Olive Garden and Red Lobster are getting a technology makeover, as parent company Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI) fights to stay relevant with younger guests and its own employees.
Darden–which also owns LongHorn Steakhouse and a few small, specialty chains–is consolidating all of its brands on to a single new digital technology platform, in a multiyear process that will began as early as the summer. Its plan is to allow for the sharing of guest data across brands for marketing purposes; improve its “to-go” ordering systems; offer online and text-ahead seating; sell e-gift cards; and potentially create a customer loyalty program.
To some industry watchers, it’s odd that Darden doesn’t already have a unified platform with these capabilities. Darden is the long-time industry leader for casual dining, with its organic sales growth outpacing its competitors’ for years. Plus, it has the strong cash flow to support such projects. Yet as it stands, the company admits it has lost much of its appeal to consumers in their 20s and 30s.