Olive Garden, Cheddar’s: Tomball City Council approves 3 economic development agreements

Tomball City Council on Oct. 6 approved three Tomball Economic Development Corp. agreements to support two new restaurants and an industrial project in the city.

The details

Tomball City Council approved a resolution authorizing a performance agreement with Cheddar’s Casual Cafe for a new 6,181-square-foot full-service restaurant at Hwy. 249 and Alice Road. The project represents a $5.6 million capital investment and is expected to create 40 full-time equivalent jobs. The TEDC will provide an infrastructure-style grant not to exceed $164,463 to assist with site improvements.

The second agreement was approved with Olive Garden Holdings LLC for a 7,800-square-foot restaurant to be built on the same site at Hwy. 249 and Alice Road. The incentive, valued at up to $219,502, will go toward infrastructure costs. Olive Garden is part of Darden Restaurants, which also owns Cheddar’s. TEDC Assistant Director Tiffani Wooten said the restaurant participates in the Darden Harvest Program, which donates surplus food to local nonprofits.

Construction for Cheddar’s and the neighboring Olive Garden is expected to begin in early 2026, Wooten said.

Council also approved an agreement with CSE W-Industries Inc. to develop a new corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility on a 72.8-acre site at the northeast corner of FM 2920 and FM 2978 near the Baker Hughes Education Center.

The first phase includes construction of a 150,000-square-foot office and warehouse facility and creation of 300 full-time jobs, with additional phases planned for future expansion, Wooten said. The TEDC incentive will not exceed $660,000, distributed over several years.

The company, which specializes in automation, power generation and engineered systems, plans to consolidate several of its existing facilities into the Tomball site and be operational by late 2026, Wooten said.