...Case Study Analysis: Locating the Next Red Lobster Restaurant Amanda K Passaretti February 7, 2015 Prof. Jonathan Bates BUS520: Operations Management From its first Red Lobster restaurant in 1968, Darden Restaurants has grown the chain to 690 locations, with over $2.6 billion in U.S. sales annually. The casual dining market may be crowded, with competitors such as Chili’s, Ruby Tuesday, Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, and Outback, but Darden’s continuing success means the chain thinks there is still plenty of room to grow. Robert Reiner, director of market development, is charged with identifying the sites that will maximize new store sales without cannibalizing sales at existing Red Lobster locations. Characteristics for identifying a good site have not changed in forty years; they still include real estate prices, customer age, competition, ethnicity, income, family size, population density, nearby hotels, and buying behavior, to name just a few. What has changed is the powerful software that allows Reiner to analyze a new site in five minutes, as opposed to the eight hours it took just a few years ago. Darden has partnered with MapInfo Corporation, whose geographic information system (GIS) contains a powerful module for analyzing a trade area. With the U.S. geocoded down to the individual block, MapInfo allows Reiner to create a psychographic profile of existing and potential Red Lobster trade areas. “We can now target areas with greatest sales potential,” says Reiner. The...
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...Darden Incorporated has begun to stand out in the last few years for their customer service and fair prices. In 2007, LongHorn was labeled as a Darden company. In early 2014 there were 464 LongHorn restaurants nationwide and projected to grow. When Longhorn joined Darden Inc., this created $1.38 billion in sales for Darden Inc. Darden’s mission. Darden’s mission statement is to be financially successful through great people consistently delivering great food and drinks, great service and making every guest. The Longhorn vision statement aims to maintain a safe, consistent environment by promoting dependable staff that communicates regularly to make trauma informed decisions. Lastly, the core value is that Longhorn wants to treat each other...
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...Company Name: Darden Restaurants Inc. Website: http://darden.com/ Industry: Restaurant Background and History: Darden Restaurants Inc. was founded in 1938 by Bill Darden. At the time, Bill was just nineteen years old and opened his first restaurant called the Green Frog. It was a small restaurant, a twenty-five seat luncheonette, in Waycross, Georgia. It promised to give “service with a hop.” Thirty years later after the success of the Green Frog, Bill Darden and Charley Woodsby opened the first Red Lobster in Lakeland, Florida. A few years later in 1975, Bill Darden mentored his good friend Joe R. Lee who became the first president of Red Lobster. Twenty years later Joe R. Lee was named the first Chairman and CEO of Darden Restaurants. Today, Red Lobster is the largest full service seafood dining company in the world serving nearly three million people a week. In 1982, George McKerrow opened the first Longhorn Steakhouse in Atlanta, Georgia. The restaurant became famous when it remained opened during a very severe and infamous snowstorm offering $1.00 beers and food specials. Travelers who unfortunately got stuck and couldn’t make it home sought refuge in Longhorn. They were won over by great steaks, and hospitality leading Longhorn to become a huge success. By 2007, Darden celebrated the addition of the Longhorn Steakhouse brand to the company. Also in 1982, the first Olive Garden opened in Orlando, Florida. It was originally part of the General Mills Company...
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...Yum! Brands Yum! Brands started out as Tricon Global Restaurants in 1997 as the result of a separation from PepsiCo, and became owners of the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell brand names worldwide. Yum! Brands is now a Fortune 500 company based out of Louisville, Kentucky and the world’s largest restaurant company in the world in terms of system restaurants. With over 37,000 restaurants in over 110 countries, Yum! Brands dominates four sectors of the quick-service food industry: Mexican with the Taco Bell name, chicken with the world famous Kentucky Fried Chicken brand, pizza with the Pizza Hut chain, and seafood with their Long John Silver’s restaurants. Yum! Brands also owns A&W Restaurants, the longest running franchise chain in the United States, and the world's largest delivery wing chain, WingStreet Restaurants. In their traditional form, units feature dine-in, takeout and, and drive-thru or delivery of fast service food items. Non-traditional units include “express” units and kiosks with limited selections on the menu. These venues are located in non-traditional locations for convenience and practicality, such shopping malls, airport terminals, gasoline service stations, sport centers and stadiums, recreational and amusement parks, convenience stores and colleges and universities (Yum! Brand “Our Brands”). Geographic Sectors Yum! Brands operations include three major segments: a) The United States b) China, Thailand and Taiwan and c) International. Although domestic...
