Who Owns Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen?

Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen was founded in 1979 by Aubrey Good and Doug Rogers in Arlington, Texas. The name "Cheddar's" was proposed by a fifth-grade class when the founders asked for restaurant name suggestions. The original concept was simple: quality food, made from scratch, at a fair price.

The restaurant targeted families and budget-conscious diners with generous portions and affordable pricing. The made-from-scratch approach set Cheddar's apart from competitors that relied more heavily on pre-packaged and processed ingredients. The chain's signature items included hand-breaded chicken tenders, homemade croissants, and scratch-made soups.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Cheddar's expanded across the southern and midwestern United States. The chain reached 10 locations by 1995 and continued growing through a mix of company-owned and franchised units. The brand was known as Cheddar's Casual Cafe during this period.

In 2015, the brand rebranded from Cheddar's Casual Cafe to Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen. The name change emphasized the scratch-cooking aspect of the concept, differentiating it from competitors in the value dining segment where pre-made and processed food is common.

Darden Restaurants acquired Cheddar's in 2017 for approximately $780 million. At the time, Cheddar's had 165 locations across 28 states with average annual restaurant volumes of $4.4 million. The acquisition was part of Darden's strategy to add a value-focused brand to its portfolio, which already included mid-range concepts like Olive Garden and premium concepts like The Capital Grille.

After the acquisition, Darden integrated Cheddar's into its shared services infrastructure, including supply chain, marketing, and operational support. Darden also acquired franchised units to consolidate ownership. The transition was not without challenges. In the years immediately following the acquisition, Cheddar's struggled with operational integration and menu simplification. Restaurant Business Online reported that it took several years for the chain to "hit its stride" under Darden ownership.

By 2023, Cheddar's generated approximately $751 million in revenue with 23,000 employees across 185 locations. The chain was ranked #72 in Technomic's Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report for 2024.

As of May 2026, Cheddar's operates 184 company-owned locations, up from 181 in May 2025. The chain has limited but steady growth, with 3 net new locations added in fiscal year 2026. Darden's fiscal 2027 outlook includes 75 to 80 new restaurant openings across all brands, with Cheddar's expected to contribute a modest share.

Doug Rogers passed away in 2025. Cheddar's posted a tribute on LinkedIn honoring his legacy: "In 1979, Doug Rogers and Aubrey Good opened the first Cheddar's in Texas with a simple promise: quality food, handcrafted with care, at a fair price."