ohammed's
Posted on 10/20/2010 10:50:41 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Never-ending pasta bowls and Cheddar Bay biscuits are on their way to the Middle East.
Orlando-based Darden Restaurants on Tuesday revealed plans to open Red Lobsters, Olive Gardens and LongHorn Steakhouses in seven Middle Eastern countries.
It will be Darden's first foray into international territory other than in Canada, where Darden operates some restaurants, and Japan, where a separate company runs 25 Red Lobsters.
Darden has an agreement with Americana Group, which will develop at least 60 restaurants in Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates during the next five years. The first should open within a year.
More international deals are expected, Darden executives said Tuesday. Those could include restaurants in Mexico, where the company is talking with several potential partners.
Darden, which has more than 1,800 restaurants and annual revenues of $7.1 billion, is following the lead of other chains that already have established a presence in the region. Americana, a major franchiser, has operated restaurants for KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee's, Krispy Kreme and TGI Friday's.
The business of setting up shop in the Middle East is "growing by leaps and bounds," said Alisa Harrison, vice president of communications for the International Franchise Association.
Darden said it's not worried about security issues. Industry experts said that many of the countries into which Darden is expanding are stable and that in some of the more volatile areas, restaurant companies rely on partners who pick safer neighborhoods with tight security.
With slower growth expected in the United States casual-dining market, "we're being more aggressive about looking for growth opportunities" elsewhere, said J.J. Buettgen, Darden's senior vice president of new business development.
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
They should set up a bbq joint over there.
But seriously, they have some of the best food in the world. Who would want crappy ol Olive Garden?
ohammed's
Well, just a few more restaurants for Hammas, the muslim bro-hoodies,and the jihad to target.
The security costs for these chains, and the insurance involved will evolve to be phenomenal.
Someone has a few loose screws at corporate HQ.
“Wanted, short order cooks and waitpersons with fire arms training.” /s
Dine with US, We Shoot First ! ( Explosives Sniffing Dogs at each location 24/7)/s
YESSSSsssss!
BBQ pork ribs!!!
Just don't bring up what TGI Friday means...
How does one eat Olive Garden spagetti through the mesh in your burqa?
Doomed to failure!
Wouldn’t that be TAI Friday’s
I thought it was a sin for Muslims to eat lobster?
'Fat Boys' would be a start.
Since the early fifties, what amounts to two thirds of US corporations do not pay taxes, they keep their overseas profits overseas, create jobs overseas.
The expansion of the Olive Garden, etc. may not be expected to benefit the US at all financially.
Since the early fifties, what amounts to two thirds of US corporations do not pay taxes, they keep their overseas profits overseas, create jobs overseas.
The expansion of the Olive Garden, etc. may not be expected to benefit the US at all financially.
So go for the bottomless bowl of soup instead, you should...
As US restaurants go muslim, so will the food suppliers. Imam only trust muslim vendors to offer “halal” products.
Aren’t Muslims (and the Jewish) forbidden from eating lobster, crab, shrimp, etc?
And Mexico? Food is one thing Mexico does right, how could there possibly be a market for bland US chain restaurants there?
Give me a break. We're talking about restaurants here. There are only so many that the market will support in the US.It may seem like there's a McDonald's on every corner here, but that's not the case. Why not take advantage of new markets?
BTW, any American can buy stock in Darden and reap the benefits of overseas expansion.
I think as Muslims go American, they will change a lot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.