1. Mama Romano isn't a existent person.

Though almost of the restaurants feature Mama'due south favorite flowers, gladiolas, and the menu'due south classic dishes reference her several times, Mama Romano is only a fictional grapheme. The idea endures to add together to the family experience of the identify—customers are meant to experience similar they're dining in an Italian dame's kitchen—but don't look her to check in on y'all during dinner.

Romano's Macaroni Grill Chicken Parm

Courtesy Romano's Macaroni Grill

ii. Simply the concatenation has truthful Italian roots.

The chain was founded past Philip J. Romano, 2d-generation Italian-American from upstate New York, back in 1988. He had family and connections in Italy who he no doubt drew inspiration from for the trattoria-similar restaurant and fare.

3. The founder was originally in the burger business.

Phil Romano is a Texas-based restaurateur who'southward started up several chains over the years. He was running Fuddruckers before he jumped ship to open the Italian chain.

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Fuddruckers

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4. It has ties to baseball.

Romano later sold the business to Dick Monfort, the owner of MLB's Colorado Rockies. Many joked that he paid for the concatenation with money from trading a pinnacle player.

v. It'due south more than popular than Olive Garden.

In Nation's Eating house News'south 2016 Consumer Picks survey, Romano's ranked number 5 over all and took the superlative spot for Italian and pizza joints. That put them higher up Olive Garden, Carrabba'due south Italian Grill, and Buca di Beppo.

Romano's Macaroni Grill

Flickr Artistic Eatables: Jeff Adair

6. You pay for your wine on the accolade system.

At most locations (except where state laws forbid information technology), customers are welcomed with a canteen of the house chianti in the heart of their table. The vino is hateful to be served as the Italians do—poured into plain old water glasses. Customers are told to proceed rails of how much they've sipped by marker the number of glasses on the table butcher newspaper with crayons.

7. Italian traditions are alive and well.

Eating hither means tearing into warm rosemary peasant bread with rosemary that's shared with the whole table and served with "Italian butter"—that'south olive oil and cracked pepper. The paper placed over the tablecloth is also symbolic. Dorsum in the day, if yous had butcher newspaper in your dwelling house information technology was a sign of wealth, since information technology showed you could afford to go to the butcher.

8. You might be in for an opera performance.

In the outset Romano's eating place, in that location were strolling opera singers to entertain guests. Some servers nonetheless uphold the tradition by bringing their talents with them to work. Hopefully the singers during your visit accept an easier fourth dimension than this guy...

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Romano's Macaroni Grill Opera Vocalizer FAIL - Zuri Valbuena

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9. Y'all can whip up their famous pasta at home.

Macaroni Grill actually has it's ain line of packaged food products based on eating house dishes like Chicken Piccata, Craven Alfredo with Linguine and Creamy Basil Parmesan Chicken. If you're not well-nigh a Romano'due south location you could popular one of those babies in the microwave ... or avoid all the artificial ingredients and make your own homemade pasta!

Macaroni Grill

Flickr Creative Eatables / theimpulsivebuy

ten. In that location are plenty of deals to take advantage of.

The concatenation's newest promotion allows kids ages 12 and under to consume complimentary on Mondays and Tuesdays with purchase of a full-priced adult entrée. In that location are as well stellar happy hr dealsand y'all get a free slice of Ghirardelli chocolate cake on your altogether.

Romano's Macaroni Grill Mac and Cheese

Romano's Macaroni Grill

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