Olive Garden: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Olive Garden Times Square.jpg|thumb|237px|The Olive Garden restaurant at [[Times Square]], [[New York City]]]] |
[[Image:Olive Garden Times Square.jpg|thumb|237px|The Olive Garden restaurant at [[Times Square]], [[New York City]]]] |
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'''Olive Garden''' is a [[casual dining]] American [[restaurant chain]] specializing in [[Italian-American cuisine]]. The company is owned by [[Darden Restaurants]] and is based in [[Orlando, Florida]]. Their food is just a |
'''Olive Garden''' is a [[casual dining]] American [[restaurant chain]] specializing in [[Italian-American cuisine]]. The company is owned by [[Darden Restaurants]] and is based in [[Orlando, Florida]]. Their food is just a poor copy of genuine foods which are typically eaten in Italy. |
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== History == |
== History == |
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Revision as of 19:11, 18 February 2010
| logo | |
| Company type | Wholly owned subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Casual dining |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Italian-American cuisine Pasta, Salads |
| Parent | Darden Restaurants |
| Website | olivegarden.com |
Olive Garden is a casual dining American restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. The company is owned by Darden Restaurants and is based in Orlando, Florida. Their food is just a poor copy of genuine foods which are typically eaten in Italy.
History
The first Olive Garden was opened by General Mills on December 13, 1982, in Orlando, Florida. By 1989, General Mills had opened 145 restaurants, making it one of the fastest-growing units in the company's restaurant holdings. While not a "critical success", it was popular, and its per-store sales soon matched sister company Red Lobster. The company eventually became the largest chain of Italian-themed full-service restaurants in the U.S.[1] Olive Garden is owned by Darden Restaurants, Inc., which was spun off from General Mills in 1995.
As of 28 October 2009[update], there are 700 restaurants. All Canadian restaurants have been closed except for a few in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Calgary, Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta; and Langley, British Columbia. (Some were converted to East Side Mario's restaurants.)
Newer restaurants are styled after a farmhouse in the town of Castellina in Chianti, Tuscany, on the grounds of the Rocca delle Macie winery. The farmhouse is home to the Riserva di Fizzano restaurant adjoining the Culinary Institute of Tuscany, which is led by executive chef Romana Neri.
Cuisine
The ambiance of Olive Garden restaurants seeks to replicate an old-world Italian style, utilizing foliage in their décor, stucco walls, and background music consisting of Italian themes.
See also
References
- ^ "Darden Restaurants". Answers.com. Retrieved 2007-11-14.