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...6 – Darden Restaurants: Balancing Standardization and Differentiation 1. Use the full spectrum of segmentation variables, describe how Darden segments and target the sit-down dining market? Psychographic Segmentation is represented by Olive Garden’s plan to build a dining experience around the concept of a fabled Italian family. Olive Garden’s marketing team learned that a primary customer insight shows that customers are as interested in emotional nourishment as they are in physical nourishment. Styling the restaurant as an Italian farmhouse, commercials that invite you to be “part of the family”, and training at their Culinary Institute in Tuscany has shaped a genuine Italian menu. Geographic Segmentation is something that Darden exhibits in the Longhorn chain. Longhorn Restaurants are currently only found in the eastern half of the US. This offers an opportunity for extensive expansion going forward. Demographic Segmentation is exemplified by Red Lobster’s efforts to fill the gap between fast-food seafood and upscale white-tablecloth restaurants. Behavioral Segmentation is realized in usage rates. Darden, along with all other sit-down restaurants, are seeing a decline in the frequency that diners are eating out at sit-down meals. This is a result of economic decline and consumers becoming more particular with how they chose to use their limited finance resources. 2. Has Darden differentiated and positioned its brands effectively? I believe that Darden has...
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...SPLITTING THE CHECK: AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC. vs. BARINGTON CAPITAL GROUP LP Table of Contents Executive Summary 4 Position 5 Sense 6 Uncover 7 Solve 8 Build 9 Achieve 10 Bibliography 23 Executive Summary This is the first paragraph of your executive summary. It should be indented, it should be double-spaced, and it should be in 12 pt Times New Roman font (as should the rest of the body of your term paper). An executive summary should be no longer than two pages (and preferably shorter), and should be written after your paper has been completed. It is a complete summary of your recommendations, and the reader should get a clear picture from this section alone. Assume that the reader reads nothing else. Darden Restaurants, Inc., a multi-billion dollar full-service restaurant company, is facing – and will be facing many difficult challenges. In addition to billions in lost revenue from the economic downturn and a severe shortage in their most served menu item, they have recently been challenged by a new minority shareholder who is pressuring them to reorganize their corporate structure. This activist investor, Barington Capital Group, LP, is known for being particularly aggressive and frequently getting what they want. Darden’s revenues are down significantly over the last couple of years in their two flagship – and typically most profitable restaurants, Red Lobster...
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...How does Darden segment and target the sit-down dining market? Use the full spectrum of segmentation variables in your response. Answer: Psychographic Segmentation is represented by Olive Garden’s plan to build a dining experience around the concept of a fabled Italian family. Olive Garden’s marketing team learned that a primary customer insight shows that customers are as interested in emotional nourishment as they are in physical nourishment. Styling the restaurant as an Italian farmhouse, commercials that invite you to be “part of the family”, and training at their Culinary Institute in Tuscany has shaped a genuine Italian menu. Geographic Segmentation is something that Darden exhibits in the Longhorn chain. Longhorn Restaurants are currently only found in the eastern half of the US. This offers an opportunity for extensive expansion going forward. Demographic Segmentation is exemplified by Red Lobster’s efforts to fill the gap between fast-food seafood and upscale white-tablecloth restaurants. Behavioral Segmentation is realized in usage rates. Darden, along with all other sit-down restaurants, are seeing a decline in the frequency that diners are eating out at sit-down meals. This is a result of economic decline and consumers becoming more particular with how they chose to use their limited finance resources. Slavica Ristoska 2. Has Darden differentiated...
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...Productions & Operations October 23rd 2013 Darden Restaurant Case #2 Competitive advantage is gained by being the lowest cost competitor or by differentiating. However within supply chains a competitive advantage is gained by reducing costs and increasing responsiveness. Darden utilizes four different supply chains, in turn, reducing costs and increasing responsiveness to customers needs. Darden has a “smallware” distributor direct from their headquarters to ensure the highest quality is shipped to each restaurant. Darden strategically places 11 distribution centers throughout the United States to provide the quickest delivery to each of Darden’s unique restaurants. The 11 distribution centers allow Darden to have a quick response time to customer’s needs. Darden also has a fresh food supply which is measured in days to ensure the freshest food is delivered in the right amount of days. Darden also developed independent suppliers for the seafood component of their restaurants. Having multiple seafood suppliers is an advantage because the seafood industry is extremely volatile, in having multiple suppliers it ensures a steady inflow of inventory regardless. The Darden management team has taken their supply chain and created a competitive advantage, something most businesses would not utilize. Darden effectively manages four supply chains creating a competitive advantage. However four supply chains can create some complications. If one supply chain fails or has some sort of...
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... Background Darden restaurants is an American multi-brand restaurant operator headquartered in Orlando. The firm owns several casual dining restaurant chains which are Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, Eddie V's Prime Seafood, The Capital Grille and Yard House. Until July 28, 2014, Darden also owned Red Lobster. Darden has more than 1,500 restaurant locations and more than 150,000 employees, making it the world's largest full-service restaurant company. As of 2012, Darden is the only Fortune 500 company with its corporate headquarters in Greater Orlando. With all this restaurants, the company has 4 different types of supply chain methods as it needs different types of foods to supply to them. The first examples of this supply chain methods is Smallware; by having Darden Direct Distribution in Orlando, Florida, Darden easily manage the delivery path to restaurants by common carrier, lower cost in inventory. It also helps to give all restaurants are having the same quality of smallware. Second is frozen and canned food; With 11 distribution centers in North America, once again, it makes easier in inventory control and shipping will be more effective. Third is fresh food supply. Darden places order directly to independent suppliers, which are known as B2B. Darden tries to make sure it will get a freshest food from those who know their own product and grow them in a right way. Last one is worldwide seafood supply; Darden is doing business with...
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...Assignment 1: Vice President of Operations, Part 1 Due Week 3 and worth 200 points Scenario: Imagine that you are the vice president of operations at a production or service organization. You have noticed that your organization’s current operations strategy is not supporting the challenges that the organization is presently facing. In order to maintain a competitive edge, you must address these challenges with your Chief Executive Officer immediately. Select an existing production organization. Analyze the organization’s current vision, mission, business strategy, operation strategy, supply chain, total quality management, just-in-time philosophy, forecasting method, statistical technique, facility location, work design, project life cycle, and project management. Note: You will need this information in order to complete this and subsequent assignments. As you collect the information for Assignment 1 and Assignment 2, remember that in Assignment 3 you must prepare a presentation for your Chief Executive Officer. Write a three to five (3-5) page paper in which you: 1. Evaluate key elements of the selected production or service organization’s operational efficiency with its operational strategy. Determine three (3) tasks that do not align with the operational strategy. Determine the weaknesses that are evident in each task. 2. Formulate a new operations strategy for the selected organization based on the four (4) competitive priorities (i.e., cost, quality, time...
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...Vanessa Rojas Ph.D. Gheorghiu BU 203 10/25/2014 Company Case 6: Darden Restaurants 1.) Darden displays geographic segmentation with the different cultures each restaurant portrays. The Longhorn steakhouse chain has a majority of its restaurants in the eastern half of the United States, giving it room for westward expansion. It portrays a Western rancher’s home and Olive Garden portrays an Italian family farmhouse. In demographics segmentation, Red Lobster filled the gap in the market between the still-young fast-food concept and upscale white-tablecloth restaurants. In psychological segmentation, Olive Garden builds a dining experience around the concept of a mythical Italian family. Olive Garden’s research shows that people go to a restaurant for emotional as well as physical nourishment. In behavioral segmentation, there is a drop in the frequency that diners are eating out at sit-down meals because of the economic decline. This is realized in usage rates. 2.) It’s believed that Darden has differentiated and positioned its brand effectively. All these chains have the same owner, but are completely different. They target a variety of different consumers. Darden is constantly tweaking its formulas to achieve the best mix of independence and collaboration among its brands. The different chains might use the same technologies for cooking and resources, but each brand retains its distinctive positioning. Red Lobster has changed its positioning for the concept of “stealth...
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...RED LOBSTER: MARKET RESEARCH REVEALS WHATS FRESH TODAY BACKGROUND 1968: Foundation: Red Lobster was founded in 1968 by entrepreneur Bill Darden and Charley Woossby. Originally billed as a “Harbor for seafood Lovers”, the original restaurant in Lakeland, Florida, was followed by several others throughout the Southest. 1970: General Mills acquired Red Lobster in 1970 as a five-unit restaurant company and rapidly expanded the company nationwide. As it reached more parts of the country, Red Lobster continually introduced guests to fresh dishes that quickly became favorites, with many guests getting their first taste of calamari, snow crab and Key lime pie here – not to mention the fact that it is where popcorn shrimp was invented. (after 1970, until 1980) In 1980, this year was one of the most important for the company, reaching and being in their stage of maturity, a stage in which all companies desire to be in there. In 1983, Red Lobster opened its first restaurant in Canada (Windsor, Ontario) Finishing, in 1995, after decades of success and growth, Red Lobster, together with Olive Garden and later Bahama Breeze, became part of Darden Restaurants, with Joe at the helm until 2005, when he turned the reins over to current CEO and Chairman Clarence Otis. Over the years, their passion for seafood and delicious experiences has kept Red Lobster evolving. Their menu has grown and changed with their guests’ tastes and their ability to bring the best of the sea to your table...
