Italian meals has grow to be a dominant delicacies in U.S. tradition.
“In the present day, out of 800,000 eating places within the U.S., about 100,000 serve Italian meals. However whereas the majority are pizzerias and informal eating places, there’s additionally a significant factor of fantastic eating eating places,” Krishnendu Ray, director of NYU’s Meals Research program and writer of “The Ethnic Restaurateur,” informed National Geographic.
In the meantime, there are about 40,000 every of Chinese language and Mexican eating places, with far fewer fantastic eating choices amongst them.
“Sixty-one p.c of the 1,000 folks surveyed by the NRA stated they eat Italian meals not less than as soon as a month, and 26% stated they eat it just a few instances a 12 months. By comparability, the opposite two of the ‘massive three’ ethnic cuisines in the US, Mexican and Chinese language, had been eaten not less than as soon as a month by 50% and 36% of these surveyed, respectively, and some instances a 12 months by 31% and 42% of respondents, respectively,” the NRA shared.
Regardless of the demand for Italian meals, a once-thriving chain, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, has closed greater than 85% of its eating places, leaving the chain with solely 9 remaining areas.
Macaroni Grill was meant to be an Olive Backyard rival
Romano’s Macaroni Grill suffered a gradual decline.
The chain started with a robust pedigree, having been based in San Antonio in 1988 by restaurateur Phil Romano, the creator of Fuddruckers. It was acquired by Chili’s proprietor Brinker Worldwide the next 12 months.
“Positioned as an Olive Backyard competitor, Romano’s served normal Italian fare and leaned into its Italian theme: It staffed opera singers and performed Italian language classes in its restrooms,” Restaurant Business reported.
The chain grew rapidly below Brinker, peaking at 237 areas in 2006, most of them company-owned, in accordance with information from Restaurant Enterprise sister firm Technomic.
Brinker offered the chain to private-equity agency Golden Gate Capital in 2008 for $131.5 million, a worth that was later adjusted to $88 million after the economic system crashed.
At its peak, Macaroni Grill constructed a robust enterprise round its “make-your-own-pasta” providing.
Prospects had been handed a sheet providing numerous decisions, they usually may examine off containers to create their very own customized pasta dish. That providing was paired with recent bread, and tables had been topped with a heavy white paper on which servers wrote their names.
Whereas Romano’s Macaroni Grill has struggled, rival Olive Backyard has thrived with a easy playbook.
“Olive Backyard has simplified its eating places and its promotional calendar. It has used fewer reductions, counting on ‘on a regular basis worth’ advertising and marketing whereas emphasizing lunch to enhance gross sales that manner,” in accordance with Restaurant Business.
The chain additionally made a delicate, however vital working change.
“It has additionally centered extra on its takeout enterprise, which has elevated significantly lately. Takeout now represents almost 14% of Olive Backyard gross sales. Few casual-dining eating places can boast such ranges,” the trade web site shared.
On the time, it was owned by Arizona-based RedRock Companions LLC, which acquired the chain from Ignite Restaurant Group Inc. in 2015 for $8 million.
In its submitting, Macaroni Grill cited a lower in gross sales and a rise in labor and commodity prices, which harm income, Nation’s Restaurant News reported.
Nishant Machado, the corporate’s performing CEO on the time of the submitting, blamed the chain’s issues on “an total downturn for the informal eating trade,” together with a choice of shoppers towards “cheaper, quicker options.”
Macaroni Grill solely has just a few areas left.Shutterstock
Whereas Romano’s Macaroni Grill survived its Chapter 11 bankruptcyit has been in regular decline for the reason that submitting.
“The pandemic was devastating for Romano’s. It closed half of its areas in 2020, bringing its footprint to 43 eating places. And in contrast to different casual-dining chains, it didn’t take pleasure in a post-COVID rebound,” Restaurant Business reported in December 2025.
Gross sales have declined yearly since because it continued to shut areas.
In 2024, the chain dropped off Technomic’s rating of the highest 500 largest restaurant chains in America by gross sales.
Macaroni Grill’s struggles, nonetheless, will not be a touch upon the well being of eating places in a broader sense.
“The restaurant trade is notoriously aggressive,” Sara Senatore, a Financial institution of America analyst who focuses on eating places, informed Investopedia. “And within the present setting, what we’re seeing is a return to intense competitors.”
Restaurant Enterprise Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze stated the chain’s decline has been the results of administration selections, not the economic system.
“The story of Mac Grill is in lots of respects the story of the decline in informal eating. For years, the Italian chain had been a well-liked idea, type of a next-generation Olive Backyard,” he wrote in a column on NRN.
The chain’s struggles, he famous, have been constant irrespective of who has been in cost.
“Mac Grill’s issues have been constant, date again a decade, and have plagued a number of house owners and CEOs,” he added.
Macaroni Grill, nonetheless, has not given up. The corporate has added a quick-serve idea, Twisted Mac, and remains to be promoting franchises.
“Whether or not you’re in search of the status of a legacy nationwide model or the high-growth potential of a contemporary QSR, our portfolio gives two distinct methods to carry genuine Italian hospitality to your market. Each manufacturers are powered by the identical dedication to high quality, generosity, and the Visitor First philosophy,” the corporate shared on its web site.
