WASHINGTON Olive Garden president David T. Pickens was named the 2008 Operator of the Year by Nation’s Restaurant News at a gala Tuesday night that concluded the paper’s Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference here.
Pickens was chosen for the honor by the readers of NRN from among the six chain executives who were selected by NRN editors as this year’s recipients of the Golden Chain Awards. In addition to Pickens, those honorees included Jerry Deitchle, chairman and chief executive of BJ’s Restaurants Inc.; James A. Flynn, CEO of Wingstop Restaurants Inc.; Kenneth L. Pendery, Jr., president and CEO of First Watch Restaurants; Andrew Puzder, president and CEO of CKE Restaurants Inc.; and Joseph V. Tortorice, Jr., president of Jason’s Deli.
During the banquet, Taco Bell founder Glen Bell was awarded NRN’s Pioneer Award, a recognition previously bestowed on such industry visionaries as Harland Sanders, Ray Kroc, Dave Thomas and Carl Karcher.
In accepting his award, Pickens singled out the teams he leads in operating some 653 Olive Garden casual Italian restaurants. The chain, a holding of Orlando, Fla.-based Darden Restaurants Inc., has generated 55 consecutive quarters of same-store sales increases, with annual sales topping $3.1 billion.
“It takes great people who really care about what they do,” said Pickens, a 13-year veteran of the brand. “I could not be more proud of our company today.”