Ever spent $20 on a plate of pasta that tasted like it came from a $1 microwave meal? We’ve all been there. You’re hungry, craving Italian food, and end up at a chain restaurant that leaves you wishing you’d just made spaghetti at home. Not all Italian chain restaurants are created equal, and some are downright awful. I’ve eaten at them all so you don’t have to waste your money. Here’s my honest ranking of Italian chain restaurants from worst to best, so you know where to spend your hard-earned cash when pasta cravings hit.
Fazoli’s is basically fast food with a fancy name
Imagine going to McDonald’s, but instead of burgers, they serve soggy pasta with watery sauce. That’s Fazoli’s in a nutshell. This fast-food Italian chain claims to offer authentic Italian cuisine, but what you get is pasta that tastes like it’s been sitting under a heat lamp for hours. Their breadsticks might be free, but they’re often stale and tasteless. The sauce tastes like it came straight from a can, and the pasta is usually overcooked to the point where it falls apart on your fork.
The prices might seem cheap at first glance, but you’re still overpaying for what you get. For just a few dollars more, you could eat at almost any other Italian chain and get food that actually tastes like someone in the kitchen cares. The restaurants themselves often feel dingy and outdated, with sticky tables and floors that make you wonder when they last had a good cleaning. If you’re really craving Italian food, your money is better spent elsewhere – or just buy a jar of sauce and box of pasta from the grocery store and make it yourself.
The Old Spaghetti Factory needs a serious update
Walking into The Old Spaghetti Factory feels like stepping into a time machine – and not in a good way. The dated decor might have been charming in the 1970s, but now it just feels dusty and forgotten. The food matches the atmosphere – bland, uninspired, and stuck in the past. Their portions are surprisingly small for an Italian restaurant, leaving you hungry even after paying for a full meal. The pasta often has that distinct taste of being made hours ago and reheated, while the sauces lack depth and flavor.
You might be attracted by the complete meal deal that includes bread, salad, entree, and dessert, but each component is so mediocre that it’s still not worth it. The salads are mostly iceberg lettuce with a few sad toppings, and the spumoni ice cream dessert is nothing special. Even their signature dishes like Mizithra cheese and browned butter pasta are disappointing – the cheese is often sparse and the butter sometimes tastes slightly burnt rather than pleasantly browned. Save your money for a place that understands Italian food doesn’t have to be stuck in the last century.
Olive Garden isn’t really Italian food
We all know those commercials – “When you’re here, you’re family!” But at Olive Garden, you’re not family; you’re a customer paying too much for Americanized food that barely resembles Italian cuisine. Their never-ending breadsticks are admittedly addictive, but they’re used to distract you from the mediocre pasta dishes. Most of their sauces taste like they were designed by a committee trying to offend no one rather than actually impress anyone. The pasta is consistently overcooked, and dishes are often drowning in sauce to mask the lack of flavor in the base ingredients.
Their famous Tour of Italy sampler gives you three mediocre dishes instead of one good one, and costs way more than it should. The chicken alfredo, their most popular dish, comes with a sauce that’s more like glue than the silky, rich alfredo you’d hope for. Even their soups, which many consider a highlight, are extremely salty and one-dimensional in flavor. The unlimited salad might seem like a good deal, but it’s mostly iceberg lettuce with a few olives and peppers thrown in. For the prices they charge, you could get much better Italian food at local restaurants or even make it at home with higher quality ingredients.
Brio Italian Grille charges premium prices for average food
Brio positions itself as an upscale Italian dining experience, with prices to match. The problem? The food quality doesn’t justify what you’re paying. The restaurant looks fancy with its white tablecloths and ambient lighting, but don’t be fooled – you’re still eating at a chain restaurant. Their pasta dishes often come with skimpy portions of protein, meaning you’re essentially paying $20+ for noodles and sauce. The “Tuscan-inspired” menu items lack the authentic flavors you’d expect, with many dishes tasting surprisingly bland despite their elaborate descriptions on the menu.
The appetizers are particularly overpriced – small portions that disappear quickly but leave a big dent in your wallet. Their risotto dishes, which should be a highlight at any decent Italian restaurant, are often undercooked or lack the creamy consistency that makes risotto special. The service can be hit-or-miss, with long waits even when the restaurant isn’t full. While Brio is certainly better than the worst options on this list, it still represents poor value for money. You’re paying premium prices for food that’s decidedly average, and that’s almost as frustrating as bad food at low prices.
