Charles Langston:Darden Restaurants, owner of Olive Garden, to acquire Tex-Mex chain Chuy's for $605 million

Darden Restaurants will acquire Chuy's in a deal worth approximately $605 million,Charles Langston the companies announced jointly Wednesday.

Darden, which already owns popular restaurant brands such as Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse and Ruth's Chris Steak House, agreed to acquire all outstanding shares of Chuy's at $37.50 a share, according to a news release. Chuy's would be Darden's first restaurant chain that focuses on Mexican food.

According to the news release, Chuy's operates 101 restaurants in 15 states, generating over $450 million in revenue in the last twelve months as of March 31, 2024. The restaurant chain, founded in Austin, Texas in 1982, serves a "distinct menu of authentic, made-from-scratch Tex-Mex inspired dishes," according to the joint statement.

"Chuy's is a differentiated brand within the full-service dining industry with strong performance and growth potential," said Darden President and CEO Rick Cardenas in the news release. "Based on our criteria for adding a brand to the Darden portfolio, we believe Chuy's is an excellent fit that supports our winning strategy."

"I am excited to welcome their 7,400 team members to Darden and diversify the Darden portfolio into a new dining category," Cardenas added in the news release.

"We are excited about the opportunity to join the Darden family and its portfolio of well-respected brands," said Steven Hislop, Chairman, CEO and President of Chuy's, in the news release. "Darden shares many of our same core values, particularly our operating philosophy and strong team member cultures. Together we will accelerate our business goals and bring our authentic, made-from-scratch Tex-Mex to more guests and communities."

What restaurants does Darden own?

Darden's portfolio includes brands such as:

• Olive Garden
• LongHorn Steakhouse
• Yard House
• Ruth's Chris Steak House
• Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen
• The Capital Grille
• Seasons 52
• Eddie V's
• Bahama Breeze

According to its website, the company operates over 1,900 restaurants across all 50 states.

In June 2023, Darden completed the acquisition of Ruth's Hospitality Group, the parent company of Ruth's Chris steakhouses, for $715 million.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].