Romano’s Macaroni Grill Sees Locations Shrink From 150 To Just 17 In Recent Years

Chalk this up to the retail apocalypse America has been entrenched in for the past few years: Iconic Italian dining chain Romano's Macaroni Grill has shut down hundreds of locations and is now down to roughly 17 nationwide.

Nation's Restaurant News reports that the once-bustling chain — which had around 150 locations just 10 years ago — has dwindled to about 17, with some outlets reporting there may be as few as nine left.

At one time, Macaroni Grill was seen as a slightly classier alternative to Olive Garden — a place where families could enjoy an open-kitchen dining experience. If you looked closely enough, you could actually watch the cooks preparing your meal right in front of you.

What Made Macaroni Grill So Special?

One of the things that made Macaroni Grill so special was how easy it was to stay entertained while waiting for your food. They covered each table with a fresh sheet of paper as a tablecloth and set out crayons so you could doodle, play games or pass the time with a little creative fun.

The decline has been a slow, yet painful one, monetarily.

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In 2004 the chain made around $700 million. In 2009 they were down to around $500 million and in 2014 they made $466 million.

Looking as though the chain might survive, Macaroni Grill shed many of its underperforming locations — but the COVID pandemic proved to be the beginning of the end. The company dropped to just 41 locations and only $40 million in sales.

What Happened to Romano's Macaroni Grill?

Things are not looking good for the fast-casual chain. As it stands today, the company is bleeding pasta sauce, with revenue down nearly 28 percent and its unit count falling another 32 percent since the pandemic.

Macaroni Grill might soon be a thing of the past — the kind of place you end up telling your grandkids about — as it’s now down to what may be single-digit locations.