The interchangeable customer

In casual dining, loyalty isn’t gone, but it is flexible. Diners are choosing between brands like Olive Garden and Carrabba’s, or LongHorn and Outback, based on convenience, occasion, and perceived value. That flexibility represents opportunity. When value feels personal and frictionless, Darden can win more of those “on-the-fence” visits.

Valuable dining occasions are up for grabs

Upside’s survey of more than 1,000 casual-dining guests shows that dining decisions today are situational, not steadfast. Instead of being tied to a specific brand, they’re balancing value, experience, and convenience at every decision point. 

• They dine out ~14 times over six months
• They visit an average of nine different restaurant brands
• About 70% say they’d try a less-frequented restaurant if it offered cash back

That creates a wide open field for Darden to win the next meal occasion, even from guests who might usually dine elsewhere.

What drives dining decisions

When diners explain why they choose one restaurant over another, value is always at the center — but that doesn’t always mean “lowest price.”

“I look for small deals during the week to make dining more affordable for my family.” — A real Upside user in Tampa Bay

“It’s about getting good food at a fair price.”  — A real Upside user in Orlando

“Rewards programs or other benefits that make it feel like my money goes further.” — A real Upside user in Houston

Customers are looking for restaurants that make them feel like they’re getting more for their money. Personalized cash back meets that need without changing menu prices or training guests to wait for deals.

The precision-oriented tie-breaker

Upside reaches diners at the moment they’re deciding where to eat, capturing those “either/or” moments with 1:1 personalized cash-back offers. 

Rather than relying on blanket discounts, Upside’s offers are margin-bound, pay-for-performance promotions designed to drive incremental profit. Each offer is tailored to spend potential, location, and visit behavior, making it the tie-breaker between Darden brands and competitors like those in the Bloomin’ portfolio.

The business impact: A scalable growth engine

As Darden accelerates growth, Upside provides the acquisition engine to capture undecided diners at scale.

The result: measurable, verifiable growth across the portfolio, with no menu changes, no staffing lift, and no added complexity.

Winning the next meal occasion

Casual-dining choices overlap more than ever, but that doesn’t mean Darden has to compete on sameness. Personalized, value-driven incentives give each brand the edge to capture the next “on-the-fence” dining decision — profitably and predictably. 

Get in touch with our team here to learn more.