• kinkles@sh.itjust.works
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    7 months ago

    I was always told that the reason you used to see an Olive Garden next to every Red Lobster is because a husband/wife couple owned both chains and wanted the restaurants placed next to each other. Then a decade ago when they kinda stopped doing that it was because they divorced.

    I can’t find a single piece of evidence that supports this claim online. The two restaurants were just owned by the same parent company and Red Lobster got sold off in 2014.

    • residentmarchant@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Huh, I always assumed it was just because they target the exact same people. The only differentiator is pasta or seafood, in my mind.

      • ElderWendigo@sh.itjust.works
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        7 months ago

        This is it. Modern planners use GIS and data analytics to place new stores. In my region Publix and Starbucks are a common thing and usually going for similar demographics, so it’s not unusual to often see them in the same shopping plaza. Similarly dollar stores, Walmarts, and Dunkin’ Donuts always seem to find a place in the same neighborhoods too (in my experience). Those Dollar & Dunkin’ neighborhoods almost never have a decent grocery either.