Trust How much does Tim O’Brien believe in extraordinary service? For guests  who had experienced an unusually long wait, this Bahama Breeze general  manager once sprinted to a local mall to buy chocolate ice cream for a  young guest. “We only had vanilla, he only wanted chocolate!” Tim  remembers. Did going the extra mile pay off? “The family are regular  customers and I get chocolate ice cream every time they visit,” he  reports. When it comes to leadership, no job is too small for Tim, no  gesture too insignificant. It’s this type of service and commitment that is helping Bahama Breeze  take casual dining to a new level. The brand has established itself as a  place where guests can relax, feel refreshed, and forget the the stresses  of everyday life. With its menu of Caribbean-inspired cuisine, tropical  drinks, and lively deck-side entertainment, Bahama Breeze is the place  to go to put yourself in an “island state of mind.” The concept had  fiscal 2004 sales of $176 million and now operates 32 restaurants in  19 states, with average annual sales per restaurant of $5.2 million (on a 52-week basis), one of the highest levels in the industry. As with any developing concept, Bahama Breeze continues to evolve  and refine its brand positioning to find the best potential for maxi- mizing profits. Recently, Bahama Breeze opened a new prototype  restaurant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a meaningfully lower  initial restaurant investment cost. The Bahama Breeze business plan  also has evolved to include lunch as a dining option. The move has  helped expand the brand’s presence among a new group of diners  and boosted same-restaurant sales growth in fiscal 2004. 13  Darden Restaurants Tim O’Brien General Manager Bahama Breeze As the first hourly team member  ever promoted to general manager,  Tim O’Brien holds a distinctive place  in Bahama Breeze’s leadership history.  “I had worked in a number of other  restaurants in different positions, but  Bahama Breeze really inspired me  to reach for a higher level. I really  love the concept.” Part of the  Bahama Breeze proposition is to  create a relaxed atmosphere where  guests can relieve their stress. How  hard is it forTim to achieve this  atmosphere given the demands of  serving fresh Caribbean-inspired  food to hundreds of guests daily?  “We have all the systems in place  to make our operation run  smoothly and calmly,” he explains.  “The thought and planning that  goes into developing a concept  really helps me do my job and the  Company is extremely good about  providing clear direction. I’ve  received a prompt and clear answer  to every question I’ve ever asked.” Darden Restaurants  13