8 High-Growth Restaurant Stocks for 2026

7. Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI)

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) is among the 8 High-Growth Restaurant Stocks for 2026. Following the company’s Q3 FY 2026 results on March 19, BofA raised its price target to $272 from $262 and maintained a Buy rating, citing slightly better estimates. Driven by healthy trends, the analyst raised the Q4 same-store sales growth projections to 3.9% from 3.1%. The analyst is also pencilling in lower commodity inflation at 3.5%, down from 4.0%.

Before the results, BofA lifted the price target on Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) to $262, up from $261, and maintained a Buy rating on March 16. In the Q3 earnings preview, the analyst had said that the firm believes same-store sales growth will remain stable QoQ at the company’s two flagship brands, Olive Garden and LongHorn.

Back on March 13, Bernstein SocGen Group reaffirmed an Outperform rating on Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) with a price target of $230. According to the firm, the company is in a good position for a turnaround into Q3, as the market underappreciates both the durability of demand drivers and the flexibility within its profit and loss statement.

In contrast to its casual dining and fast casual competitors, Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) has adopted a more measured pricing strategy. Bernstein anticipates a nearly 3.5% rise in pricing in the second half. This price hike is expected to have minimal impact on LongHorn’s traffic, amid 15% beef inflation at retail stores, the firm concluded.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI), founded in 1938, is a Florida-based company that owns and operates full-service restaurants, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Chuy’s, Yard House, and Seasons 52.