus 6 Capital Grille locations in Asia. Furthermore, Darden is repositioning its Canadian Olive Garden market by transitioning locations to franchise ownership under a new agreement to open 30 additional restaurants there over the next decade. This focus on franchising allows Darden to scale its recognizable brands into new territories with local partners who have established operational experience.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Segments

You're looking at how Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) divides up its dining public across its portfolio, which is key to understanding their $12.1 billion in total sales for fiscal year 2025. The company serves a broad base, but the segments break down by income level and dining occasion.

Core Casual Diners: Middle-income families seeking value (Olive Garden, LongHorn)

This group forms the volume backbone of Darden Restaurants, Inc. Olive Garden, the largest chain, is the primary draw for this segment, contributing an estimated 43% of total revenue in fiscal year 2025, which equates to $5.21 billion. LongHorn Steakhouse is the second pillar, with sales reaching $3.03 billion in fiscal 2025. These brands target trade areas with a median household income around $69.0K to $70.1K. Still, executives noted that lower-income consumers, specifically those earning below $75,000 annually, showed reduced spending habits across the portfolio in early 2025.

Here's a look at the scale of these core brands as of May 25, 2025:

Brand	FY2025 Q4 Sales (Millions USD)	FY2025 Full Year Same-Restaurant Sales Growth	Company-Owned Locations (as of May 25, 2025)
Olive Garden	$1,381	1.7%	935
LongHorn Steakhouse	$834	5.1%	591

The focus here is on delivering perceived value; for example, Olive Garden ran a 'buy one, take one' pasta promotion starting at $14.99 during Q4 2025.

Affluent Consumers: High-income individuals for fine dining (Ruth\'s Chris, The Capital Grille)

This segment seeks premium experiences, primarily through the Fine Dining segment, which includes The Capital Grille and Ruth's Chris Steak House. While this group is generally less sensitive to minor economic shifts than lower-income diners, the segment did experience headwinds, reporting a 5.8% decline in same-restaurant performance in Q2 of fiscal 2025. However, the full fiscal year 2025 same-restaurant sales for the entire Fine Dining segment finished positive at 5.1%. The Q4 2025 sales for the combined Fine Dining segment were $335 million.

The company noted that lower-income households earning below $75,000 annually showed a particularly pronounced decrease in transactions within this fine-dining category.

Specialty/Experiential Diners: Younger, higher-income groups (Yard House, Chuy\'s)

Darden Restaurants, Inc. targets younger, often higher-income diners through brands like Yard House and the recently acquired Tex-Mex chain, Chuy's. Yard House demonstrates strong appeal to this demographic, boasting a trade area median household income of $82.6K, which is notably higher than the core casual brands. This group showed strong momentum in Q2 2025, with Yard House posting a 6.2% increase in overall visits and a 4.3% gain in same-store visits. Chuy's results are folded into the Other Business segment, which saw a substantial 22.5% surge in sales in Q3 2025, largely due to its inclusion.

• Yard House Same-Store Visits (Q2 2025): 4.3% increase.
• Yard House Trade Area Median HH Income: $82.6K.
• Chuy\'s acquisition added 103 new restaurants in fiscal 2025.

Corporate and Group Customers: Catering and private dining events

This segment is served through private dining rooms and catering options available across the portfolio, most prominently at the Fine Dining concepts and larger casual locations like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse. While Darden Restaurants, Inc. does not typically report a specific revenue line item for catering or private dining events separate from total segment sales, the high average check and business-focused atmosphere of brands like The Capital Grille and Ruth's Chris are designed to capture corporate expense accounts and celebrations. The total number of Darden-operated restaurants across all brands stood at 2,159 as of May 25, 2025, providing a wide physical footprint to service group needs.

Here's a summary of the segment structure that serves these customers:

Segment Name	Key Brands Representing Segment	FY2025 Q4 Sales (Millions USD)
Fine Dining	Ruth\'s Chris, The Capital Grille, Eddie V\'s	$335
Other Business	Yard House, Chuy\'s (includes group/catering potential)	$722

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Canvas Business Model: Cost Structure

You're looking at the major drains on Darden Restaurants, Inc.'s bottom line, which is what cost structure is all about. It's a mix of variable costs that move with sales and big fixed investments in the business.

Dominant Variable Costs: Food, Beverage, and Labor

The biggest recurring costs are what you'd expect: the ingredients and the people serving them. For the fiscal year ending May 25, 2025, Darden Restaurants, Inc. reported that Food and beverage costs actually decreased as a percent of sales, thanks to pricing leverage and cost savings, though inflation was a headwind. Similarly, Restaurant labor costs also decreased as a percent of sales for that same period, driven by sales leverage and productivity, despite inflation. However, the near-term pressure is clear; comparing Q1 2026 to Q1 2025, Food and beverage costs jumped 9.7% and labor costs rose 11.1% year-over-year, showing inflation is definitely biting now.

