US-based Darden Restaurants, in collaboration with Uber Technologies, has initiated an on-demand delivery pilot at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen.
The trial is currently operational in ten restaurants, offering customers the convenience of ordering directly from Cheddar’s website and app, while Uber Direct manages delivery logistics through its national network.
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Cheddar’s then intends to expand the service across its brand network.
Darden chief information officer Chris Chang stated: “We have developed a strong partnership with the Uber Direct team. We learned a lot from the initial pilot at Olive Garden, and that, combined with the success of the full rollout, gave us confidence to quickly move to piloting delivery at Cheddar’s.”
Uber Eats head of Americas and delivery vice-president Sarfraz Maredia added: “The needs of restaurants are evolving more quickly than ever, and we’re focused on providing world-class solutions to meet those needs.
“We’ve heard excellent feedback from Olive Garden operators on the benefits and ease of integrating Uber Direct into their operations, and are confident our teams can deliver the same benefits for Cheddar’s operators, their team members and guests.”
Darden reported a 6.2% increase in total sales to $3.2bn for the fiscal third quarter (Q3) ended 23 February 2025, driven by a 0.7% rise in same-restaurant sales and contributions from acquiring 103 Chuy’s locations and 40 net new restaurants.
Net income rose to $323.4m from $312.9m a year previously.
Darden’s board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.40 per share, payable on 1 May 2025.
The company’s operating costs and expenses for the fiscal third quarter stood at $2,73bn, an increase from $2,58bn in the same period last year.
Darden has also revised its fiscal 2025 financial outlook, factoring in Chuy’s operating results while excluding $47m in pre-tax transaction and integration costs from the acquisition.
Key estimates include total sales of $12.1bn, same-restaurant sales growth of 1.5%, and between 50 and 55 new restaurant openings.
Capital expenditures are projected at $650m, with overall inflation expected to be 2.5%.
