Darden Restaurants gained the number 5 spot in the current InformationWeek Elite 100 ranking. This is due to the work started by Patti Reilly White more than a quarter century ago.
The founders of the restaurant group always valued an understanding of their business and their guests. They saw that there was a need for a more efficient way in which to gather the data related to individual restaurants, rather than calling on them each day. The initial goal was to determine sales figures and menu items sold.
The goal of the data has become more ambitious now. White stated that it is possible for them to determine when the client enters their restaurant and whether the customer is seated immediately or needs to wait. The data available shows when the order is commenced in the system, which items are ordered and how long it takes to cook it. The server is linked to the guest and the satisfaction survey, if it is completed.
All this information allows the owners to understand the overall experience of the customers while on their premises.
