Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: DRI) operates 1,824 (as of 10-K 2010) restaurants in the United States and Canada.^[1] The company's chains include Olive Garden, Red Lobster, LongHorn Steakhouse, Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, and Seasons 52. Restaurants in the Darden portfolio served over 404 million meals in fiscal 2009.^[2]

Unlike other full service restaurant operators, Darden does not franchise its restaurants.^[1] Darden has announced plans to increase EPS, earnings per share, by 10-15% annually, but with its flagship chains, Olive Garden and Red Lobster, reaching market saturation, the company will have to rely on new methods to increase sales. For example, the company recently announced that it will look into expanding to college campuses and airports where the company will open more to combination-style restaurants, where both Red Lobster and Olive Garden are packed under the same roof.^[3]

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