r food dollars on meals outside the home during the 1990s than in the 1980sThis increase may have been due to several factors: economic expansion and improved consumer confidence in the mid-to-late 1990s; greater time constraints for consumers; more single-person households; and rapid growth in the number of food service establishments meals purchased outside the home increased 42.2% from 1989 to 1998. (Author unknown, 1999). Canada is a ripe market for restaurateurs, and Darden needs to meet its needs with a much stronger presence than the current 39 locations of Red Lobsters and Olive Gardens. Furthermore, Bahama Breeze, which caters to the more affluent customer, should be introduced quickly to Canadians before the market becomes saturated. New EntrantsThere is also the threat of new entrants in this market. According to the 2000 Restaurant Industry Forecast, the restaurant industry should be the leading purveyor of food in the nation within the next decade. By the year 2010, restaurant-industry sales are projected to reach $577 billion and account for more than 53% of the consumer's food dollar. In addition, there should be more than 1 million restaurant locations. (Ebbin, et al. 1999). Darden enjoys a strong market presence with its restaurant chains right now, but it must stay focused on its competition. Through customer satisfaction studies and market research, each Darden restaurant chain needs to be aware of its competitors and not allow another restaurant to capture a portion of its market. S-W-O-T AnalysisA SWOT analysis is commonly used by companies to evaluate internal and external factors that can potentially influence their current position in the industry. The following table shows the analysis of Dardens current position.STRENGTHSWEAKNESSESThe nation's largest casual-dining operator (annual sales of $3.5 billion).Good reputation for minorities (placed #9 on Fortune Magazine's list of the Best companies for Bla...
