Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI): Modelo de negócios Canvas [Jan-2025 Atualizado]

A Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) se destaca como uma potência culinária, navegando magistralmente no cenário complexo de refeições casuais através de um modelo de negócios estrategicamente criado que combina perfeitamente diversas marcas de restaurantes, tecnologia inovadora e experiências centradas no cliente. Desde o amado Olive Garden até a churrascaria escaldante Longhorn, este gigante do restaurante aperfeiçoou a arte de oferecer opções de refeições consistentes e acessíveis que atendem a milhões de americanos em diferentes segmentos demográficos, transformando a maneira como pensamos em experiências de restaurantes familiares na dinâmica de hoje indústria de serviços de alimentação.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negócios: Parcerias -chave

Parcerias de gerenciamento da cadeia de suprimentos de restaurantes

Darden Restaurants mantém parcerias estratégicas com os principais distribuidores de alimentos:

Parceiro	Valor anual do contrato	Volume de fornecimento
Sysco Corporation	US $ 425 milhões	65% do suprimento total de ingredientes de restaurante
US Foods	US $ 275 milhões	35% do suprimento total de ingredientes de restaurante

Parcerias de tecnologia e plataforma digital

Darden colabora com provedores de tecnologia para infraestrutura digital:

• Openizável para reservas on -line
• Oracle Cloud for Enterprise Resource Planning
• Microsoft Azure for Cloud Computing Services

Parcerias de fornecimento de alimentos

Tipo de parceria	Número de fornecedores locais	Porcentagem de ingredientes locais
Agricultores locais	237 fornecedores regionais	42% da compra total de ingredientes

Parcerias de serviço de entrega

Parceiro de entrega	Volume anual de pedidos	Participação de receita
Doordash	8,3 milhões de pedidos	15% Comissão
Uber come	5,7 milhões de pedidos	Comissão de 18%

Parcerias de marketing e publicidade

Darden se envolve com agências de marketing especializadas:

• Publicis Groupe para campanhas nacionais de publicidade
• Digitas para estratégias de marketing digital
• WPP para posicionamento global da marca

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negócios: Atividades -chave

Operações e gerenciamento de restaurantes

A Darden Restaurants opera 1.868 restaurantes totais em maio de 2023, com a seguinte quebra da marca:

Marca de restaurante	Número de locais
Olive Garden	849
Longhorn Steakhouse	598
Cozinha de arranhões de Cheddar	178
Capital Grille	61
Outras marcas	182

Desenvolvimento de menu e inovação culinária

Investimento anual em pesquisa e desenvolvimento de menus: US $ 12,5 milhões

• Novos itens de menu introduzidos anualmente: 15-20 em marcas de restaurantes
• Tamanho da equipe de inovação culinária: 37 chefs profissionais
• Tempo médio para desenvolver e testar novo Menu Item: 6-8 meses

Marketing de marca e aprimoramento da experiência do cliente

Despesas de marketing no ano fiscal de 2023: US $ 308,4 milhões

Canal de marketing	Porcentagem de orçamento
Marketing digital	42%
Mídia tradicional	33%
Campanhas de mídia social	15%
Eventos promocionais	10%

Coordenação da cadeia de suprimentos

Orçamento anual da cadeia de suprimentos: US $ 624 milhões

• Número de fornecedores de alimentos diretos: 273
• Porcentagem de ingredientes de origem local: 28%
• Alvo de melhoria da eficiência da cadeia de suprimentos: 4,5% anualmente

Integração de tecnologia digital e sistemas de pedidos on -line

Investimento de tecnologia digital em 2023: US $ 87,6 milhões

Plataforma digital	Porcentagem de vendas digitais
Pedidos de aplicativos móveis	37%
Pedidos de site	28%
Entrega de terceiros	35%

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negócios: Recursos -chave

Portfólio de marcas de restaurantes diversificados

A partir de 2024, a Darden Restaurants opera as seguintes marcas de restaurantes:

Marca	Número de restaurantes	Receita anual (2023)
Olive Garden	854	US $ 3,8 bilhões
Longhorn Steakhouse	592	US $ 2,1 bilhões
Cozinha de arranhões de Cheddar	178	US $ 815 milhões

Equipes de culinária e gerenciamento qualificadas

Darden emprega aproximadamente 185.000 funcionários no total de suas marcas de restaurantes.