The way Darden measures profitability at the restaurant level (Segment Profit) excludes non-cash real estate related expenses, meaning rent and depreciation aren't in that core operating metric.

Capital Expenditures for Growth

Darden Restaurants, Inc. commits significant capital to expanding its footprint. The plan for capital expenditures to build new restaurants, remodel existing ones, and fund technology initiatives for fiscal 2025 was approximately $650 million. For fiscal 2026, the total capital spending outlook is set between $700 million and $750 million.

Centralized Corporate Overhead

Centralized corporate functions drive General and Administrative (G&A) expenses. Darden Restaurants, Inc.'s annual SG&A expenses for the full fiscal year 2025 were reported as $0.69 billion. Looking at a specific period, for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 (ended November 24, 2024), General and administrative expenses were $25.0 million.

Acquisition and Integration Costs

Strategic moves, like the acquisition of Chuy's Holdings, Inc., introduce one-time, non-recurring costs. For fiscal 2025, Darden Restaurants, Inc. expected approximately $47 million, pre-tax, in transaction and integration related costs associated with the Chuy's acquisition. The total enterprise value for the Chuy's acquisition itself was approximately $605 million.

Occupancy Costs and Real Estate Portfolio

The cost of the extensive real estate portfolio is a major fixed component. While a specific total occupancy cost isn't explicitly stated, the impact of the real estate base is reflected in depreciation. For the six months ended November 24, 2024, Depreciation and amortization expenses increased as a percent of sales, largely due to the Chuy's acquisition and incremental depreciation on new restaurant assets.

Here's a quick look at how some of these major cost categories compare:

Cost Category	FY2025 Financial Data Point	Amount/Value
Capital Expenditures (New Units/Remodels/Tech)	Fiscal 2025 Total Capital Spending	$650 million
Acquisition & Integration Costs (Chuy's)	Expected Pre-Tax Costs for FY2025	$47 million
General & Administrative (G&A)	Annual SG&A Expense for 2025	$0.69 billion
Food & Beverage Costs	Year-over-Year Inflationary Jump (Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025)	9.7%
Restaurant Labor Costs	Year-over-Year Inflationary Jump (Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025)	11.1%

You can see the pressure points clearly: the fixed investment in growth via CapEx, the one-time hit from acquisitions, and the variable cost inflation in labor and ingredients.

Finance: draft 13-week cash view by Friday

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Canvas Business Model: Revenue Streams

The core of Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) revenue generation comes from the direct sale of food and beverages consumed within its restaurants. This represents the primary revenue stream across its portfolio of iconic brands. However, the company has seen significant growth in its off-premise channels, which include ToGo (takeout), catering, and delivery services across all brands. For instance, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, Olive Garden saw a nearly 20% increase in takeout sales, and its delivery order volumes nearly doubled in the last two weeks of that quarter, showing strong momentum in these ancillary channels.

Total sales reached $12.1 billion for fiscal year 2025. This figure is the aggregate of all company-operated restaurant sales for the period ended May 25, 2025. To give you a clearer picture of the composition of that total revenue, here is a breakdown of the major segment sales for the full fiscal year 2025:

Revenue Source / Segment	Fiscal Year 2025 Sales (in millions)	Percentage of Total Sales (Approximate)
Consolidated Darden Total Sales	$12,076.7	100%
Olive Garden Sales	$5,212.9	43.17%
LongHorn Steakhouse Sales	$3,025.5	25.05%
Fine Dining Sales	$1,304.8	10.81%
Other Business Sales (including Chuy's)	$2,533.5	20.98%

Olive Garden contributed $5.21 billion, which accounts for approximately 43% of the total sales in FY2025. The Other Business segment, which includes Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, and the recently acquired Chuy's, accounted for $2,533.5 million in sales for the full year.

A secondary, though less significant, revenue stream involves franchise fees and royalties derived from international operations and domestic franchise agreements. Darden Restaurants, Inc. has area development, franchise, and license agreements for brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse in regions spanning the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East as of May 25, 2025. However, the income derived from these franchise arrangements, including royalty income, is explicitly stated as not material to the consolidated financial statements.

You can see the key drivers of the revenue base here:

• Primary revenue source is in-restaurant food and beverage sales.
• Total FY2025 sales reached $12,076.7 million.
• Olive Garden accounted for $5,212.9 million in FY2025 sales.
• Off-premise sales channels, like delivery, showed accelerated growth in Q4 FY2025.
• Franchise fees and royalties are generated internationally but are not material to total revenue.