Olive Garden guests will soon have another
option to enjoy their favorite dishes at home, with orders made
through Olive Garden channels and delivery powered by Uber
Direct; Custom integration preserves team member and guest
experience, while growing first-party delivery demand
ORLANDO,
Fla. and SAN
FRANCISCO, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Darden
Restaurants, Inc., (NYSE: DRI) and Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:
UBER) have entered into an exclusive multi-year delivery
partnership, set to begin with Olive Garden in late 2024. The
agreement will enable restaurant guests to order on-demand delivery
via Darden restaurant channels, with delivery handled by Uber
Direct, through Uber's national delivery network.
An initial pilot of first-party delivery from a limited number
of Olive Garden locations will begin in late 2024. Upon the
completion of a successful pilot, national expansion at Olive
Garden is expected to be complete by May
2025.
Once live, guests will be able to order delivery through Olive
Garden's website and app at more than 900 company-owned locations
across the U.S., giving Olive Garden fans access to stress-free
delivery while guest data and insights will remain with Olive
Garden. Uber Direct, which enables merchants to tap into Uber's
delivery technology and logistics network, will power deliveries
enabling couriers to bring guests their Olive Garden favorites at
home.
"Guests have been asking us for home delivery options and they
continue to show they are willing to pay for the convenience," said
Rick Cardenas, Darden President and CEO. "As we continued to
evaluate delivery, it was important for us to find a way to address
this guest need state without disrupting the team member or guest
experience and without compromising our competitive advantages and
simple operating model. Uber is a partner we believe shares that
vision and can meet our expectations. Their investment in a
custom-integration, commitment to Olive Garden's first-party
delivery growth, and efficiency and speed at a national scale, made
this exclusive partnership a clear choice."
"We're excited to announce this partnership and look forward to
bringing guests the excellent, convenient and reliable experience
that is foundational to both of our brands," said Sarfraz Maredia, Vice President of Delivery,
Head of Americas at Uber Eats. "On-demand delivery is increasingly
a core expectation for consumers. People also expect a great
experience, especially when it's from a brand they love like Olive
Garden, and that doesn't change whether it's at the restaurant or
at home. We're confident our teams can deliver on that promise
together and continue to grow first-party delivery as a
channel."
About Darden
Darden is a restaurant company featuring a portfolio of
differentiated brands that include Olive Garden, LongHorn
Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Cheddar's Scratch
Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V's and Bahama Breeze. For more information, please
visit www.darden.com.
About Uber
Uber's mission is to create opportunity through movement. We
started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to
a ride at the touch of a button? More than 52 billion trips later,
we're building products to get people closer to where they want to
be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities,
Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new
possibilities.
Media Contact: Rich Jeffers,
rjeffers@darden.com
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SOURCE Darden Restaurants, Inc.: Financial