Darden Restaurants Inc (NYSE:DRI), which owns the Olive Garden restaurants, unveiled lower than expected quarterly sales in the fourth quarter to end May as fewer punters visited the eaterie.
Total sales fell to US$1.79 billion from US$1.88 billion, is told a stock market statement.
Due to the impact of the extra week of operations included in the fourth quarter, total sales from continuing operations decreased 4.7%, it said.
Analysts on average had expected US$1.81 billion.
Net EPS (earnings per share ) from continuing operations increased 19.6% to $1.10 a share and increased 8.9% from last year's adjusted net earnings per share on a 13-week basis, the firm added.
Looking ahead for fiscal 2017, the company expects same-restaurant sales growth of between 1 and 2%; new unit openings of 24 to 28 restaurants and and earnings per share of $3.80 to $3.90.