Darden Restaurants: Analysts ponder Bahama Breeze's future

B ahama Breeze was one of Orlando-based Darden Restaurants ' rising stars after it opened in 1996.

[King Whiteee]

Sad, Dardens bread and butter, Red Lobster and Olive Garden get no respect from the home office.

Their income supports the wild experiments that execs want to try and fail with every few years

[Richard Neilan]

Bahama Breeze is the best of Darden's chanins in terms of appealing food. Olive Garden is sooooo bland, not authentic (even if they do claim to train their "chefs" in Italy). I've never understood why people get so excited about their salad either. Red Lobster is good once in awhile, but how it earn's the local "Best Seafood" award is indicative of the Central Florida demographic, which seems to prefer bland, boring chain restaurants over more interesting "mom and pop" operations. China Coast was actually pretty cool. I wish Darden had tried a bit harder to make that concept work.

[duh]

The Breeze in Tampa is my favorite restuarant. Ive never had a bad meal there and they make some of the best mojitos in the whole area. try anything on the menu and never be disappointed.

[Evan]

The restaurants aren't successful because they've got no clearly defined concept. Bahama Breeze invokes the Caribbean and the closest food I could see in that was something and mango salsa.

Sides of mango does not make you Caribbean. The food is exactly the same as you would find at Chilis or TGI Fridays, with sprinklings of coconut and jerk on the menu.

Another brand that they won't let die or can't get out of their own way in overthinking.

[Travis]

I liked their old menu better. Anyone else agree?

[Jane Says]

I went there with a friend not too long ago and we had appetizers. They looked and tasted like something you buy frozen at Costco. Blech, never again. Drinks were weak.

[My Name is Coco]

Meat market for 40 year old divorcees, and silk suit Mediterranean types. You establish eye contact with the "ladies" as soon as you walk in the door.
I am afraid Bahama Breeze won't make it.
No one is allowed to have fun in the age of Obama. Close all Bahama Breezes turn them into government stores where you can by socialist propaganda and Obama stickers. Allow only people who drive Priuses to park out front. Bow to the supreme leader upon entry.

[Orlando Native]

My Name is Coco wrote:

Meat market for 40 year old divorcees, and silk suit Mediterranean types. You establish eye contact with the "ladies" as soon as you walk in the door.
I am afraid Bahama Breeze won't make it.
No one is allowed to have fun in the age of Obama. Close all Bahama Breezes turn them into government stores where you can by socialist propaganda and Obama stickers. Allow only people who drive Priuses to park out front. Bow to the supreme leader upon entry.

Wow... bitter much? I think I saw you at the Holocaust Museum yesterday.

Maybe your name should be 'My name is Koo Koo'

[KVM DAD]

Orlando Native wrote:

<quoted text>
Wow... bitter much? I think I saw you at the Holocaust Museum yesterday.
Maybe your name should be 'My name is Koo Koo'

Are you kidding?

[My Name is Coco]

Orlando Native wrote:

<quoted text>
Wow... bitter much? I think I saw you at the Holocaust Museum yesterday.
Maybe your name should be 'My name is Koo Koo'

It was a joke. Bahama Breeze used to have a happy hour that was a big meat market. The people that went their for happy hour were living, breathing, stereotypes. I like Obama better than I like Bahama Breeze (that's not saying much). I am a Pro-Isreal moderate. The shooting at the Holocaust musuem is abhorant to everything in my nature. Hopefully u were joking.

[Seriously]

As a person whose family is from the caribbean their food is laughable.

[maxfield]

Another cookie cutter restaurant with food even you could microwave from Costco or Sam's. Applebees, Fridays, Benningans and on and on. All the same greasy crappy food.

[CKB]

Richard Neilan wrote:

Bahama Breeze is the best of Darden's chanins in terms of appealing food. Olive Garden is sooooo bland, not authentic (even if they do claim to train their "chefs" in Italy). I've never understood why people get so excited about their salad either. Red Lobster is good once in awhile, but how it earn's the local "Best Seafood" award is indicative of the Central Florida demographic, which seems to prefer bland, boring chain restaurants over more interesting "mom and pop" operations. China Coast was actually pretty cool. I wish Darden had tried a bit harder to make that concept work.

I agree! I love Bahama Breeze and I truly miss China Coast. They has the best bread with almond butter! Yummmmm....

[mah]

CKB wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree! I love Bahama Breeze and I truly miss China Coast. They has the best bread with almond butter! Yummmmm....

Yeah China Coast was awesome! Worked at one in Midwest...General Mills was set on turning it around but when they spun off to Darden it only took eight weeks for them to quit,sad and shame on Darden. Darden has not produced one good thing in the close to twenty years they've ran the comp...Olive Garden was General Mills baby.

[Charles R Darwin]

Bahama Breeze is a pleasant dining experience. The conch fritters are good, as well as the coconut shrimp. As far as casual dining goes, the menu holds up pretty well...