(Reuters) -Darden Restaurants ( DRI ) forecast annual same-store sales above estimates after strong quarterly results on Friday, banking on demand driven by food delivery and advertising efforts at its casual dining chains such as Olive Garden ( DRI ).

Shares of the company rose about 3% in premarket trading after the company also announced a new $1 billion share repurchase program.

Casual dining and fast casual restaurant chains, including Olive Garden ( DRI ) and Shake Shack ( SHAK ), have benefited from menu innovations and promotions to entice customers, offsetting the impact of consumers turning to home-cooked meals to save money.

Meanwhile, fast food chains including burger giant McDonald's, Starbucks and Domino's Pizza have been struggling with tepid demand.

Darden expects annual same-store sales to grow in the range of 2% to 3.5%, midpoint of which is above analysts' estimates of 2.64%, as per data compiled by LSEG.

Initiatives such as home deliveries with the help of Uber Direct and "buy one, take one" offerings at Olive Garden ( DRI ) have further helped the restaurant chain operator.

Its consolidated same-store sales were up 4.6% in the quarter compared to a year ago, with Olive Garden ( DRI ) sales rising 6.9%.

The company posted fourth-quarter sales of $3.27 billion, edging past estimates of $3.26 billion.

It logged adjusted profit of $2.98 per share for the quarter ended May 25, above estimates of $2.97 per share, owing to moderate price hikes and lower input costs.

However, the company forecast annual earnings per share between $10.50 and $10.70, compared with estimates of $10.75 per share.