Darden plans 65 new restaurants for 2026, Olive Garden to lead with 18 locations
Parent company expands across Olive Garden and other brands as sales rise and the dining industry shifts toward value and scale
Darden Restaurants on Friday unveiled plans to open 65 new restaurants in the 2026 fiscal year, which runs from May 2025 to May 2026. Of the total openings, 18 are slated for Olive Garden, and LongHorn Steakhouse is also set to add 18 locations. The expansion would bring the company’s footprint to about 2,100 locations across its brands, which also include The Capital Grille, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, Chuy’s and more.
Among the 65 openings, the Olive Garden and LongHorn additions each account for 18 locations, with the remaining deals spread across Darden’s other brands, according to executives during an earnings call last week. Darden said it has already opened 22 new spots in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, when accounting for closures.
Total sales at Darden rose 10.4 percent to $3.0 billion, helped by a 4.7 percent increase in same-restaurant sales and by the company’s acquisition of 103 Chuy’s locations, along with 22 new openings.
Darden CEO Rick Cardenas noted that the results reflect progress under the company’s strategy and the portfolio’s four competitive advantages, with continued emphasis on operational basics and scale to position brands for long-term growth.
Olive Garden has long been a core driver for Darden. The chain, known for its breadsticks and Italian-American menu, ceded its top-slot in 2024 after seven years atop U.S. revenue rankings to Texas Roadhouse, which posted about $5.5 billion in sales across roughly 650 locations. Olive Garden, with nearly 1,000 restaurants, reported about $5.2 billion in U.S. sales in 2024, up about 8.8 percent, while adding 15 locations.
In a nod to promotions amid the expansion, Olive Garden reintroduced the Never Ending Pasta Bowl at $13.99 as menu prices have risen across the industry. The National Restaurant Association notes price inflation has driven menu prices up roughly 30 percent since 2020, and pasta remains a relatively low-cost, high-satisfaction option for many diners.
The broader sector has faced disruption, with bankruptcy filings by brands such as TGI Fridays, Red Lobster, Hooters, Bertucci’s and On The Border in recent years. Bahama Breeze, another Darden brand, shut 15 locations in May after a sharp earnings decline, leaving about 29 restaurants open in the U.S. The industry has been characterized by a mix of openings and closures, underscoring a challenging operating environment for casual-dining chains.
Darden’s planned expansion across its portfolio signals an effort to capitalize on scale and brand diversification to meet demand from households seeking value and quality dining. Executives noted the growth would be funded within the framework of the company’s broader growth strategy and balance-sheet discipline.