Darden Restaurants to Replace Closed Bahama Breeze Locations with Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

The parent company of Bahama Breeze is converting half of the closed locations to its Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen brand over the next 12-18 months.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 11:48am

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a stack of modern restaurant menus and tableware arranged elegantly on a crisp white background, conveying the transition from one Darden restaurant brand to another.As Darden Restaurants shutters its Bahama Breeze chain, the company's premium Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen brand will take over select former locations.Virginia Beach Today

Darden Restaurants, the parent company of the now-defunct Bahama Breeze restaurant chain, has announced plans to replace many of the closed Bahama Breeze locations with its Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen brand. The company will convert around half of the 28 Bahama Breeze restaurants that were shuttered in April 2026, with the first new Cheddar's location scheduled to open in Gainesville, Florida on May 11, 2026.

Why it matters

The closure of Bahama Breeze, a longtime casual dining staple, reflects the ongoing challenges facing the restaurant industry, especially chains that were unable to adapt to changing consumer preferences and economic conditions. Darden's decision to convert many of these locations to its Cheddar's brand shows the company's strategy to leverage its existing portfolio of restaurant concepts to maximize value from the real estate assets.

The details

Bahama Breeze officially closed all of its 28 locations on April 5, 2026. Darden Restaurants, Bahama Breeze's parent company, announced that it would convert around half of the closed locations to its Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen brand over the next 12-18 months. The first new Cheddar's restaurant is scheduled to open on May 11, 2026 in Gainesville, Florida, replacing the former Bahama Breeze that closed in May 2025.

  • Bahama Breeze closed all 28 of its locations on April 5, 2026.
  • Darden Restaurants plans to convert around half of the closed Bahama Breeze locations to Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen over the next 12-18 months.
  • The first new Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen location is scheduled to open on May 11, 2026 in Gainesville, Florida, replacing the former Bahama Breeze that closed in May 2025.

The players

Darden Restaurants

The parent company of Bahama Breeze and owner of several other major restaurant chains, including Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen.

Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

A casual dining restaurant chain owned by Darden Restaurants that will be replacing many of the former Bahama Breeze locations.

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What’s next

Darden Restaurants is expected to provide more details soon on which specific Bahama Breeze locations will be converted to Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen over the next 12-18 months.

The takeaway

The closure of Bahama Breeze and Darden's decision to convert many of those locations to its Cheddar's brand highlights the ongoing evolution of the casual dining industry, as restaurant companies look to optimize their real estate portfolios and leverage their existing brand assets to navigate challenging market conditions.