Darden Restaurants' Steakhouse Brands Highlight U.S. Dining Diversity

Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Olive Garden, operates several full‑service dining brands, including the casual LongHorn Steakhouse and the upscale Ruth’s Chris Steak House. LongHorn, acquired via RARE Hospitality in 2007, now has over 600 locations offering affordable steak options, while Ruth’s Chris joined Darden in May 2023 for about $715 million and maintains a fine‑dining experience at roughly 130 U.S. restaurants.

In Chicago, the original Mia Francesca restaurant on Clark Street, opened by chef Scott Harris in 1992, continues to draw diners with rustic Italian cuisine and a communal atmosphere. The venue remains the flagship of a larger family of restaurants that expanded throughout the city and suburbs, preserving the informal, share‑able dining style that launched the brand.