Olive Garden is finally adding on-demand delivery after years of abstaining from the service.
The casual-dining giant is partnering with Uber on a solution that will allow customers to order delivery from Olive Garden’s website and app, with orders fulfilled by Uber Eats drivers. Olive Garden will not be available on the Uber Eats app itself.
The exclusive, two-year partnership will kick off with a pilot late this year. It is expected to be in all 900 company-owned U.S. locations by May 2025. It will then expand to other concepts owned by Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants.
Olive Garden has historically opposed delivery, saying it did not like the idea of a third party coming between the brand and its guests.
But, “guests have been asking us for home delivery options and they continue to show they are willing to pay for the convenience,” said Darden CEO Rick Cardenas in a statement Thursday. He said it was important for Darden to find a way to meet that demand without disrupting operations or the customer experience.
“[Uber’s] 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,” he said.
The news came as Olive Garden reported a same-store sales decline of nearly 3% in the quarter ended Aug. 25. The chain has struggled to generate traffic this year, particularly from lower-income consumers as prices rise. Adding delivery could help attract new customers.
“On-demand delivery is increasingly a core expectation for consumers,” said Sarfraz Maredia, VP of delivery and head of Americas at Uber Eats, in a statement. “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.”
Darden was one of the few casual-dining operators not to offer third-party delivery, although Olive Garden does allow customers to place large delivery orders in advance. Texas Roadhouse has also resisted adding the service.
Darden's other concepts are LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V's and Bahama Breeze. It is also in the process of acquiring Chuy's Tex-Mex, which is available on delivery apps.
The company's stock was up more than 7% before the market opened Thursday.
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