Macaroni Grill trying to cut corners

[ShellyLynn3630]

We went to eat at the Macaroni Grill yesterday and the bread that is soooo good that they give you before your meal looked a whole lot smaller. Now I know you can get as much as you want, because me and our party of seven did get six rolls one night, but I think they are trying to cut corners here.

 

[Princesca]

I gotta say, I have no complaints with Macaroni Grill.

This used to be one of my favorite places to eat, and we went one day a few weeks ago, and it wasn't good. The food was overpriced for what you got, the service was terrible... so I submitted detailed feedback.

I got an immediate response from the regional manager apologizing, promising that they were returning back to their roots, so to speak, and enclosing $20 in gift certificates to entice me to try it again. Well, we went back about two weeks later, and sure enough, it was a totally different experience. Awesome service, new menu (back to the classics), yummy food, sensible portion sizes. I took home leftovers! So I wrote them again to tell them how much our experience had improved, and they sent me another $10 in gift certs for the positive feedback.

I couldn't be happier... the way they handled all of this puts them back at the top of my list of favorite places.

 

[tar heel]

DH and I went there last night, and I thought that overall the prices were a little lower. We were offered a second loaf of bread but declined. Our food was good, and I brought half of it home to have for lunch. We used the free entree coupon that was emailed to their email club people, but made up for it by getting a bottle of wine.

 

[Allison]

Sounds like a good way to cut down on waste. You can always ask for more so it works for me.

 

[Muushka]

I stopped going to Mac Grill 2 years ago.

They would have something on their menu that I would love. And then POOF, it would be gone.

I got tired of being disappointed.

 

[luvmy3]

I'd rather a business cut corners where it can, like shrinking loafs of bead, giving a little smaller portions, than laying off a bunch of workers and adding to the record high unemployment rate. Everyone needs to cut, from household, to business to gov't

 

[bellarella]

We went to eat at the Macaroni Grill yesterday and the bread that is soooo good that they give you before your meal looked a whole lot smaller. Now I know you can get as much as you want, because me and our party of seven did get six rolls one night, but I think they are trying to cut corners here.

?????

I don't get your complaint. They will give you as much as you want, but you still think they are cutting corners?

I see it as a way of not wasting food. Bravo.

 

[msmayor]

?????

I don't get your complaint. They will give you as much as you want, but you still think they are cutting corners?

I see it as a way of not wasting food. Bravo.

Exactly.

I'd rather see them give smaller portions than see large 'extras' tossed in the trash.

Wasted food means everyone pays higher prices to account for the waste.

 

[Tink-aholic]

I gotta say, I have no complaints with Macaroni Grill.

This used to be one of my favorite places to eat, and we went one day a few weeks ago, and it wasn't good. The food was overpriced for what you got, the service was terrible... so I submitted detailed feedback.

I got an immediate response from the regional manager apologizing, promising that they were returning back to their roots, so to speak, and enclosing $20 in gift certificates to entice me to try it again. Well, we went back about two weeks later, and sure enough, it was a totally different experience. Awesome service, new menu (back to the classics), yummy food, sensible portion sizes. I took home leftovers! So I wrote them again to tell them how much our experience had improved, and they sent me another $10 in gift certs for the positive feedback.

I couldn't be happier... the way they handled all of this puts them back at the top of my list of favorite places.

I wish this had been my experience.

We stopped going years ago after an awful visit. Bad service, cold food, stale bread, and even with all of this my son wanted to wrap up his food. The waiter took his plate and left it on the center aisle (you know, where they keep everything and everyone passes it?) for twenty minutes (I started a stopwatch on my phone) where all kinds of who-knows-what could have fallen into it.

I called the manager over to our table to complain and he basically shrugged his shoulders and told me "so what?!" I also made a formal complaint to the website and never heard back from them.

Now, that Macaroni Grill is an Olive Garden. There aren't any within 30 miles of my house, and I am fine with that. As far as I am concerned, they didn't want my business, anyway.

 

[minniebeth]

I'm glad that some people still have good experiences with Macaroni Grill, but we have stopped going there a couple of years ago too. It used to be one of my favorite places when it first opened, it was soo good.

I don't mind smaller bread and smaller portions, but it seemed like the bread changed a while ago and wasn't even close to being as good as before. We don't go for the bread, but the entrees, etc. and we found the portions to be smaller and the quality to be completely different than it used to be. Plus the prices were higher and we had consistently bad service. We really did give it all the chances we could. Occasionally, we'll go back to give it another try to see if anything changed for the better, but we are always disappointed, so we have crossed it off the list for good. When we spend the money going out to eat, we want a good experience and good food.

Don't even get me started on Buca di Beppo...that's even worse!

 

[cseca]

Just like most of the restaurants around here. Especially Outback.
Their menu has been changed so many times to cut costs that it's not even worth it to go there anymore.
I used to crave going there, now I don't even want to when DH offers to go there.

