Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

{{Redirect|Cheddar's|the biscuit brand|Cheddars||Cheddar (disambiguation){{!}}Cheddar}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

| logo = Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen logo.png

| image = Cheddars Hendersonville TN USA.JPG

| image_caption = A Cheddar's in Hendersonville, Tennessee

| type = Division

| former_name = Cheddar's Casual Cafe (1979–2015)

| founders = Aubrey Good
Doug Rogers

| industry = Restaurant

| parent = Darden Restaurants (2017–present)

| homepage = {{URL|https://cheddars.com}}

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1979}} in Arlington, Texas

| location_city = Orlando, Florida

| location_country = U.S.

| locations = 185 company-owned and franchise locations (Jan. 2024)

| revenue = $751 million (2023){{cite web|url=https://www.fsrmagazine.com/chain-restaurants/cheddar-s-completes-conversion-casual-caf-scratch-kitchen|title=Cheddar's Completes Conversion from Casual Café to Scratch Kitchen|date=July 5, 2016|website=Fsrmagazine.com|accessdate=March 16, 2017}}

| num_employees = 23,000 (2023)

| key_people = John Wilkerson (President)

}}

Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, formerly known as Cheddar's Casual Cafe,{{cite web|url=https://www.fsrmagazine.com/chain-restaurants/cheddar-s-completes-conversion-casual-caf-scratch-kitchen|title=Cheddar's Completes Conversion from Casual Café to Scratch Kitchen|date=July 5, 2016|website=Fsrmagazine.com|accessdate=March 16, 2017}} is an American restaurant chain based in Irving, Texas owned by Darden Restaurants. Founded in 1979,[https://web.archive.org/web/20131203090924/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=4321000 Company Overview of Cheddar's Casual Café, Inc], Business Week. the company has more than 170 locations in 28 states as of 2018.

History

In 1979, Aubrey Good and Doug Rogers opened the first Cheddar's Casual Cafe in Arlington, Texas.[https://www.mashed.com/277177/the-untold-truth-of-cheddars-scratch-kitchen/ The Untold Truth Of Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen], Mashed. The name was proposed by a 5th-grade class when the founders asked for restaurant name suggestions.{{Cite web|title=Our Story |url=https://www.cheddars.com/our-story|access-date=2024-02-23|website=cheddars.com}} The chain reached 10 locations by 1995.

By 2003, Cheddar's generated $150 million in revenue from 42 restaurants in 13 states[http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2006/08/28/daily1.html Brazos Partners Sells Cheddar's], Dallas Business Journal. and Brazos Private Equity Partners made an initial investment to grow the company that year. In August 2006, when the company generated $245 million in revenue from 55 restaurants in 15 states, Oak Investment Partners and L Catterton Partners jointly purchased Cheddar's.[https://web.archive.org/web/20131031091806/http://business.highbeam.com/409700/article-1G1-151843761/catterton-oak-firms-buy-cheddar-brazos Catterton, Oak firms buy Cheddar's from Brazos], Nation's Restaurant News.

In August 2007, the company recruited Kelly Baltes from Darden Restaurants to serve as CEO.[http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2007/08/03/363706/124290/en/Cheddar-s-Casual-Cafe-Names-New-Chairman.html Cheddar's Casual Café Names New Chairman], PRIME Newswire.

In October 2014, Ian Baines was brought on as President and CEO of Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, after serving as CEO and President at Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation. Throughout his career, he has held various roles of increased responsibility with Darden Restaurants and Brinker International, Inc.[https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=29759212&privcapId=260858] {{dead link|date=March 2017}}

In 2015, the company changed its name to Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen.{{cite web|url=http://rddmag.com/development/buzz/855-cheddar%E2%80%99s-gets-new-name,-logo |title=Cheddar's Gets New Name, Logo - restaurant development + design |website=Rddmag.com |date=August 10, 2016 |accessdate=March 16, 2017}}

In 2017, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen acquired forty-four franchised units located in Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia from their "largest franchisee" Greer Companies, who is based in Kentucky. This brought their portfolio up to 164 corporate owned restaurants.{{cite web |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cheddars-scratch-kitchen-acquires-largest-130200323.html |title=Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen Acquires Largest Franchisee |website=Finance.yahoo.com |date=January 5, 2017 |accessdate=March 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202045729/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cheddars-scratch-kitchen-acquires-largest-130200323.html |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

On March 27, 2017, Darden Restaurants announced its intent to acquire Cheddar's from shareholders such as L Catterton and Oak Investment Partners for $780 million plus another $10 million for transaction-related expenses.{{cite news|last1=Arnold|first1=Kyle|title=Darden buying value-oriented Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen chain|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/consumer/os-bz-darden-cheddars-20170327-story.html|accessdate=March 28, 2017|work=OrlandoSentinel.com}} On March 28, 2017, when Darden announced it that had acquired Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Darden became the biggest gainer that day on the S&P 500.{{cite news |last=Badkar |first=Mamta|date=March 28, 2017 |title=Olive Garden-owner Darden shares poised for best day since '09 |url=https://www.ft.com/content/4c822a11-00f6-3c2e-99bd-5adc4dc11994 | work=Financial Times |access-date=April 3, 2017}} The acquisition was completed on April 24, 2017.{{cite news|title=Darden Restaurants finalizes $780M purchase of Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2017/04/24/darden-finalizes-780m-purchase-of-cheddar-s.html|accessdate=April 28, 2017|work=www.bizjournals.com}}