Facts we can source about this employer, with the year of every figure.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Darden Restaurants ranks #31 among the 200 largest US-headquartered employers, with about 191,105 employees worldwide (2024). It is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.
| Fact ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Rank among the 200 | 31 |
| Headquarters | Orlando, Florida |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Employees (global) | 191,105 (2024) |
| Founded | 1995 |
Headcount is global, includes workers outside the US and may differ from the company's latest annual report.
Darden Restaurants ranks 31 of the 200 largest US-headquartered employers in our list, with about 191,105 employees worldwide (2024). That is roughly the number of people who live in Glendale, California. It was founded 1995.
The company's headquarters state, Florida, has 22,416,076 residents, a median household income of $74,568 and an unemployment rate of 4.4%. The occupations with the most jobs in the state are Retail Salespersons (median $34,010); General and Operations Managers (median $101,580); Fast Food and Counter Workers (median $29,080); Registered Nurses (median $84,190); Customer Service Representatives (median $40,440). A large employer headquartered there hires from the same pool, plus specialised roles tied to its industry (Restaurant).
Honest limits. The headcount is the company's global figure as reported in its public filings and compiled on Wikipedia. It does not say how many people work at the headquarters, and it does not mean the company is hiring. For open positions, use the company's own careers page, linked in the official links below.
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
The company's home state is Florida: median household income $74,568, unemployment 4.4%, state income tax: no state tax on wages.
City guide: Orlando (median rent $1,747, median household income $72,336).
| Company ⇅ | Industry ⇅ | Employees ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Publix Super Markets | Retail | 260,000 |
| Royal Caribbean Group | 108,000 | |
| Carnival Ltd. | Hospitality, tourism | 101,000 |
| Adventist Health System/Sunbelt | Healthcare | 100,000 |
| Bloomin' Brands | Restaurant | 87,000 |
| Red Lobster Hospitality | Restaurant | 55,000 |
| L3Harris Technologies | Aerospace and defense | 47,000 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd. | Tourism | 44,500 |
| Ryder System | Transportation | 39,900 |
| Company ⇅ | Headquarters ⇅ | Employees ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | Illinois | 150,000 |
| Chipotle Mexican Grill | California | 130,301 |
| Bloomin' Brands | Florida | 87,000 |
| CBOCS Properties | Tennessee | 76,730 |
| Texas Roadhouse | Kentucky | 64,900 |
| Brinker International | Texas | 62,200 |
| Red Lobster Hospitality | Florida | 55,000 |
| Cheesecake Factory | California | 47,500 |
| Waffle House | Georgia | 40,000 |
| Chick-fil-A | Georgia | 35,574 |
About 191,105 worldwide (2024), per the company's reported figure.
Orlando, Florida.
It ranks #31 among the 200 largest US-headquartered employers by global headcount.