RISE - Menu Monitor

Menu Positioning |
Carrabba's Italian Grill is open for dinner seven days per week. The menu features appetizers, wood-fired pizzas, salad and
soup, grilled specialties, pasta specialties and Italian classics. Signature appetizers listed in its “Antipasti” section include
Zucchini Fritte, calamari, crab cakes and Grilled Brushetta. Popular entrées include Chicken Marsala—mushrooms, prosciutto
and Lombardo Marsala wine sauce; 9-oz. filet with potatoes and vegetables; and Rigatoni Martino—pasta, grilled chicken,
sautéed mushrooms, sundried tomatoes in a tomato cream sauce topped with ricotta salata cheese and scallions. A wide
selection of pastas and Italian classics such as mussels, lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan and Veal Marsala are offered. Woodfired
pizzas are another customer favorite. Desserts include tiramisu, cannoli and Sogno di Cioccolata. Full liquor service is
offered. Also available is a kids’ menu—the “Bambini Menu,” featuring spaghetti & meatballs, cheese ravioli and cheese pizza.
Other options include a gluten-free menu and a large party carry-out menu. Menu prices range from $3.49–$20.99. Checks
average $23.50.
Promotion Plans |
OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. has awarded media duties for its Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba’s Italian Grill restaurants to
Aegis Group’s Carat of New York. Media buying and planning for the two chains, worth $90 million, had previously been split
between MPG and Doner. (Nation’s Restaurant News 10/29/07)
Menu Development |
Pistachios add a light, delicate flavor to both savory and sweet dishes. At Carrabba’s Italian Grill locations, patrons can finish
their meal with the Cannoli allo Siciliano, crisp pastry shells filled with ricotta and chocolate-chip filling and topped with
confectioner’s sugar and pistachios. Pasha in New York City menus a marinated chicken breast stuffed with pistachios,
currants and rice and served over sautéed spinach with white-wine tarragon sauce. Le Titi de Paris in Arlington Heights, IL,
offers guests a Warm Autumn Pear & Apple Bread Pudding with Pistachio Crème Anglaise and Bittersweet Chocolate Sorbet.
(Restaurants & Institutions p17 2/07)
Personnel |
Bill Allen, CEO
Derk Montgomery, CFO
Irean Wenzel, V.P. of Purchasing
William Kadow, V.P. of Operations
Andi Jacobs, V.P. of Marketing
News & Other |
OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. will be acquired by Bain Capital Partners, Catterton Partners and Outback Steakhouse cofounders
for about $3.2 billion. OSI is the owner of several brands including Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and
Cheeseburger in Paradise. The deal will close early next year and will take OSI Restaurant Partners private. (Wall Street
Journal 11/07/06; NRN Daily NewsFax 11/07/06; Nation’s Restaurant News Online 11/09/06)
Carrabba’s Italian Grill will celebrate its 20th anniversary on December 26. (Company Release 12/22/06)
Carrabba’s Italian Grill reported for the fourth quarter ended December 31 same-store sales decreased 2.5%. (Company
Release 2/1/07)
OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. reported for the quarter ended March 31 same-store sales system-wide declined 0.5% at
Outback Steakhouse, 1.3% at Carrabba’s Italian Grills, 0.7% at Bonefish Grills, 2.1% at Roy’s and rose 3.3% at Fleming’s
Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bars. For the five weeks ended March 31, same-store sales system-wide fell 0.1% at Outback
Steakhouse, 0.7% at Carrabba’s Italian Grills, 1% at Bonefish Grills, and 1.6% at Roy’s, and grew 0.7% at Fleming’s Prime
Steakhouse and Wine Bars. (Company Release 4/5/07)
OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. reported April same-store sales grew 1% at Outback Steakhouse, 1.1% at Carrabba’s Italian
Grill, 1.9% at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 0.7% at Bonefish Grill and 0.8% at Roy’s. (NRN Daily NewsFax
5/4/07)
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