Maggiano's Little Italy is an Italian

Italian cuisine

Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences, including Etruscan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab cuisines...

-style chain of casual dining

Casual dining

This is a list of casual dining restaurant chains around the world, arranged in alphabetical order. A casual dining restaurant is a restaurant that serves moderately-priced food in a casual atmosphere...

 restaurant

Restaurant

A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...

s with locations throughout the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, and Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 founded in Chicago's River North neighborhood in 1991 by Richard Melman's

Rich Melman

Rich Melman is the founder of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a privately held restaurant company with more than 70 venues. Melman serves as Chairman of the Board of LEYE. He creates restaurant concepts. As such he is a corporate executive who sees himself as an artist.In 1971, Melman and...

 Lettuce Entertain You and named for Melman's late partner, Marvin Magid.

Maggiano's Little Italy specializes in Italian-American cuisine. Maggiano's menu features both classic and contemporary recipes—pastas, salads, steaks, seafood, regular chef specials, and specialty desserts. Maggiano's offers lunch or dinner, carryout service, delivery and banquet spaces for special occasions. Maggiano's is one of two restaurant brands in the portfolio of Dallas-based Brinker International

Brinker International

Brinker International, Inc. , is the parent company of Chili's and Maggiano's Little Italy.-History:It was founded in 1975 as Chili's Bar and Grill, purchased by restaurateur Norman E. Brinker in 1983 and rechristened Brinker International in 1990; it now has more than 1,500 restaurants worldwide...

.

One of the unique features of Maggiano's is that meals can be purchased in single sized portions or as full multi-course family style meals.

As of October 2010, there are 44 locations in 21 states.

History

From Lettuce Entertain You's own written history: LEYE continued to expand its Italian Division in the 1990s with the opening of Maggiano's Little Italy in Chicago (1991) and Oak Brook (1992), re-creating the classic pre-World War II dinner house featuring family size portions;
Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises is a group of approximately 70 restaurants founded by Rich Melman and Jerry A. Orzoff in Chicago, IL in 1971.-History:The first restaurant was R.J...

 Inc.'s Richard Melman founded Maggiano's Little Italy and its sister franchise, Corner Bakery, in Chicago in 1991. Both concepts were sold to Brinker International Inc. in the mid 1990s.

Maggiano's Little Italy was presented with the 2000 Best People Practices Award.

See also

• Romano's Macaroni Grill
  Romano's Macaroni Grill
  Romano's Macaroni Grill is an Italian-style chain of casual dining restaurants with locations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The first restaurant was founded by Texas restaurateur Philip J. Romano in Leon Springs, Texas, on April 19, 1988. Brinker International bought the...
  
  
• Olive Garden
  Olive Garden
  Olive Garden is an American restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. It is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., which is headquartered in an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, near Orlando. Olive Garden operates more than 730 locations globally.- History :The...
  
  
• Carrabba's Italian Grill
  Carrabba's Italian Grill
  Carrabba's Italian Grill is a chain of over 200 Italian restaurants in 27 U.S. states. Its headquarters are located in Tampa, Florida.-History:...
  
  
• Crema catalana
• Crème brûlée
  Crème brûlée
  Crème brûlée , also known as burnt cream, crema catalana, or Trinity cream is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel...