ORLANDO Fla. Darden Restaurants Inc. said today that it was ready for the “next phase of development” for its seven-unit Seasons 52 brand, signaling stepped-up expansion for the all-seasonal-ingredients concept. It also named Stephen Judge, a former vice president of food and beverage for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, to serve as president of the operation.
The company said Tuesday as it reported third-quarter financial results that Seasons 52 was ready for the opening of three “or so” additional units during the next two years and the development of “real estate and talent pipelines.” The disclosures coincided with Darden’s announcement that Seasons 52 co-developer and former president Blaine Sweatt was retiring at the end of May.
Seasons 52 currently includes five units in Florida and two units in the Atlanta area, and is one of the most watched dinnerhouse concepts, as it features fresh and healthful menu items in an upscale restaurant setting with vast wine offerings, and has the financial backing of Darden, the largest casual-dining company.
Tuesday’s announcement seems to confirm indications aired at least as long ago as last fall that Darden viewed the brand as a concept ready for the mass market. At Nation’s Restaurant News’ Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference in October, Blaine Sweatt, Darden’s president of new business development, said the brand could indeed hit the $1-billion-plus threshold for systemwide sales that Darden sets for each brand prior to rollout. He also hinted that the company was at that time “pretty close” to “flipping the switch” in terms of expansion.
Sweatt will remain as an advisor to Darden until June 30. During the past 25 years he led the teams that developed Olive Garden, The China Coast, Bahama Breeze, Smokey Bones and, most recently, Seasons 52.
Judge is well known in hospitality circles as leading the MGM Grand’s charge into fine dining by attracting top chefs like Joël Robuchon, Michael Mina and Tom Colicchio, as well as restaurateur Stephen Hanson.
“As Seasons 52 moves to its next phase of development … Stephen Judge is absolutely the right leader,” Darden’s chief operating officer Drew Madsen, said.
Judge will report to Madsen.
For the third quarter of Darden’s fiscal 2007, the company earned $106.4 million, or 72 cents per share, up 1.0 percent from earnings of $105.3 million, or 67 cents per share in the year-earlier quarter.
Total sales for the company that operates 1,454 restaurants under five brands increased 4.7 percent to $1.54 billion for the quarter ended Feb. 25. Darden said sales growth was driven by same-store sales increases at its flagship Red Lobster and Olive Garden chains, as well as new restaurant growth at Olive Garden.
Same-store sales rose 4.6 percent at Red Lobster and increased 1 percent at Olive Garden, Darden reported. Comparable-unit sales at the company’s Bahama Breeze chain fell 0.4 percent for the third quarter, and declined 5.2 percent at the company’s troubled Smokey Bones chain. Darden currently is testing new branding efforts at Smokey Bones, including a name and menu changes. One concept test is the Rocky River Grillhouse in Ohio.