Food

Olive Garden Corporate Office

Olive Garden began as a unit of General Mills as part of their restaurant division. Olive Garden is an Italian-themed full-service restaurant.

The first Olive Garden opened in 1982 in Florida. The chain quickly became the fastest-growing restaurant in the division having 145 restaurants by 1989.

In 1995 General Mills spun off its restaurant division into a stand-alone company named Darden Restaurants. Olive Garden is Darden Restaurants’ most value-oriented chains, with an average check in 2009 of only $15. The company has received criticism for its claims about a “culinary” school in Tuscany, Italy. There is no school, although the company does send employees to a hotel there during the off-season for a few days each year.

In July of 2014, the company launched a new logo and restaurant design, including the addition of online ordering, as well as smaller lunch portions.

The company introduced keto friendly “zoodles”, which are zucchini cut and cooked to resemble noodles, in June 2019.

Today Olive Garden is a casual dining restaurant specializing in Italian-American cuisine. Olive Garden has more than 800 locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Kuwait. In 2016, the company had annual revenue of $3.8 billion, accounting for more than half of the revenue that parent company Darden Restaurants earns.

Olive Garden

Olive Garden began as a unit of General Mills as part of their restaurant division. Olive Garden is an Italian-themed full-service restaurant.

History

The first Olive Garden opened in 1982 in Florida. The chain quickly became the fastest-growing restaurant in the division having 145 restaurants by 1989.

In July of 2014, the company launched a new logo and restaurant design, including the addition of online ordering, as well as smaller lunch portions.

The company introduced keto friendly “zoodles”, which are zucchini cut and cooked to resemble noodles, in June 2019.

LongHorn Steakhouse Corporate Office

LongHorn Steakhouse was founded by George McKerrow, Jr. in 1981 when he opened a restaurant called LongHorn Steaks Restaurant & Saloon in Atlanta, Georgia. The restaurant featured premium steaks that were grilled in a butter sauce.

A snowstorm stranded commuters in 1982 and drove them towards the only hospitable place around – LongHorn. From there the restaurant gained recognition and began to be successful.

By 2001 LongHorn had 136 locations.

In 2007 LongHorn was acquired by Darden Restaurants, the owner of Olive Garden and Red Lobster.

In January 2020, a 6-year-old did a review of LongHorn’s Shirley Temple and gave it a 5 out of 10 because there were no cherries in the drink. LongHorn SteakHouse has now changed its recipe for the drink, adding 5 cherries, three on the bottom and two on the top.

Today LongHorn has 491 locations in 35 U.S. states.

LongHorn Steakhouse

History

A snowstorm stranded commuters in 1982 and drove them towards the only hospitable place around – LongHorn. From there the restaurant gained recognition and began to be successful.

By 2001 LongHorn had 136 locations.

In 2007 LongHorn was acquired by Darden Restaurants, the owner of Olive Garden and Red Lobster.

Today LongHorn has 491 locations in 35 U.S. states.

T.G.I. Friday’s Corporate Office

The concept for TGI Fridays was created by Alan Stillman in New York when he wanted to open a bar that was a good place to meet women. He lived in a neighborhood full of young single people with no safe place for young people to meet.

He put up $5,000 of his own money and borrowed $5,000 from his mother to buy a neighborhood bar. He named it T.G.I. Friday’s after the expression Thank God! It’s Friday, a phrase popular from his years at Bucknell University.

The trademarks of T.G.I. Friday’s began in this bar, including the red and white striped awnings, funky decorations, and the employee uniforms of red and white striped soccer shirts.

Franchising of T.G.I. Friday’s began in 1971.

The same year, Dan Scoggin bought the rights to 8 major cities in the Midwest. His franchised restaurants were high-performing and Scoggin and merged, forming T.G.I. Friday’s, Inc.

The company was acquired by Carlson Companies in 1975 and continues to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company.

The company began to experience financial problems after the recession of 2008 but it has been gaining ground once again.

Today T.G.I. Friday’s currently operates over 860 restaurants in 62 countries.

In November 2021, TGI Fridays partnered with Cattaboom to offer 5 Friday’s of prizes to customers.

Headquarters for TGI Fridays are located in Dallas, Texas.

T.G.I. Friday's

History

The trademarks of T.G.I. Friday’s began in this bar, including the red and white striped awnings, funky decorations, and the employee uniforms of red and white striped soccer shirts.

Franchising of T.G.I. Friday’s began in 1971.

The same year, Dan Scoggin bought the rights to 8 major cities in the Midwest. His franchised restaurants were high-performing and Scoggin and merged, forming T.G.I. Friday’s, Inc.

