Cheddars Restaurant History From Beginning to Nationwide Success

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is now famous nationwide, but this was not an overnight success. Cheddars restaurant history witnesses the hurdles and problems faced to make the restaurant successful. In this article, we will discuss Cheddars restaurant history in detail, and you will get all the answers to the questions that are in your mind.

History Behind the Name of the Restaurant

In 1979, Doug Rogers and Aubrey Good, the restaurant’s founders, were invited to a school for their annual event. At this event, the founders asked for suggestions for the restaurant’s name; many students gave their suggestions, but at the end, 5th-grade students suggested Cheddar’s name. The founders liked the suggestion and named their restaurant Cheddar’s Casual Cafe. After some time, the restaurant rebranded itself as Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen to better reflect its commitment to making dishes with in-house ingredients.

The First Cheddar’s Location: A Look Back at 1979

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen opened its first branch in Arlington, Texas. The Cheddar’s first location needs to be bigger; there is a very minimal setting. But the taste of food delivered by Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is fantastic, and there is always a rush at the place. The love of people forced the restaurant owners to open another branch. A new branch was opened in the 1980s, and thus, this process continued. This era is very important in Cheddars restaurant history.

Growth and Expansion Across the United States

At the end of 1979, Cheddars had many locations in Texas. The founders were thinking of expanding their chain to other states, but they needed to be properly ready for this. They started working on this, and at the beginning of the 1980s, they opened their first branch outside of Texas. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen also received good responses from other states, which built their confidence in expanding their business to multiple states. Now, there’s hardly any state in the USA without a Cheddar’s branch.

Rebranding and Acquisition by Darden Restaurants

In 2016, the founders of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen received an offer to sell the business from Darden Restaurants. At that time, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen had almost 165 locations across the United States. In 2017, the board of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen agreed to sell the business to Darden Restaurant. The deal was valued at approximately $780 million and added Cheddar’s to Darden’s portfolio of well-known brands, which includes Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

Cheddar’s Commitment to Quality and Affordability

The secret of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen’s success is its commitment to providing quality food. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen uses a farm-to-table approach to maintain the taste, freshness, and quality of its food. Therefore, its customers are loyal to the restaurant. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the only restaurant that provides quality food at a very affordable price.

Cheddars restaurant history - infographics
Cheddars restaurant history – Infographics

What the Future Holds for Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen menu aims to expand its restaurant chain to multiple countries. Some sources on the internet confirm that the board of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is planning to open a restaurant in Canada and Mexico next year, but this news is not confirmed by any official of Cheddars and Darden’s.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen opened its first branch in Arlington.

Cheddar’s first name is Cheddar’s Casual Cafe, which has been rebranded as Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen.

Currently, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is owned by Darden Restaurants.

Conclusion

Doug Rogers and Aubrey Good started Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen in 1979. A 5th-grade student suggested the restaurant’s name during an annual school event. The quality of food and affordable prices are the secrets of its success. In 2017, Darden’s Restaurant acquired Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen for $780 million and added it to Darden’s portfolio of well-known brands, which includes Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

Dale Randolph
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