Gourmet Investments to double India footprint to 100-125 outlets, debuts Olive Garden

The operator of Chili's and PizzaExpress launches Olive Garden in India on Monday, planning 10+ outlets of the Darden brand within three years. Total restaurant count to roughly double from ~55 to 100-125 over the period, with menus tilting toward premium casual dining and expanded vegetarian options.

— Source publishedMon, 18 May, 2026, 08:21 IST·First seen Mon, 18 May, 2026, 08:29 IST·Source ET Small Business

What happened

Gourmet Investments Hospitality Group · Gourmet Investments, operator of Chili's and PizzaExpress in India, launches Olive Garden Monday and plans to double its

Key facts

  • 55 stores
  • 100-125 stores
  • 10+ Olive Garden outlets
  • 3 years

Why this matters

Darden's Olive Garden entry via Gourmet Investments validates India as a franchise-led growth market for Western premium casual brands, opening comparable partnership or master-franchise opportunities for other US/EU dining concepts seeking scaled local operators.