The company reported adjusted earnings of $2.95 per share for the third quarter, exceeding the analyst’s expectation of $2.94 per share. This reflects a growth in earnings per share from $2.80 a year earlier.
Darden Restaurants achieved consolidated revenue of $3.35 billion for the third quarter, surpassing the analyst estimate of $3.33 billion. This revenue marks an increase from $3.16 billion a year earlier.
Segmental revenue for the third quarter was led by Olive Garden, generating approximately $1.39 billion. LongHorn Steakhouse followed with about $854 million in sales. The Fine Dining segment contributed roughly $402 million, while the Other Business segment delivered approximately $696 million in sales.
Total sales for the quarter were driven by a 4.2 percent rise in blended same-restaurant sales along with contributions from 31 net new restaurant openings. Same-restaurant sales growth was led by LongHorn Steakhouse, which posted a 7.2 percent increase, followed by Other Business at 3.9 percent and Olive Garden at 3.2 percent. The Fine Dining segment recorded a gain of 2.1 percent.
Looking ahead, Darden Restaurants has revised its full-year 2026 earnings outlook to a range of $10.57 to $10.67, aligning closely with the analyst’s forecast of $10.57. The revenue outlook for the full year has been updated to $13.22 billion, slightly above the estimated $13.16 billion.
For the full year 2026, the company expects total sales growth of approximately 9.5 percent, including about 2 percent growth related to the 53rd week. Same-restaurant sales are projected to grow by approximately 4.5 percent. The company plans approximately 70 new restaurant openings, with total capital spending between $750 to $775 million. Total inflation is expected to be around 3.5 percent, with an effective tax rate of approximately 12.5 percent.
Darden President & CEO Rick Cardenas stated, “We continue to outperform the industry same-restaurant sales benchmark, and this quarter we widened that gap as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen each significantly exceeded the benchmark.”
Darden’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.50 per share on the Company’s outstanding common stock. The dividend is payable on May 1, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 10, 2026.
 reported third-quarter results with revenue of $3.35 billion, surpassing the $3.33 billion estimate, and adjusted EPS of $2.95, slightly above the $2.94 estimate.){kind=link}