This month’s Vs Goliath entry involves the high-end chain restaurant segment. Typically, fine dining is thought of as a one-off location headed by a renowned chef. This is a misconception as these restaurants have found success in branching out into multiple locations. These chains have fewer units than places like Olive Garden or Applebee’s and typically have tighter corporate control in order to maintain consistent quality. One of the most widespread and famous fine dining chains is Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. They are present in major cities and airports and are known for their steaks, seafood, and Louisiana inspired menu. Their challenger is the comparably smaller Eddie V’s Prime Seafood that occupies some of the same markets and serves a similar menu. Let’s find out how Eddie V’s sizes up to a classic and the surprising twist in store for these two establishments.

Ruth’s Chris is a perfect example of a fine dining restaurant chain. They are located in 37 states, centered around major metropolitan areas as well as having international locations. Their menu is Louisiana inspired, yet it features luxury mainstays like premium cuts of steak, lobster, and fish. The menu is consistent across all locations with only a few variations and a handful of places that offer lunch. They are appealing because they offer an upscale dining experience that will be familiar no matter which locations you happen to visit. Their consistency is hard to pull off and it is a major reason why these types of restaurants keep expansion to a minimum. Ruth’s Chris has laid out an effective blueprint for success, yet there is still room for challengers to that dominance.

Enter Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and the idea that bigger isn’t always better. They are only located in 14 states with the majority centered in Texas and California. Similarly to Ruth’s Chris, they focus on major metropolitan areas and have a menu that is consistent across all locations. Seafood is their primary menu item with a larger selection than their competitor while also offering premium cuts of steak as well. Eddie V’s has carved out space for itself in the fine dining category and they are slowly expanding while keeping the consistency that has gotten them this far. What really sets Eddie V’s apart is that they are owned by Darden Restaurants, the brand that produces major chains like Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. There used to be doubt that a large operator like Darden could handle a smaller scale gourmet restaurant. Darden has proven Eddie V’s could work while also piloting The Capital Grille, a larger fine dining chain, to success as well.

Both Ruth’s Chris and Eddie V’s have found a way to bring the personalized experience of fine dining to customers across the U.S. without suffering a dip in quality. There is a twist on the horizon for these two rivals, they are about to play for the same team. Darden Restaurants will be finalizing their $715 million purchase of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse this summer. Ruth’s Chris will be the third and largest upscale dining chain under Darden restaurants and it will present a new challenge. They will be taking over a brand that is known for its consistency and will have to navigate expansion and improvement without making loyal customers feel alienated. Eddie V’s is now paired up with a goliath and the ceiling feels unlimited.