Governor Pat Quinn was joined by local officials and employees for the opening of a new Olive Garden restaurant on West Addison Street in Chicago on Monday. The new restaurant employs 170 people, who join the 13,800 new private sector jobs created throughout Illinois during August. Monday’s event is part of the Governor’s agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois’ economy forward.

“Illinois’ restaurant industry is thriving and establishments like Olive Garden are helping drive our economic comeback,” Governor Quinn said. “While we have more work to do, more people are working today than at any time in the past six years. This is good news for people across the state and it is thanks in part to companies like Olive Garden who are employing hardworking residents and growing our workforce.”

The new Chicago restaurant brings 170 new jobs to the community. Olive Garden, owned by Darden Restaurants, Inc., was created in 1982 and has more than 800 restaurants in the United States and Canada. Darden Restaurants has worked to open up an additional 200 restaurant locations across their brands since 2011.

“Olive Garden would like to thank Governor Quinn and the City of Chicago for their outstanding support in helping us open our first restaurant here,” Remoun Abraham, general manager of the Addison Street Olive Garden said. “We’re excited to join this vibrant community and help create local jobs, and look forward to welcoming and serving our guests.”