Beloved Italian chain collapses, now down to just 9 U.S. restaurants

As idiosyncratic who grew up astir 20 minutes from Boston's famed North End Italian district, my standards for Italian restaurants person ever been high.

But I besides grew up successful the 80s, erstwhile Chef Boyardee was a paper staple. So erstwhile visiting an Italian restaurant, I person agelong understood that it's astir expectations.

A concatenation tin beryllium good, portion not reaching the standards acceptable by Boston's oldest and champion Italian restaurants. There's room, truthful to speak, for a small Beefaroni adjacent to that perfectly made chickenhearted parmesan created with grandma's look from the aged world.

Italian chains, however, person been deed oregon miss, and galore person struggled. Bertucci's, for example, a concatenation I've eaten astatine hundreds of times, lone has a fewer locations near aft aggregate bankruptcies.

Another chain, Romano's Macaroni Grill, has besides fallen connected hard times, with nether 10 locations inactive operating, according to Chron.com.

Romano's Macaroni Grill offered some a acceptable paper and a make-your-own-pasta bowl. Guests could instrumentality a provided expanse and cheque disconnected what they wanted for pasta, sauce, and toppings, usually for nether $20.

When the marque was sold successful 2015, Ignite's CEO Ray Blanchette explained wherefore that determination was made.

“We proceed to judge successful the underlying strengths of the Macaroni Grill business. Unfortunately, the marque was incapable to deliver, successful a timely manner, connected the milestones we established,” helium told Restaurant Business.

“As a result, we decided that it was successful the champion involvement of Ignite and our shareholders to merchantability the brand. The divestiture of Mac Grill volition alteration america to absorption our resources connected gathering momentum astatine Joe’s Crab Shack, portion increasing Brick House Tavern & Tap.”

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RMG Acquisition Group, which bought the concatenation successful 2023, besides believed a turnaround was possible.

“We’re committed to enriching the restaurant’s offerings portion besides reconnecting customers with the signature Macaroni Grill experiences they’ve loved for 25 years,” said caller COO Dan Lentes, according to a station connected the company's LinkedIn page.

“That includes things similar the instrumentality of our fast, convenient, and affordable luncheon menu, a refresh of our world-famous blessed hr with breathtaking caller drinks and delicious tiny plates, arsenic good arsenic the motorboat of a caller loyalty programme successful concern with Spendgo to reward our customers and support them coming back.”