Office profile
Darden Restaurants Headquarters & offices · Orlando, Florida
Darden Restaurants · Orlando, Florida
The company behind Olive Garden put all its brands under one three-storey glass roof by a lake — low on purpose, so people take the stairs.
The Orlando headquarters by Perkins&Will, what Darden pays its 210,000 team members and what it offers them, and its start as Red Lobster in 1968 — from Darden's filings and the architect's project page.
- 209,931team members, fiscal 2026
- 76–82%of medical premiums paid by Darden
- 469,000 sq ftheadquarters on 60 acres
- $24+average hourly pay incl. tips
Sources: Form 10-K fiscal 2026 · Proxy statement 2026 · Perkins&Will project page
Companies / United States / Consumer discretionary / Restaurants / Darden Restaurants
THE HEADQUARTERS · 1000 DARDEN CENTER DRIVE, ORLANDO
One building for every brand
Darden's CEO wanted a headquarters that put all of its brand teams under one roof. Perkins&Will had 60 acres to work with but kept to a single three-storey building — to encourage people to take the stairs, and to keep the design restrained enough for Darden's guests to identify with. The 469,000 sq ft glass-and-steel building, completed in 2009 and certified LEED Gold, opens through floor-to-ceiling glass onto native trees, lawns and a lake. Offices are open to encourage collaboration, with a few enclosures for privacy. It is also Darden's restaurant support center.
- 469,000 sq ft
- 60 acres
- 3 storeys
- Completed 2009
- LEED Gold
- Lake views
Sixty acres by the lake
A single three-storey building sits among native trees, lawns and a lake.
Facts: Perkins&Will project page “Darden Restaurants Headquarters”
Headquarters and restaurant support center, Orlando
| Building | Address |
|---|---|
| Headquarters and RSC | 1000 Darden Center Drive, Orlando, FL 32837 |
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
Source: Perkins&Will project page
Benefits
Every hourly restaurant team member earns at least $12 an hour including tips; the average is over $24.
Darden subsidised 76 to 82 percent of medical premiums in fiscal 2026.
Paid sick leave.
Free counseling for team members and families through the employee assistance program.
Flexible work schedules.
Fast Fluency English lessons at no cost.
Next Course scholarships for team members' children and dependents.
Short-term grants from a fund team members pay into.
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
Why people stay: what Darden itself reports
Every new General Manager or Managing Partner in fiscal 2026 was an internal promotion; 68% of manager trainees were too.
Since 1999 team members give as little as 10 cents a paycheck to a fund for colleagues hit by emergencies — $1.5 million granted in fiscal 2026.
Restaurant team members can learn English for free.
The Next Course program awarded $3,000 scholarships to 93 children or dependents of team members in fiscal 2026.
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
Who works here
hourly team members
of hourly team members are women
generations working together
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
Pay at Darden Restaurants
Most of Darden's people work part-time hourly shifts in restaurants. The CEO earned 1,468 times this amount.
Source: Proxy statement 2026 (CEO pay ratio)
Darden doesn't publish pay by age.
From Red Lobster to one roof in Orlando
- 1968 Red Lobster Inns of America
GMRI, Inc., which owns and operates Darden's restaurants, was incorporated in March 1968 as Red Lobster Inns of America.
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
No free-to-use photo found yet.Have one? We’d love to add it. - 1970 General Mills
The company was acquired by General Mills in 1970.
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
No free-to-use photo found yet.Have one? We’d love to add it. - 1995 On its own
Darden became a separate public company when General Mills distributed its stock to shareholders.
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
No free-to-use photo found yet.Have one? We’d love to add it. - 2009 One headquarters
The three-storey Orlando headquarters by Perkins&Will brought all brand teams under one roof.
Source: Perkins&Will project page
No free-to-use photo found yet.Have one? We’d love to add it.
What Darden Restaurants does
Darden owns and operates full-service restaurant brands in the U.S., including Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, through its subsidiary GMRI, Inc.
Full-service restaurants across several brands.
Source: SEC XBRL data · Form 10-K fiscal 2026
Chief executives
President and Chief Executive Officer.
Began as Red Lobster Inns of America in 1968.
Source: Proxy statement 2026 · Form 10-K
Darden Restaurants: questions people ask
Where is Darden's headquarters?
At 1000 Darden Center Drive in Orlando, Florida — also its restaurant support center.
Source: Form 10-K
Why is the building only three storeys?
To encourage people to take the stairs and to keep the design restrained, Perkins&Will says.
Source: Perkins&Will project page
How much do Darden team members earn?
Hourly team members averaged over $24 an hour including tips in fiscal 2026; the median employee's total pay was $23,712.
Source: Form 10-K · Proxy statement 2026
What benefits does Darden offer?
Subsidised medical premiums (76–82%), paid sick leave, free counseling, flexible schedules, free English lessons and scholarships for families.
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
What is Darden Dimes?
A fund team members pay into, as little as 10 cents a paycheck, that gives grants to colleagues in emergencies.
Source: Form 10-K fiscal 2026
How did Darden start?
As Red Lobster Inns of America in 1968.
Source: Form 10-K
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