The company was acquired by Carlson Companies in 1975 and continues to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company.

The company began to experience financial problems after the recession of 2008 but it has been gaining ground once again.

Today T.G.I. Friday’s currently operates over 860 restaurants in 62 countries.

In November 2021, TGI Fridays partnered with Cattaboom to offer 5 Friday’s of prizes to customers.

Headquarters for TGI Fridays are located in Dallas, Texas.

Friendly’s Corporate Office

Friendly’s was founded during the height of the Great Depression in 1935 by brothers Prestley and Curtis Blake in Springfield, Massachusetts. The ice cream shop began by selling double-dip cones for 5 cents.

In 1940 a second Friendly’s opened in West Springfield which included an expanded food menu. During WWII, the Blake’s closed the restaurant and reopened them in 1950.

By 1951, the company had 10 locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

By 1974, the company had more than 500 locations.

In 1979 Friendly’s was sold to Hershey Foods Corporation when the Blake brothers retired.

This purchase started a period of 30 years where the chain was bought and sold several times while trading publicly on the NASDAQ.

Friendly’s was aggressively franchised in the early 2000’s and now about 50% of the chain’s restaurants are franchised.

Harsh economic times caused Friendly’s to file for bankruptcy and close 63 of their locations in 2011. The company was sold to Sun Capital Partners, Inc. for $75 million. Restaurants are owned by Sun Capital and ice cream products sold in stores are now owned by Dean Foods, Inc.

Today Friendly’s has 380 restaurants across the East Coast of the United States. Friendly’s also distributes ice cream and frozen deserts through 7,500 retail locations including supermarkets.

Friendly's

History

In 1940 a second Friendly’s opened in West Springfield which included an expanded food menu. During WWII, the Blake’s closed the restaurant and reopened them in 1950.

By 1951, the company had 10 locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

By 1974, the company had more than 500 locations.

In 1979 Friendly’s was sold to Hershey Foods Corporation when the Blake brothers retired.

This purchase started a period of 30 years where the chain was bought and sold several times while trading publicly on the NASDAQ.

Friendly’s was aggressively franchised in the early 2000’s and now about 50% of the chain’s restaurants are franchised.

Today Friendly’s has 380 restaurants across the East Coast of the United States. Friendly’s also distributes ice cream and frozen deserts through 7,500 retail locations including supermarkets.

Qdoba Mexican Grill Corporate Office

Qdoba Mexican Grill was founded in 1995 by Arthur Miller and Robert Hauser in Denver, Colorado.

The restaurant was originally named Zuma, but was later changed to Z-TECA Mexican Grill, and finally to Qdoba Mexican Grill in 1999.

Qdoba is owned by Jack in the Box, who acquired the restaurant chain ACI Capital in 2003.

In 2012 Qdoba expanded to Canada and there are currently two Canadian locations.

Qdoba originally expanded by franchising but in 2012 purchased 25 of those franchised locations back.

Qdoba serves burritos, tacos, quesadillas, taco salads, tortilla soup, and fresh guacamole. It is considered a higher quality fast-food chain.

Today Qdoba has over 750 locations in the United States.

In early 2018, Qdoba was sold to Apollo Global Management for $305 million.

The company survived the coronavirus and quarantine of 2020 by offering free delivery service, as well as other factors.

In September 2020, the company began testing cauliflower rice for those on the Keto diet.

Qdoba maintains a corporate office in San Diego, California.

Qdoba Mexican Grill

Qdoba Mexican Grill was founded in 1995 by Arthur Miller and Robert Hauser in Denver, Colorado.

The restaurant was originally named Zuma, but was later changed to Z-TECA Mexican Grill, and finally to Qdoba Mexican Grill in 1999.

History

Qdoba is owned by Jack in the Box, who acquired the restaurant chain ACI Capital in 2003.

In 2012 Qdoba expanded to Canada and there are currently two Canadian locations.

Qdoba originally expanded by franchising but in 2012 purchased 25 of those franchised locations back.

Qdoba serves burritos, tacos, quesadillas, taco salads, tortilla soup, and fresh guacamole. It is considered a higher quality fast-food chain.

Today Qdoba has over 750 locations in the United States.

In early 2018, Qdoba was sold to Apollo Global Management for $305 million.

The company survived the coronavirus and quarantine of 2020 by offering free delivery service, as well as other factors.

In September 2020, the company began testing cauliflower rice for those on the Keto diet.

Qdoba maintains a corporate office in San Diego, California.