Smokey Bones could be as big as top Darden chains - low calorie thai restaurant dishes

CHICAGO (Reuters)-
Darton Restaurant Limited’s (DRI. N)
Clarence Otis, Chairman and chief executive, said on Tuesday that the smokey bone business could still one day be as big as the company's flagship Red Lobster and Olive Garden chain.
Otis said he would be happy to restore Smokey Burns's recent growth of about 30 to 35 restaurants per year once the barbecue
The style chain can broaden its appeal and increase the frequency of customer visits.
"Smokey Bones have a chance to look like (
Olive Garden with Red Lobster)
Otis said at the Reuters food summit in Chicago.
"If we can get the broad appeal we need in the next few years. . .
We will be comfortable restarting (
Growth rate),” Otis said.
In December, Darton said that after sales of restaurants operating for at least 16 months fell by eight months, it would slow the expansion of smoke bones in fiscal 2007.
The second quarter ended November was 5% per cent.
Otis said that it will take about 12 to 18 months for the menu of Smokey bones to reach the level the company wants, with little emphasis on barbecues and more attention to everyone --
American dishes like hamburgers.
"What we want is to have more (customer)
So we want it to be more than just a barbecue restaurant, "Otis said.
Denton operates about 115 smoked bone restaurants, compared to about 580 olive groves and 680 Red lobsters.
But while Smokey's bones are being cultivated as a larger chain, Otis says he is comfortable running small businesses such as the Bahamas breeze.
Otis says the chain's ultimate potential is about 100 to 150 restaurants.
"We are satisfied with businesses that may be smaller but still large," Otis said . ".
He added that the company's smallest chainunit, health-
Focus on season 52 and will soon open two new locations in the Atlanta area
The first such restaurant outside Florida in Darton's hometown.
Low menu for 52 seasons
Dishes and targets with high heat
Otis says revenue consumers outpace other Darton chains.
The stock closed down $1. 13, or 2.
7%, $40.
On the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday.