Bahama Breeze Closures & Conversions Tracker: What’s Still Open in October 2026
Darden is winding down Bahama Breeze and turning its restaurants into other brands. I checked the official finder and the latest reporting against this site’s July 2026 list of 12 locations, so you can see what is still Bahama Breeze, what has already changed, and what is still to come — before you drive there.
Of the 12 locations on this site’s July 2026 list, 7 were still listed as open Bahama Breeze restaurants on the official Bahama Breeze finder in October 2026 — all 7 in Florida. The other 5 were no longer on the finder: 3 had already reopened under new brands (Kennesaw as Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Fayetteville as Chuy’s, Orlando Grand National as Olive Garden) and 2 were closed for conversion with November 2026 reopenings expected (Altamonte Springs as Yard House, Charleston / North Charleston as Chuy’s). Of the 7 still open, 5 have announced future conversions through mid-2027, and 2 — Kissimmee and Orlando airport (MCO) — have no announced conversion I could confirm. Nothing on this page changes this site’s published list; it is a tracker to read alongside it, and you should call ahead before visiting.
I put this tracker together because the locations page I maintain still shows the July 2026 list, and a lot has changed since July. I checked each of the 12 locations against the official Bahama Breeze location finder and against national and local reporting from August through October 2026. Where a conversion is announced but the new restaurant has not opened yet, I say so. Where I could not confirm a conversion, I say that too — I would rather leave a gap than guess a brand.
What Darden announced
In February 2026, Darden Restaurants announced it would permanently close 14 Bahama Breeze restaurants (those restaurants were expected to operate through April 5, 2026) and convert the remaining 14 locations into other Darden brands over the next 12 to 18 months. That announcement is the backdrop for everything below: the closures and conversions in 2026 and 2027 are part of a planned wind-down, not a string of one-off closures.
Still open as Bahama Breeze (official finder, October 2026)
These 7 locations were listed on the official Bahama Breeze finder when I checked on October 30, 2026, with the “All Locations” filter. The official finder listed no Bahama Breeze locations that are not already on this site’s list.
| Location | Still on the official finder | Conversion status |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers | Yes | Announced: Yard House, closing May 2027, reopening June 2027 (USA Today, August 27, 2026; ClickOrlando, September 21, 2026). |
| Kissimmee – US 192 West | Yes | Not yet announced / not confirmed. This location does not appear in the USA Today conversion table, and I found no Kissimmee-specific conversion announcement. |
| Lutz – Wesley Chapel | Yes | Announced: Yard House, closing November 7, 2026, reopening December 9, 2026 (USA Today; ClickOrlando). |
| Orlando – International Airport (MCO) | Yes | Not yet announced / not confirmed. This location does not appear in the USA Today conversion table. |
| Orlando – International Drive | Yes | Announced: Chuy’s, closing April 2027, reopening May 2027 (USA Today; ClickOrlando). |
| Orlando – Lake Buena Vista | Yes | Announced: Yard House, closing February 2027, reopening March 2027 (USA Today; ClickOrlando). |
| Tampa | Yes | Announced: Yard House, closing February 2027, reopening March 2027 (USA Today; ClickOrlando). |
Already converted, or closed for conversion
These 5 locations were NOT on the official finder when I checked on October 30, 2026. Finder absence alone does not prove a closure, but in each case it lines up with a reported closure or conversion.
| Location | What happened | Source and confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Altamonte Springs | Closed October 17, 2026, for conversion to Yard House; reopening expected November 18, 2026. | Announced (USA Today, August 27, 2026; ClickOrlando, September 21, 2026). The reopening had not yet happened at the October 30 check. |
| Orlando – Grand National | Closed September 28, 2026; reopened as Olive Garden in October 2026. | Announced (USA Today; ClickOrlando). Olive Garden’s own listing shows the same address (5620 W. Oak Ridge Road) as now open. Note: USA Today and ClickOrlando gave an expected reopening of October 19, 2026, while a later local report gave October 21 — the reopening itself is confirmed; the exact day differs by source. |
| Atlanta – Kennesaw | Closed August 30, 2026; reopened as Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen on September 23, 2026. | Announced (USA Today). Local news reported the reopening, and a Kennesaw community update on September 24, 2026, reported Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen as now open at the same address. |
| Fayetteville – Cross Creek Mall | Closed September 7, 2026; reopened as Chuy’s Tex-Mex on September 30, 2026. | Announced (USA Today). Local news reported the September 30 opening at 570 Cross Creek Mall. |
| North Charleston | Closed October 26, 2026, for conversion to Chuy’s; reopening expected November 18, 2026. | Announced (USA Today; ClickOrlando), with a naming caution: both tables name this entry “Charleston, SC,” while this site lists “North Charleston.” It is the only South Carolina location on this site’s list, so I treat the match as presumed, not proven. The reopening had not yet happened at the October 30 check. |
What I could not confirm
Kissimmee and Orlando airport (MCO) do not appear in the USA Today conversion table, and I found no dedicated conversion announcement for either one. Their status is not yet announced / not confirmed — not “staying open forever.” Conversions are planned through 2027, so either could be announced later.
One detail in the USA Today article does not fully add up: the article text says 11 Bahama Breeze locations remained operational, but only 10 rows were visible in its conversion table. Kissimmee and Orlando airport (MCO) are the two locations from this site’s list that do not appear in the table. I am reporting that gap rather than resolving it by guessing.
A small hours observation, not a confirmed change: on October 30, 2026, the official finder showed Orlando airport (MCO) as “Open today 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM,” while this site lists 4:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The finder figure is day-specific and may vary by day, so I am reporting it as an observation, not a hours change.
How to use this tracker
Check the table, then call the restaurant before you go. Conversion dates move, reopenings slip, and hours change — especially at airport and mall locations. If the location you want has already converted, the new brand’s own listing is the best source for its hours.
FAQ
How many Bahama Breeze locations are still open?
As of the October 30, 2026 check, 7 of the 12 locations on this site’s July 2026 list were still listed as Bahama Breeze on the official finder. The other 5 had closed for conversion or reopened under new brands. Call ahead before visiting, because conversions continue through 2027.
Which Bahama Breeze locations have already become another restaurant?
By October 30, 2026: Kennesaw, Georgia, reopened as Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen on September 23, 2026; Fayetteville, North Carolina, reopened as Chuy’s Tex-Mex on September 30, 2026; and Orlando Grand National reopened as Olive Garden in October 2026.
Is my local Bahama Breeze going to close?
If it is one of the 7 still listed on the official finder, check the table above: 5 have announced future conversions through mid-2027, and 2 (Kissimmee and Orlando airport) have no announced conversion I could confirm. If it is one of the 5 no longer on the finder, it has already closed for conversion or reopened under a new brand. Either way, call ahead before visiting.
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Olivia Regan
Olivia Regan writes about Bahama Breeze menus, prices, happy hour and locations, helping readers plan a visit with clear, up-to-date guides.