We don't have an MG here tho, the closest one from here is more than half hour away. But that's ok, I looked at their nutritional content and I about passed out. Good thing there's no temptation to go.

 

[erincon23]

My DMIL mentioned this just last night -- she said that she goes there for lunch with one of her friends, and only orders one dish (it's a pasta dish, but I can't remember what it is), partly because the sauce is so good. She said the last time she went, the sauce was different and nowhere near as good. She asked the waitress, who said that they used to purchase the sauce from a supplier, but decided to make it themselves. Apparently the chef was not as successful as the supplier, and MIL says she won't go back.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

Oh believe me we never waste anything there we always take it home and eat it.

 

[ErinC]

The first time I went to Macaroni grill, I ordered a pasta dish with shrimp, pine nuts, and spinach ( I can't remember what it is called). It was great. I always order the same thing. I started noticing that every time I ordered it, they left out the pine nuts (even though they are still on the menu). I would have to ask to get them and they would act like they forgot them. I finally figured it out, that they do it on purpose as a cost cutting measure. We've commented several times that we feel ripped off price wise compared to other places when we eat there, so we pretty much don't go anymore.

 

[SandrA9810]

I used to place orders to go from there, and they actually give you a mini loaf with every order. It's still a decent size, but it was smaller than the one you would receive at the table.

Maybe they made up one to many? And started serving it to tables of 2.

I haven't eaten there in years, and I love it. Grrrr... now I want some.

 

[caribear]

I won one of their contests about 3 years ago or so........the one where you receive a $50 CG each month for one year. Anyway, after the year was up we never wanted to see a Macaroni Grill again! We haven't been back since.....

 

[Minnie116]

Funny you should mention this. We went to Macaroni grill about a month ago. I ordered the same thing that I always get...Lobster Ravioli...I got about 6 tiny ravioli. It was the joke at our table that I got the most expensive meal out of all of us and had the tiniest amount of food. It was not even appetizer size.

 

[mhsjax]

Am I the only one that doesn't like that place at all?

 

[Muushka]

Am I the only one that doesn't like that place at all?

No, I think you have some company.

I stopped going to Mac Grill 2 years ago.

They would have something on their menu that I would love. And then POOF, it would be gone.

I got tired of being disappointed.

I wish this had been my experience.

We stopped going years ago after an awful visit. Bad service, cold food, stale bread, and even with all of this my son wanted to wrap up his food. The waiter took his plate and left it on the center aisle (you know, where they keep everything and everyone passes it?) for twenty minutes (I started a stopwatch on my phone) where all kinds of who-knows-what could have fallen into it.

I called the manager over to our table to complain and he basically shrugged his shoulders and told me "so what?!" I also made a formal complaint to the website and never heard back from them.

Now, that Macaroni Grill is an Olive Garden. There aren't any within 30 miles of my house, and I am fine with that. As far as I am concerned, they didn't want my business, anyway.

I'm glad that some people still have good experiences with Macaroni Grill, but we have stopped going there a couple of years ago too. It used to be one of my favorite places when it first opened, it was soo good.

I don't mind smaller bread and smaller portions, but it seemed like the bread changed a while ago and wasn't even close to being as good as before. We don't go for the bread, but the entrees, etc. and we found the portions to be smaller and the quality to be completely different than it used to be. Plus the prices were higher and we had consistently bad service. We really did give it all the chances we could. Occasionally, we'll go back to give it another try to see if anything changed for the better, but we are always disappointed, so we have crossed it off the list for good. When we spend the money going out to eat, we want a good experience and good food.

Don't even get me started on Buca di Beppo...that's even worse!

The first time I went to Macaroni grill, I ordered a pasta dish with shrimp, pine nuts, and spinach ( I can't remember what it is called). It was great. I always order the same thing. I started noticing that every time I ordered it, they left out the pine nuts (even though they are still on the menu). I would have to ask to get them and they would act like they forgot them. I finally figured it out, that they do it on purpose as a cost cutting measure. We've commented several times that we feel ripped off price wise compared to other places when we eat there, so we pretty much don't go anymore.

 

[OceanAnnie]

OP, I know what you mean!

We had a similar thing happen to us when we went to Bob Evans. I used to love, love, love that place. Not now. My salad was half the size it used to be. Wasn't filling at all. Same price. I was very disappointed. The children love the, "Little Farmer's" dish, with an assortment of breakfast items. They used to get 2 slices of bacon and plenty of eggs. Now it's 1 slice of bacon and about 1/2 the eggs. Same price. They also used to give a bread sampler plate to your table while you wait for your meal. It was about 8 slices. They don't do that now. You only get bread now with certain dishes and then it's 2 slices.

I didn't like the cut backs with the prices remaining the same. I would've liked to have been informed that the salad was half the size it used to be. I would've ordered something else. They have two sizes to begin with regular and "savor" size. I would get the smaller and it was still great for a nice meal. Not. anymore. Very, very disappointing. We spent about $8 bucks for a salad that wasn't filling.

It's under new management. We won't be returning.