Red Lobster 2004 Annual Report Download - page 11

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11
Olive Garden’s enduring popularity reflects its ability to delight guests
with a genuine Italian dining experience. How do you inspire thou-
sands of employees around the country to do that consistently? One
of Becki’s favorite ways is to have new hires experience Olive Garden’s
legendary Hospitaliano!® firsthand. “Often, we will treat a recent hire
to a dinner as our guest, “ she explains. “The general manager will visit
the table to find out how things are going and to let the team member
know he or she is surrounded and supported by a real family. We want
them to experience the same magic as our guests.”
Fresh, simple, delicious Italian food, complemented by a great glass of
wine in a comfortable home-like Italian setting, where you’re welcomed
by people who treat you like family is central to Olive Garden’s brand
promise, a promise that continues to keep this 21-year casual dining
veteran on top. In recent surveys, Olive Garden ranks highest in over-
all guest satisfaction among the largest operators in casual dining.
Olive Garden also continues to outpace the industry benchmark in
same-restaurant guest count growth, and leads the industry in top-
of-mind brand awareness among consumers.
With 19 net new restaurants opened during fiscal 2004 and plans to
continue opening new restaurants, identifying new leadership will
continue to be a priority for Olive Garden. Leadership Assessment
and Development at Darden Restaurants (LADDR) is a process that
helps Olive Garden and all other Darden concepts identify new
leaders and create effective career development programs for them.
LADDR is a two-day assessment of a restaurant manager’s capabili-
ties to become a general manager. If he or she isn’t ready yet, LADDR
determines what needs to be done to prepare the person for promo-
tion. This intense evaluation process has led to much higher success
rates for those who are promoted, and has proven to be an excellent
leadership development tool for the Company.
As for Becki Giese, she has developed her own way of identifying
up-and-coming talent. She is constantly looking for people who are
working “up a level.” “I try to spot people who are already acting the
role they aspire to,” Becki says. “These are the people who will be
leading Olive Garden through its next decade of success.”