Carrabba’s is hit-or-miss depending on what you order
Carrabba’s sits firmly in the middle of Italian chain restaurants – not terrible, but certainly not great either. The menu is huge, which creates a problem: some dishes are surprisingly good while others are absolutely worth avoiding. Their pasta dishes are generally decent, with al dente noodles and flavorful sauces. The chicken dishes, particularly the Chicken Bryan with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, can be satisfying. But order a steak and you’ll likely be disappointed by a tough, overcooked piece of meat that’s nowhere near worth what you paid for it.
The wood-fired pizzas sound promising but often arrive with a soggy center and burnt edges. Their soups are generally good, but the portion sizes don’t match the price tags. The restaurant atmosphere tries to strike a balance between casual and upscale but often just feels confused and noisy. The signature bread with herb oil dip is a highlight, but you can’t make a meal of just bread. If you do end up at Carrabba’s, stick to pasta or chicken dishes and avoid the steaks and seafood options, which tend to be the most disappointing items on the menu.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill has good pasta but bad everything else
When a restaurant has “macaroni” in its name, you’d expect the pasta to be good – and at Romano’s Macaroni Grill, it generally is. Their pasta dishes are the highlight of the menu, with options like the Pasta Milano and Mushroom Ravioli that are genuinely tasty. The signature bread loaf with roasted garlic is also delicious. But venture beyond pasta, and things go downhill fast. The appetizers are often greasy and forgettable, while the soups taste like they came from a food service container rather than being made in-house.
The seafood dishes are particularly problematic, often overcooked and drowning in heavy sauces that mask the flavor of the fish. Their chicken parmesan, a staple at any Italian restaurant, is frequently dry and covered with too much cheese in an attempt to hide the lack of moisture. The desserts are standard chain-restaurant fare – nothing special and not worth the calories. The paper tablecloths with crayons are fun for kids but contribute to the feeling that this isn’t serious Italian food. If you find yourself at Macaroni Grill, stick to what they do well – pasta dishes – and avoid the temptation to order appetizers or entrees that will likely disappoint.
Bertucci’s makes decent pizza but struggles with consistency
If you live in the Northeast, you’ve probably seen a Bertucci’s restaurant. Their brick oven pizzas are the main attraction, and when done right, they can be really good. The thin, crispy crust with slightly charred edges and quality toppings makes for a satisfying meal. Their rolls, baked in the same brick oven, are warm and delicious. But the problem with Bertucci’s is consistency – you never quite know what you’re going to get. One visit might yield a perfect pizza, while the next might bring an undercooked, soggy disappointment with sparse toppings.
The pasta dishes are similarly unpredictable. Sometimes they’re perfectly cooked with flavorful sauces, and other times they’re bland and forgettable. The vegetable sides are often overcooked, and the salads can be wilted or drowning in dressing. Service quality varies wildly from location to location, with some restaurants providing attentive service while others seem to forget you exist after taking your order. The prices are reasonable for what you get when the food is good, but frustrating when it’s not. If you do end up at Bertucci’s, the brick oven pizzas are your safest bet – just cross your fingers that you get them on a good day.
Maggiano’s Little Italy is actually worth your money
Finally, a chain that gets Italian-American food right! Maggiano’s stands head and shoulders above the rest of the Italian chain restaurants. The portions are enormous – you’ll almost certainly be taking food home, which means you’re essentially getting two meals for the price of one. Their pasta dishes are flavorful and prepared with care, and the chicken parmesan is consistently good – crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and covered with the right amount of marinara and cheese. Even their salads are a cut above, with fresh ingredients and house-made dressings.
The family-style dining option is perfect for groups, allowing you to try multiple dishes without breaking the bank. Their “Classic Pasta” deal, where you get one pasta to eat in the restaurant and another to take home, is one of the best values in chain restaurant dining. The atmosphere strikes the right balance between casual and special occasion, making it suitable for everything from family dinners to date nights. The service is typically attentive without being intrusive. While it’s still a chain restaurant and not a family-owned Italian spot, Maggiano’s delivers consistent quality and value that makes it worth your money when you’re craving Italian food but don’t want to cook at home.
Next time you’re hungry for Italian food and considering a chain restaurant, choose wisely. Skip the worst offenders like Fazoli’s and The Old Spaghetti Factory altogether. Be cautious with middle-of-the-pack options like Olive Garden and Carrabba’s, ordering carefully to avoid their weak spots. Or better yet, head straight to Maggiano’s for a satisfying meal that won’t leave you regretting your choice. Your wallet and your taste buds will thank you.
