The long-vacant Romano’s Macaroni Grill at Winter Garden Village is getting a serious glow-up, with Darden Restaurants filing plans to pour $3.5 million into a brand-new Seasons 52 on the site.
According to a construction permit reviewed by the Orlando Business Journal, the project is priced at $3.5 million and lists BSB Design as the architect. The design is described as leaning into Prairie-style forms that nod to Frank Lloyd Wright, and the permit language makes it clear this is a full ground-up replacement rather than a simple façade refresh. The Business Journal report, published today, followed the filing of the construction permit.
From Macaroni Grill To Seasons 52
The switch from Romano’s to Seasons 52 has been in the works for a while. Local coverage last year revealed that Darden planned to bring Seasons 52 to the former Macaroni Grill spot at Winter Garden Village. The West Orange Times & Observer reported that the existing 6,800 square foot building would be demolished and rebuilt specifically for a Seasons 52 restaurant, with no opening date yet on the calendar. Neighbors told the paper they were on board with the idea of a refreshed dining option at the center.
Why Winter Garden Village Is Getting The Investment
The new Seasons 52 is planned inside Winter Garden Village, a major open-air shopping center located at 3251 Daniels Rd. A property flyer for the center pegs the trade area at close to 1 million people and nearly 100,000 households, per SITE Centers. That kind of built-in audience helps explain why Darden is willing to spend millions to rebuild on the site.
The Orlando Business Journal notes that Winter Garden Village is part of a broader shopping node that draws millions of visitors each year. For Seasons 52, the location sets up steady business from both residents and shoppers flowing through the busy center from morning errands to evening outings.
How Seasons 52 Fits Into Darden’s Bigger Play
The Winter Garden permit lands as Darden keeps putting money into new restaurant openings. The company projected 60 to 65 new restaurants for fiscal 2026 and signaled continued investment in growth, per Darden Restaurants. At the same time, the portfolio is not expanding at all costs. Nation’s Restaurant News reported last year that Darden closed two Seasons 52 locations as part of a broader effort to prune underperforming units, which makes the Winter Garden project look like a more selective play for the brand.
For now, the new Seasons 52 is still at the permit stage, and Darden has not publicly committed to an opening date. Construction scheduling will depend on how quickly approvals move and when contractors can get shovels in the ground, so any official timeline is likely still weeks or months away.
