Olive Garden Owner Darden Restaurants Warns on 3rd Quarter (Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse)

AOL Daily Finance / The Associated Press ^ | February 22, 2013

[2ndDivisionVet]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Darden Restaurants (DRI), struggling to draw more customers into its Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants, said Friday that its third-quarter profit could fall below Wall Street's expectations and cut its outlook for the year.

The Orlando, Fla.-based chain has tried to revamp menus and marketing for its flagship chains. But revenue at Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse locations open at least one year is expected to fall 4.5 percent in the quarter ending Feb. 24, indicating those efforts have yet to pay off...

[Ouderkirk]

With the family (kids are 7 & 5) so can’t go to the bar.

The service in all of the “chains” are abysmal. I no longer go to them...ever.

I have found much better at locally owned/operated restaurants where the owner is in the house every night and comes to every table.

When I travel on business I ask the folks I am working with where to eat.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Of course, federal employees, government contractors, retired feds, politicians, academics, lobbyists, diplomats, military and much more. The rest of the country isn't so thick with bureaucrats and hangers on. We have this thing called “profit & loss” and actually having to produce something of benefit.

[trisham]

That’s a good question. I believe that he was a supporter of Michelle’s push to change school lunches in Obama’s first term, but it’s difficult to say how he feels now. I will say that if Obama decides that it behooves him to “save” Darden Restaurants, he will do so, by any means necessary.

[surroundedbyblue]

Wasn’t Darden up Obummer’s bum? If I recall, they were big proponents of his & they’re large corporate donors of Planned Parenthood.

Looks like their chickens are coming home to roost. No sympathy here.

[aomagrat]

The last time I went to Olive Garden my food was steaming hot on the outside and frozen solid on the inside. I didn’t want to send it back because I don’t like bodily fluids in my food. That was over 10 years ago and I haven’t been back since.

[rbg81]

We like both Olive Garden and Red Lobster. We’ve noticed that the quality of food has been declining at many restaurants lately. However, OG and RL have been consistently good without raising prices. Maybe they are paying the price for that now?

[pennyfarmer]

How did you even get served? Last two times I tried to eat at Olive Garden I didn’t get served. First time at least we got drinks. I think 20-30 minutes for a server to come to the table is too long to wait. I don’t know how long it was going to take but I know how long I was willing to give them a chance.

Red Lobster? Gag me with a spoon. Expensive food with absolutely no atmosphere. Well unless you call screaming kids atmosphere.

If Longhorn is anything like those two restaurants then that is on my no dine list also.

[Terry Mross]

Interesting. I haven’t eaten at a Texas Roadhouse in years. I thought the food sucked and was way overpriced. About a month ago I ate at a Longhorn in Texarkana and the food was great. I went to an Olive Garden on Veteran’s Day. The food was good but their salad is the best.

[BobL]

“That’s a good question. I believe that he was a supporter of Michelle’s push to change school lunches in Obama’s first term, but it’s difficult to say how he feels now.”

More than that - I believe that Olive Garden changed their menu to “align” with Michelle’s wishes. I’ve eaten there once, it was Never Ending Pasta Bowl, and I didn’t notice a difference (still never-ending salad and bread sticks too). But I suspect that a lot of people were put off. I know I won’t go there anymore, except for that special, which is like once a year.

[Wiser now]

I don’t know where this is supposedly happening. In the Dayton Oh area there is almost always a wait for a table at all of these restaurants, even on a Monday evening.

[GeronL]

Rename it Obama Garden and Michele Lobster and see if customers don’t pack into them.

[leaning conservative]

I agree! We eat all local because we have such great locally owned restaurants. They actually care as opposed to most chains. ( I will crave fast food ocassionally, don’t get me wrong)

[VeniVidiVici]

The OGs and Longhorns around Columbia SC have always been very good

Darden bought the Longhorn chain not too long ago. I actually enjoy going there now. I, too, swore off Red Lobster years ago but my mom wanted to go last week so we went. I have to admit the food was pretty good and the service was excellent.

The place was packed and our food came in a timely manner. One reason I didn't mind going to this Red Lobster in Melbourne, FL when my mom asked me to is that it is ALWAYS packed. Folks are always waiting outside when I drive by. I figured the place must be pretty decent if it always has a line.

[Carriage Hill]

Texas Roadhouse is far better for prime rib roasts and steaks. JMO.

[jonrick46]

Yours are my sentiments exactly.

This sequester situation will be the GOP's next test. It is the same situation that happened with Newt during the United States federal government shutdown of 1995 and 1996. The DemonRATs and their lap boys, the media, showed boy scouts shut out of the National Air and Space Museum. This and many other tricks turned the shutdown into a sob story to portray the GOP effort as a form of blackmail using poor Americans in their fight against Clinton on taxation. In fact, the GOP was so much maligned by the media that Bob Dole lost to Bill Clinton, giving him a second term. I am sure Boehner remembers the shutdown episode when he was then, the fourth man in power in Congress. You think Boehner would have figured out how to out smart the DemonRAT tricks

What I see is the same exact template being played. The DemonRATs know the playbook and will rope Boehner and the Republicans into the same fate as they did in 1996. This time it will cause the DemonRATs to regain control of Congress.

The "cry baby" campaign against Boehner is exactly what they did to Newt. They are using the exact strategy:

[ill duce]

Gas or Lobster? Hmmm

[beaversmom]

Every time my mom and I go into an Olive Garden or Red Lobster they are always doing pretty good business...even on a week night. One restaurant around here that is always very busy is Texas Roadhouse.

[Secret Agent Man]

should this not be reported as “unexpected”?

i mean, with obamacare saving us all so much money, and with all the unemployment checks going out that Pelosi says are good because they stimulate the economy, i would think people are eating at Red Lobster every night of the week.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Only if they take food stamps or meth money.

[SeaHawkFan]

I much prefer Texas Roadhouse. Great food, well prepared, great service, and consistency - every TR I’ve patronized has been splendid.

The rolls with honey cinnamon butter are awesome. Spring Creek BBQ isn't as good, but their rolls are the best.