Darden Restaurants

DRI

Market cap $24.6B

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) plans to release its fiscal 2026 third quarter financial results before the market opens on Thursday, March 19, 2026.

Looking for a place to take your Valentine's Day date? Many consumers are searching for value this year amid sticky inflation, with Dan Ahrens turning to companies in the food industry he sees leading the charge.

Darden Restaurants said it will permanently shut down 14 of Bahama Breeze's 28 restaurants, while converting the remaining locations into other Darden brands.

Olive Garden parent company Darden Restaurants has announced that it will shut down its Bahama Breeze restaurant chain for good. But in an unusual move, some current Bahama Breeze locations will live on as a different brand, while the remaining stores will close.

The Bahama Breeze restaurant chain is closing, with half of the restaurants being shuttered and the other half converting to parent company Darden's other brands.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) shares traded higher on Tuesday after the company finalized its review of the Bahama Breeze brand.

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Darden Restaurants, Inc. ("Darden") (NYSE: DRI) today announced that it has completed its exploration of strategic alternatives for Bahama Breeze.

Darden Restaurants delivers resilient sales and traffic growth, leveraging brand strength and operational scale despite inflationary pressures. DRI trades at a forward P/E of 18.6, below its 10-year average, offering a 3% dividend yield and consistent share buybacks. Management guides for 9% full-year sales growth, 11% adjusted EPS growth, and continued expansion through new restaurant openings and delivery channels.

Darden Restaurants upgraded to Buy as core brands drive robust same-store sales growth and outperform industry peers. DRI's strategic focus on value over margin, including pricing below inflation, is consolidating market share and enhancing brand loyalty. Uber Direct partnership and lighter menu portions are validated growth drivers, increasing delivery sales and visit frequency among key customer segments.

DRI is riding strong brand sales, new restaurant openings and menu innovation, even as beef inflation and pricing pressure weigh on margins.