Darden Restaurants has closed half of all Bahama Breeze locations nationwide, shuttering 14 restaurants while planning to convert the remaining 14 Florida locations to other brands in its portfolio over the next 12-18 months. The closures, announced in February, were completed by April 5, with some locations closing operations before that date.
“They are expected to continue to operate until any temporary closures are needed for the conversion,” a release from the company reads. The restaurant chain is “no longer a strategic priority” for Darden, which operates popular brands including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen.
“At this time, the company is not disclosing the specific Darden brands into which these locations will be converted,” the company stated. The conversion timeline spans 12-18 months, during which the remaining Bahama Breeze locations will continue serving customers until temporary closures become necessary for the brand transitions.
Among the permanently closed Florida locations are sites in Miami at 12395 SW 88th Street, Jacksonville at 10205 Rivercoast Drive, Kissimmee at 1251 West Osceola Pkwy., Pembroke Pines at 11000 Pines Blvd., and Sanford at 1540 Rinehart Road. These five locations ceased operations as part of the April 5 closure deadline.
The nine Florida locations slated for conversion include three Orlando-area sites at 8160 Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. in Kissimmee, 5620 W. Oak Ridge Road, 8849 International Drive, 8735 Vineland Ave., and 1200 N. Alafaya Drive. Additional conversion locations include Altamonte Springs at 499 E. Altamonte Drive, Brandon at 805 Brandon Town Center Drive, Fort Myers at 14701 S. Tamiami Trail, and Tampa at 3045 N. Rocky Point Drive East.
“The company believes the conversion locations are great sites that will benefit several of the brands in its portfolio,” the release concludes. Darden’s strategy focuses on leveraging prime real estate locations for its more successful restaurant concepts, which have demonstrated stronger performance than the Caribbean-themed Bahama Breeze chain.
“Going forward, the primary focus will continue to be on supporting team members, including placing as many as possible in roles within the Darden portfolio,” the company stated. The restaurant giant operates more than 1,800 locations across its various brands, providing potential employment opportunities for displaced Bahama Breeze workers.
The Bahama Breeze closures represent a significant consolidation for Darden, which had operated 28 locations of the Caribbean-themed restaurant chain before the February announcement. The brand’s tropical atmosphere and island-inspired menu failed to achieve the same market penetration as Darden’s flagship concepts like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.
Darden has not announced specific timelines for individual location conversions, though the company expects all transitions to occur within the 12-18 month window. The conversion process will likely involve significant renovations and rebranding efforts to transform the Caribbean-themed spaces into formats suitable for other Darden restaurant concepts.