• Experiência média de gerenciamento de restaurantes: 8,5 anos
• Investimento anual de treinamento: US $ 42 milhões
• Equipe de liderança corporativa com mais de 15 anos de experiência no setor

Extensa rede imobiliária de restaurantes

Detalhes de propriedades e arrendamento imobiliários:

Métrica de propriedade	Valor
Locais totais de restaurantes	1,624
Propriedades de propriedade	38%
Propriedades arrendadas	62%
Investimento imobiliário anual	US $ 215 milhões

Reconhecimento da marca e lealdade do cliente

• Membros do programa de fidelidade do cliente: 26 milhões
• Frequência média de visita ao cliente: 3,2 vezes por mês
• Taxa de engajamento digital: 42% do total de vendas

Infraestrutura de tecnologia digital

Investimento de tecnologia e recursos:

Área de tecnologia	Investimento	Capacidades -chave
Plataforma digital	US $ 87 milhões	Pedidos móveis, sistema de reserva
Análise de dados	US $ 42 milhões	Insights de comportamento do cliente
Infraestrutura de TI	US $ 65 milhões	Sistemas de gerenciamento de restaurantes baseados em nuvem

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negócios: proposições de valor

Diversificados conceitos de refeições que atendem a diferentes preferências do cliente

Darden Restaurants opera várias marcas de restaurantes com proposições de valor distintas:

Marca de restaurante	Receita anual (2023)	Número de locais
Olive Garden	US $ 3,84 bilhões	874
Longhorn Steakhouse	US $ 2,16 bilhões	572
Cozinha de arranhões de Cheddar	US $ 1,12 bilhão	169
Capital Grille	US $ 534 milhões	61

Qualidade consistente de alimentos e refeições familiares acessíveis

Métricas -chave demonstrando proposição de valor:

• Verificação média por pessoa no Olive Garden: $ 19,50
• Verificação média por pessoa na Longhorn Steakhouse: US $ 24,75
• Classificação de satisfação do cliente: 4.2/5
• Taxa repetida do cliente: 62%

Opções convenientes de pedidos e entrega on -line

Desempenho de pedidos digitais em 2023:

• Vendas digitais: US $ 1,2 bilhão
• Porcentagem do total de vendas de canais digitais: 22%
• Valor médio do pedido digital: $ 45,30
• Downloads de aplicativos móveis: 3,4 milhões

Ofertas de menu personalizáveis

Marca	Opções de personalização de menu	Acomodações especiais de dieta
Olive Garden	12 opções de personalização de massas	Opções vegetarianas sem glúten
Longhorn Steakhouse	8 métodos de preparação de bife	Seleções com baixo teor de carboidratos e ceto

Ambientes de restaurantes de boas -vindas e confortáveis

Métricas de investimento em ambiente de ambiente:

• Orçamento anual de renovação de restaurantes: US $ 85 milhões
• Custo médio de renovação de restaurantes: US $ 350.000 por local
• Restaurante Interior Redesign Frequência: a cada 5-7 anos
• Classificação de conforto do cliente: 4.3/5

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negócios: relacionamentos com o cliente

Programas de fidelidade nas marcas de restaurantes

Darden Restaurants opera programas de fidelidade em várias marcas:

Marca	Detalhes do programa de fidelidade	Membros ativos
Olive Garden	Programa de recompensas de oliveiras	13,5 milhões de membros ativos
Longhorn Steakhouse	Longhorn Steakhouse Rewards	8,2 milhões de membros ativos
Capital Grille	Capital Grille Rewards	2,3 milhões de membros ativos

Marketing digital personalizado

Métricas de marketing digital para restaurantes Darden:

• Banco de dados de marketing por e -mail: 22,4 milhões de assinantes
• Taxa de conversão de oferta personalizada: 14,6%
• Downloads de aplicativos móveis: 6,7 milhões

Engajamento ativo da mídia social

Plataforma	Seguidores	Taxa de engajamento
Instagram	1,2 milhão	3.7%
Facebook	2,5 milhões	2.9%
Twitter	450,000	1.8%

Feedback do cliente e melhoria contínua

Métricas de satisfação do cliente:

• Pesquisas anuais de clientes concluídas: 285.000
• Pontuação média de satisfação do cliente: 4,2/5
• Taxa de resposta de revisão on -line: 92%

Experiência consistente de serviço e jantar

Indicadores de qualidade de serviço:

Métrica	Desempenho
Horário médio de treinamento do servidor	42 horas por funcionário
Pontuação de satisfação de compras misteriosas	8.7/10
Tempo de rotatividade da tabela	45 minutos

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negócios: canais

Locais de restaurantes físicos

A partir de 2024, a Darden Restaurants opera 1.850 locais totais de restaurantes nos Estados Unidos.

Marca de restaurante	Número de locais
Olive Garden	854 restaurantes
Longhorn Steakhouse	570 restaurantes
Cozinha de arranhões de Cheddar	250 restaurantes
Capital Grille	61 restaurantes

Plataformas de pedidos on -line

As vendas digitais representam 8,5% do total de vendas de restaurantes em 2024, com cerca de US $ 425 milhões gerados através de canais on -line.

Aplicativos móveis

• Downloads de aplicativos móveis de Olive Garden: 3,2 milhões de usuários ativos
• Longhorn Steakhouse Mobile App Downloads: 2,1 milhões de usuários ativos
• Frequência média mensal do pedido móvel: 2,7 vezes por usuário

Serviços de entrega de terceiros

As parcerias incluem:

• DOORDASH: 65% do volume de entrega digital de terceiros
• Uber Eats: 22% do volume de entrega digital de terceiros
• GrubHub: 13% do volume de entrega digital de terceiros

Campanhas de marketing direto e promocionais

Canal de marketing	Gasto anual
Marketing digital	US $ 87 milhões
Publicidade tradicional da mídia	US $ 62 milhões
Marketing do Programa de Fidelidade	US $ 41 milhões

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

Mercado de refeições familiares

Darden Restaurants tem como alvo as famílias com uma renda familiar anual de US $ 75.000 a US $ 125.000. As marcas de restaurantes familiares da empresa atendem aproximadamente 400 milhões de convidados anualmente.

