The world's largest casual seafood dining chain (1,216 restaurants) has about 25 Smokey Bones outlets, 12 Red Lobsters and five Bahama Breezes on the drawing boards. Darden now operates 30 Bahama Breezes, 21 Smokey Bones, 669 Red Lobsters and 496 Olive Gardens.

Darden officials couldn't be reached to learn the specific amount of new restaurant space being planned. But area retail consultants, intimate with Darden's growth pattern, tell GlobeSt.com on condition of anonymity the planned 12 new Red Lobsters would be about 30,000 sf each; Smokey Bones, about 22,000 sf each; and Bahama Breezes, about 20,000 sf each.

Darden had a total 1,173 restaurants in 2001. First-quarter financials for the period ended Aug. 25 show the company posted its strongest performance in its 35-year existence. Profit of $71.9 million or 40 cents per share compared to $62.2 million or 34 cents a share last year.