LongHorn Steakhouse isn’t making loud headlines every day, but behind the scenes, the Darden-owned chain is quietly stacking wins: more locations, rising sales, and even a grill master who just earned corporate honors for cooking more than a million steaks.
Here’s what’s really going on inside America’s cowboy-themed steakhouse brand right now.
LongHorn Is in Expansion Mode
Darden Restaurants, which owns both
Olive Garden and
LongHorn Steakhouse, is leaning hard into growth for its two biggest brands.
According to recent company commentary, the group plans
more than 40 new restaurant openings in the coming year, with LongHorn a key part of that strategy. Olive Garden generated about
$5.2 billion in sales in fiscal 2025 (up
2.8%), while LongHorn saw an even stronger performance, with
annual sales rising 7.8% year over year.
That kind of growth typically buys you more real estate—and that’s exactly what’s happening.
New LongHorn Locations Popping Up Across the Map
Delaware, Ohio: Staking a Claim Off U.S. Route 23
In central Ohio, LongHorn is moving to capture highway traffic and suburban diners. The company has
submitted a development plan to the city of Delaware for a new
5,710-square-foot restaurant just east of
U.S. Route 23, north of Meijer and near a Holiday Inn Express.
City planning documents show the proposal includes:
- A standalone LongHorn building
- 183 parking spaces shared across the site
- Access from both U.S. 23 and an adjacent side road
The project still has to clear local approvals, but it’s a clear sign LongHorn sees untapped demand in the growing Delaware corridor.
Bradley, Illinois: Moving Into a Former TGI Fridays
In
Bradley, Illinois, LongHorn is taking over a high-visibility spot that many locals already know well. The chain will be moving into the
former TGI Fridays building in the 1500 block of North State Route 50, near other national brands in a busy commercial strip.
Local officials say the new LongHorn will add another recognizable sit-down option to the area’s restaurant mix and reuse an existing building rather than starting from scratch—often a faster way for chains to open doors and start serving.
Albertville, Alabama: Ribbon Cut and Ready to Serve
In
Albertville, Alabama, the new LongHorn location is already open and slicing into steaks.
The restaurant
held its official ribbon-cutting ceremony on
Monday, November 10, 2025, with city officials, business leaders and LongHorn representatives in attendance. During the opening remarks, LongHorn’s team highlighted job creation and the company’s investment in the community.
Local leaders framed the opening as a sign of Albertville’s growing economic pull, with the chain adding to a cluster of national retailers and restaurants that see long-term potential in the area.
Inside Darden’s Strategy: Steakhouses, Spinoffs, and Focus
Zooming out, LongHorn’s momentum fits into a broader reshuffle at parent company
Darden Restaurants.
In mid-2025, Darden announced plans to
spin off its 28-unit Bahama Breeze chain into a separate company, effectively narrowing its direct focus toward its biggest workhorses: Olive Garden and LongHorn. Analysts note that shedding a smaller brand can free capital and executive bandwidth for the chains that are delivering faster growth and stronger returns.
With LongHorn clocking nearly
8% annual sales growth, the math is simple: more investment, more locations, more marketing.
The Human Side: A Grill Master Who Cooked 1 Million Steaks
Amid all the corporate moves and real estate deals, one story cuts straight to the heart of LongHorn’s brand: the grill.
In central Ohio, a
local LongHorn Steakhouse employee was recently recognized with a
corporate honor for an almost unbelievable milestone—
grilling over 1 million steaks during his tenure with the company.
According to local coverage, the longtime employee—who’s worked at multiple locations over the years—built his reputation on consistency, timing, and a near-obsessive attention to guest preferences, from rare to well-done. The company’s celebration of his achievement doubles as a reminder of how much of LongHorn’s identity still rests on the skill of the person standing over that blazing grill.
Why This Matters for Diners and Investors
For everyday diners, this wave of openings means:
-
More access to a mid-priced steakhouse option in growing suburbs and smaller cities
-
Quicker table availability in some regions where LongHorn locations have been packed on weekends
- Potentially
more local hiring, especially in food service and management roles
For investors watching Darden:
- LongHorn is showing
stronger sales growth than Olive Garden right now, at least percentage-wise.
- The
Bahama Breeze spinoff signals a sharpened focus on core brands.
- The push for
40+ new openings across Darden’s big chains suggests the company is still confident in full-service dining, even as fast casual and delivery continue to compete for market share.
In a restaurant landscape dominated by buzzy fast-casual concepts and delivery apps, LongHorn Steakhouse is taking a slower, steadier route: more locations, better numbers, and a spotlight on the people who literally keep the grills hot.
What to Watch Next
A few things worth keeping an eye on:
-
Location announcements: Expect more mid-sized markets like Delaware, Bradley, and Albertville to get LongHorn locations as the chain chases suburban growth.
-
Menu and pricing changes: With beef prices and inflation still in the background, how LongHorn manages value vs. margin will be key.
-
Darden’s portfolio moves: If the Bahama Breeze spinoff goes smoothly, it could embolden Darden to keep doubling down on its most profitable brands—LongHorn included.
If you live near a proposed or newly opened LongHorn, don’t be surprised if the parking lot is packed for a while. In a tricky restaurant economy, a steak, a baked potato, and a familiar Western-themed dining room are proving to be a pretty resilient formula.
Sources
1. Longhorn Steakhouse planning new restaurant location in Delaware
2. Longhorn Steakhouse joining Bradley's menu of restaurants
3. LongHorn Steakhouse officially opens new Albertville location
4. Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse plan over 40 openings in ...
5. Local Longhorn Steakhouse employee receives corporate honor for grilling over 1 million steaks throughout tenure
6. LongHorn Steakhouse - Nation's Restaurant News