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...commonality; they are all a part of the Darden Restaurant Group. In 1938, a 19 year old by the name of Bill Darden opened his first restaurant. Over the next 70 years, Bill Darden would add eight different restaurants brands to his portfolio of companies, each one dedicated to providing exceptional customer service. In 1995, the Darden Restaurants Group Inc. would develop the Darden Foundation. A foundation committed to giving millions of dollars to support non-profit organizations in the communities Darden restaurants serve. Darden Foundation The Darden Foundation was founded in 1995 and named for its founder Bill Darden. In partnership with more than 2,100 restaurants and 200,000 employees, the Darden Foundation works each day — through grant making and strong partnerships — to bring a tradition of service to life in every community Darden serves (http://www.dardenfoundation.com, 2014). The Darden Foundation is focused and committed to making a meaningful impact on the communities they serve. The Darden Foundation identifies and invests in national nonprofits across the U.S. and near its company headquarters in Central Florida. The Darden Foundation has three programs that offer different opportunities for success for nonprofits, these programs named; Recipe for Success, Preservation, and Good Neighbor all align with Darden’s “Passion for People” (http://www.dardenfoundation.com, 2014). Recipe For Success One of the Darden Foundations core values is "Always Learning...
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...Darden Restaurants From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Darden Restaurants, Inc. | | Type | Public | Traded as | NYSE: DRI[1] S&P 500 Component | Industry | Restaurant | Predecessor | Green Frog Restaurant (1938-1967) Red Lobster Inns of America (1968-70) General Mills Restaurants (1970-95) | Founded | First Restaurant (The Green Frog) opened in 1938 in Waycross, GA. | Founder | Bill Darden | Headquarters | 1000 Darden Center Drive Orlando, Florida, U.S. 32837 | Number of locations | More than 1,500 - 2015 Annual Report | Area served | Worldwide | Key people | Eugene Lee (President & Chief Executive Officer) Jeffrey Smith (Chairman) | Services | Foodservice | Revenue | US$ $7.999 billion (FY May 2012)[1] | Operating income | US$ 638.0 million (FY 2012)[2] | Net income | US$ 475.5 million[1] | Total assets | US$ 5.944 billion (FY 2012)[2] | Total equity | US$ 1.842 billion (FY 2012)[2] | Number of employees | 200,000[1] | Website | darden.com | Footnotes / references [3][4] | Darden Restaurants, Inc. is an American multi-brand restaurant operator headquartered in Orlando.[3] The firm owns several casual dining restaurant chains: Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, Eddie V's Prime Seafood, The Capital Grille and Yard House. Until July 28, 2014, Darden also owned Red Lobster. Darden has more than 1,500 restaurant locations and more than 150,000 employees, making...
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...Introduction: Darden restaurants are the largest full service restaurant company in the world. Located in Orlando FL, they operate over 1,500 restaurants. They own many brands such as Olive Garden, Longhorn steakhouse, Bahama Breezes, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, Yard House plus many more. They tend to all be located in high traffic areas, which encourages business. The restaurant industry is the fastest growing industry in America (Feeding America). Darden is committed to building and maintaining a customer-orientated environment. They provide work for nearly 150,000 employees; they focus on making their work environment vibrant and desirable. Darden values integrity, fairness, respect, diversity and teamwork. Recently in the news, all members of the board of directors of Darden were fired. They violated Darden’s values. The previous board of directors decided to sell Red Lobster and activist investors and shareholders were not pleased with the decision. So in a form of revolt the shareholders decided to fire the entire twelve members of Darden’s board and elect a new board based on activist’s investor’s insight. Statement of Problem In the case of Darden, activist’s investors conglomerated with shareholders to create a proposal of how Darden could increase its revenue. When hedge funds purchase a substantial stake in a company they typically try to restructure the company because they see value. Darden has hidden value in its real estate. A research report issued...
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