Demografia demográfica do cliente	Percentagem
Famílias com crianças menores de 18 anos	42%
Casais	53%
Tamanho médio da família	3.4 pessoas

Consumidores de restaurantes casuais

O segmento casual de jantar de Darden tem como alvo os consumidores de 25 a 54 anos, com uma verificação média de US $ 19,50 por pessoa.

• Frequência média de visita ao restaurante: 2,3 vezes por mês
• Idade média dos consumidores de restaurantes casuais: 38 anos
• Faixa de renda disponível: US $ 50.000 - US $ 95.000 anualmente

Millennials e Gen Z

Darden se concentra em atrair dados demográficos mais jovens por meio de engajamento digital e inovação de menu.

Demográfico	Porcentagem de visitas a restaurantes
Millennials (25-40 anos)	35%
Gen Z (18-24 anos)	22%

Segmento de restaurantes do preço médio

Darden tem como alvo o segmento de restaurantes do preço médio com um preço médio da refeição entre US $ 15 e US $ 25.

• Participação de mercado no segmento do preço médio: 18,5%
• Receita anual de restaurantes do preço médio: US $ 8,2 bilhões
• Número de restaurantes do preço médio Locais: 1.700

Clientes de jantar urbanos e suburbanos

As marcas de restaurantes de Darden servem mercados urbanos e suburbanos nos Estados Unidos.

Tipo de mercado	Locais de restaurantes	Distribuição de clientes
Áreas urbanas	680 locais	38%
Áreas suburbanas	1.020 locais	62%

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negócios: estrutura de custos

Compras de comida e ingrediente

Para o ano fiscal de 2023, os restaurantes de Darden relataram custos de alimentos e bebidas de US $ 3,9 bilhões, representando aproximadamente 31,5% do total de vendas de restaurantes.

Categoria de custo	Despesa anual	Porcentagem de vendas
Ingredientes da proteína	US $ 1,42 bilhão	11.5%
Produzir	US $ 620 milhões	5%
Produtos lácteos	US $ 480 milhões	3.9%

Salários de trabalho e funcionários

No ano fiscal de 2023, os custos totais de mão -de -obra de Darden foram de US $ 4,6 bilhões, representando 37,2% das vendas de restaurantes.

• Salário médio por hora para a equipe de restaurantes: US $ 15,37
• Número total de funcionários: 185.000
• Compensação de gerenciamento: US $ 92,3 milhões

Aluguel e manutenção de restaurantes

As despesas totais de ocupação para o ano fiscal de 2023 foram de US $ 1,1 bilhão.

Tipo de despesa	Custo anual
Aluguel	US $ 780 milhões
Manutenção da instalação	US $ 320 milhões

Despesas de marketing e publicidade

As despesas de marketing para o ano fiscal de 2023 totalizaram US $ 340 milhões.

• Orçamento de marketing digital: US $ 128 milhões
• Publicidade tradicional: US $ 212 milhões

Investimentos de tecnologia e infraestrutura digital

Os investimentos em tecnologia no ano fiscal de 2023 atingiram US $ 215 milhões.

Área de investimento em tecnologia	Gastos anuais
Desenvolvimento da plataforma digital	US $ 95 milhões
Sistemas de ponto de venda	US $ 62 milhões
Segurança cibernética	US $ 58 milhões

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) - Modelo de negócios: fluxos de receita

Vendas de restaurantes para jantar

Para o ano fiscal de 2023, os restaurantes da Darden reportaram vendas totais de US $ 9,61 bilhões. O Olive Garden gerou US $ 4,24 bilhões, a Longhorn Steakhouse produziu US $ 2,05 bilhões e outras marcas de restaurantes contribuíram com US $ 3,32 bilhões em vendas de restaurantes para jantar.

Marca de restaurante	Vendas anuais ($ b)
Olive Garden	4.24
Longhorn Steakhouse	2.05
Outras marcas	3.32

Pedidos de viagem e entrega

As vendas digitais representaram 32% do total de vendas no ano fiscal de 2023, totalizando aproximadamente US $ 3,07 bilhões.

Serviços de catering

As receitas de catering para restaurantes de Darden atingiram US $ 412 milhões no ano fiscal de 2023, impulsionado principalmente pelo programa de catering do Olive Garden.

Vendas de cartões -presente

As vendas de cartões -presente para restaurantes Darden totalizaram US $ 568 milhões no ano fiscal de 2023.

Receitas de franquia e licenciamento

As receitas de franquia e licenciamento representaram US $ 94 milhões no ano fiscal de 2023.

Fluxo de receita	Valor ($ m)
Vendas digitais	3,070
Serviços de catering	412
Vendas de cartões -presente	568
Franquia/licenciamento	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.