Darden
2016 Progress Report
Enhance restaurant menu options by offering healthier meals and side dishes for children in its four brands that offer kids’ menus (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and Bahama Breeze) and reducing calories and sodium across the core menus of brands in its portfolio at the time of the commitment (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52 and The Capital Grille) by 10 percent in 5 years (2016) and 20 percent in 10 years (2021). In 2014, Darden Restaurants sold its Red Lobster brand restaurants. At this time, the new Red Lobster company has not indicated whether or not it will continue Darden’s commitment to PHA.
Verified Results
Partner Statement
“In 2011, working with the Partnership for a Healthier America, we made a commitment to reduce the overall calorie and sodium footprints of our menus. We appreciate PHA’s partnership on this project and are pleased with our five-year results. Over this period, Darden has reduced our enterprise-wide calorie and sodium footprints by 9.2% and 19.3% respectively. For our largest brand, Olive Garden, those reductions are 12.8% and 22.6% respectively.
"We also committed to enhance the nutrition credentials of our children’s menus – a commitment we met in 2012 when we released new children’s menus. Fruits or vegetables are now the default side, 1% milk is promoted and soda is no longer displayed on our children’s menus – changes made to help make the healthy choice the easy choice. In addition, at least one children’s menu option meets specific criteria regarding calories, sodium and fat.
"We also have invested considerable resources in enhancing our nutrition analysis capabilities, which is critical to helping us refine our menus as we continue our work to meet the needs of our guests.”