Olive Garden
Olive Garden  observed its 20th anniversary by posting an industry-leading 35th consecutive quarter of same-restaurant sales growth, delighting 2.8 million guests a week in 524 restaurants throughout North America. Indeed, it was a record-setting year for the industry leader in casual Italian dining. Sales reached a new high of $1.99 billion, up 6.8 percent year-over-year, while average annual sales per restaurant were $3.9 million.
    Record financial performance reflects being brilliant with the basics in all areas, including: compelling marketing that communicates "when you're here, you're family;" well-planned restaurant growth, featuring 28 new restaurants in fiscal 2004 built in our warm and inviting Tuscan Farmhouse design; culinary and beverage excellence, exemplified by several new entrées — many of them originating in our Culinary Institute in Tuscany — and several new wines added to one of the best wine lists in casual dining. In particular, Olive Garden's fiscal 2004 performance reflects a record level of service and hospitality excellence.
    By every one of our measures, we achieved "best ever" results. Our average quality assurance score, based on internal audits, rose from 94.5 percent to 95.2 percent, demonstrating a commitment to operating the safest and cleanest restaurants in the industry. Similarly, nine out of 10 guest satisfaction measures achieved new "best ever" levels. And, fourth quarter industry surveys ranked Olive Garden as one of the top two casual dining brands in every category — food, service, atmosphere and value. Great guest experiences suggest a seasoned and experienced staff — a fact supported by management and team member turnover rates, which are among the lowest in the industry.
    The essence of the Olive Garden  brand is our passion to delight guests with a genuine Italian dining experience featuring fresh, simple, delicious Italian food, complemented by a great glass of wine in a comfortable home-like Italian setting, where you're welcomed by people who treat you like family. This passion is translated in every restaurant through a variety of programs, including:
  • Olive Garden  managers train in Italy at the Company's own Culinary Institute and Riserva di Fizzano restaurant in Tuscany.
  • In the true spirit of Italian hospitality, we focus on service behaviors such as positive language, giving guests a feeling of having "a friend on the inside," and anticipating guest needs.
  • Ongoing management and team training, which has increased five-fold in the last six years, reinforces the elements of a genuine Italian dining experience and Hospitaliano — our passion for 100 percent guest delight. All of which emphasizes the keys to great service like attentiveness, pace of meal and ensuring guests are always welcomed and valued as family and friends.
In a competitive market environment, Olive Garden's most important service and hospitality attribute is a continual commitment to innovation and a relentless focus on high levels of service. The goal — to always have guests end their visit looking forward to their next visit. It's a strategy that's been working for two decades and one that keeps same-restaurant sales consistently growing.