Darden Restaurants Shutting Down Remaining 28 Bahama Breeze Locations

The Caribbean-themed chain will close all remaining restaurants by April 5, with 14 locations to be converted to other Darden brands.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 10:55pm

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Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Bahama Breeze, has announced that it will be closing the remaining 28 locations of the Caribbean-themed restaurant chain by April 5. Half of the locations will be shut down permanently, while the other 14 will be converted into other Darden restaurant brands over the next 12-18 months.

Why it matters

The closure of Bahama Breeze marks the end of a 30-year-old restaurant chain that was once a popular destination for Caribbean-inspired cuisine. The move reflects broader challenges facing the casual dining industry, as well as Darden's strategy to focus on its core brands like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

The details

Darden Restaurants, which also operates Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and other chains, said that 14 of the closing Bahama Breeze locations will be converted into other Darden restaurant concepts over the next 12-18 months. The remaining 14 locations will be shut down permanently. The closures will impact restaurants in several states, including Delaware, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

  • Bahama Breeze's final day of operations will be April 5, 2026.
  • The conversion of 14 locations into other Darden brands will take place over the next 12-18 months.

The players

Darden Restaurants

The parent company of Bahama Breeze and other popular restaurant chains like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

Bahama Breeze

A Caribbean-themed casual dining restaurant chain that has been in operation for over 30 years.

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What’s next

Darden has not yet revealed which specific restaurant brands the 14 converted Bahama Breeze locations will become.

The takeaway

The closure of Bahama Breeze is a sign of the challenges facing the casual dining industry, as companies like Darden look to streamline their portfolios and focus on their most successful brands. The conversion of some locations into other Darden concepts suggests the company sees potential in the real estate, even if the Bahama Breeze brand itself is no longer viable.