Darden had explored a sale of Bahama Breeze. | Photograph: Shutterstock
Darden Eating places has determined to wind down the Bahama Breeze chain, with plans to shut 14 places and convert one other 14 to a few of its different manufacturers.
The proprietor of Olive Backyard and different full-service chains stated in June that it was contemplating strategic options for Bahama Breeze, a Caribbean-inspired seafood chain it created in 1996. The chain has been a drag on the corporate’s efficiency in recent times, posting a systemwide gross sales decline of seven.7% in 2024. In Could, Darden closed 15 Bahama Breeze places.
Options included a possible sale. As a substitute, Orlando-based Darden will scrap the model altogether. The 14 shops slated for closure will shut their doorways April 5. The conversions will happen over the following 12 to 18 months.
Darden didn’t say which of its manufacturers will take over these places, however famous that they’re “nice websites” that might profit a number of of its manufacturers. Most of them are in Florida, together with 4 in Orlando.
It added that it doesn’t count on the change to have a cloth impression on its monetary outcomes.
Bahama Breeze has had a historical past of ups and downs. From 1996 to 2003 it grew to 37 places, then shrunk to 23 by 2007. Following the Nice Recession, Darden started to develop it once more, and it carried out nicely by means of the 2010s, peaking at 43 models in 2019. It got here again robust from the pandemic, exceeding pre-COVID gross sales in 2022. However gross sales declined in every of the following two years. In 2024, the typical Bahama Breeze generated $5.7 million, based on Technomic.
In addition to Olive Backyard, Darden owns LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard Home, Ruth’s Chris Steak Home, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52, and Eddie V’s.
Exterior of Bahama Breeze, the corporate has carried out nicely over the previous yr. Whole same-store gross sales rose 4.3% in its most up-to-date quarter, which included a 4.7% enhance at Olive Backyard and 5.9% at LongHorn.
A full record of the Bahama Breeze closures and conversions is right here.
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