Carrabba's Italian Grill

Last updated
Carrabba's Italian Grill
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Restaurant
Genre Casual dining
FoundedDecember 26, 1986;37 years ago (1986-12-26), in Houston, Texas, U.S.
Founder
  • "Johnny" Charles Carrabba, III
  • Damian Mandola
Headquarters2202 North West Shore Boulevard, Suite 500
Tampa, Florida, U.S. 33607
Number of locations
217 (2022)
Area served
Key people
Pat Hafner (president of Carrabba’s)
Products
Revenue US$ 699.7 million (2022)
Parent Bloomin' Brands
Website www.carrabbas.com

Carrabba's Italian Grill (or simply Carrabba's) is an American restaurant chain featuring Italian-American cuisine. It is owned and operated by Bloomin' Brands, and headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

Contents

History

The chain was founded on December 26, 1986, by John Charles "Johnny" Carrabba III and his uncle Damian Mandola. [1] Together, they opened the first restaurant on Kirby Drive in Houston, Texas. A second location was opened soon after at the intersection of Woodway and Voss Road. After a considerable enlargement of the restaurant, it was renamed "Rosie Carrabba's" in honor of Damian's sister Rose. Johnny Carrabba and his family are still the proprietors of both original locations. [2] [3]

In January 1993, under a joint venture with Outback Steakhouse, Inc. (the predecessor to Bloomin' Brands), 10 new Carrabba's locations were opened in Houston and Florida. Two years later, OSI acquired the rights to develop the Carrabba's chain nationwide. [1]

In 2008, OSI teamed up with HMSHost to open the first airport location in Tampa International Airport. [4]

As of 2013, there were more Carrabba's restaurants in Florida—home to parent company Bloomin' Brands' corporate headquarters—than any other state in the United States. [5]

In 2015, the first Carrabba's international location opened in Brazil, rebranded as "Abbraccio" [6]

In 2020, Carrabba's expanded into Canada, opening a location in Moncton, New Brunswick. [7]

In 2021 Bloomin Brands bought out the founders of Carrabba’s Italian Grill in a royalty termination agreement. As part of the agreement the founders kept their original two locations in Houston. [8]

Many of the recipes for the dishes on Carrabba's menu are those of Damian's mother, Grace, and his sister, Rose. [9] These recipes were featured on the PBS cooking show Cucina Sicilia, which is hosted by Carrabba and Mandola. [10] [11]

Chicken Bryan, one of Carrabba's Italian Grill's dishes, [12] features an 8 oz grilled chicken breast, topped with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, and a basil lemon-butter sauce. The dish is named after the city of Bryan (Texas), where the Carrabba family settled. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outback Steakhouse</span> American chain steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse is an American chain of Australian-themed casual dining restaurants, serving American cuisine, based in Tampa, Florida. The chain has over 1,000 locations in 23 countries throughout North America, South America, Asia, and Australia. It was founded on March 15, 1988 with its first location in Tampa by Bob Basham, Chris T. Sullivan, Trudy Cooper, and Tim Gannon. It was owned and operated in the United States by OSI Restaurant Partners until it was acquired by Bloomin' Brands, and by other franchise and venture agreements internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Rockets</span> American restaurant chain

The Johnny Rockets Group Inc. is an American restaurant franchise whose themed decor is based upon 1950s diner-style restaurants. Décor includes Coca-Cola advertising, featuring nearly life-size cardboard illustrations of women in World War II armed services uniforms, individual jukebox stations, chrome accents and red vinyl seats.

VitaNova Brands, based in San Antonio, Texas, was an operator of a number of American national buffet chain restaurants including subsidiary company Furr's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westshore (Tampa)</span> Neighborhood in Hillsborough, Florida, United States

Westshore is a principal business district of Tampa, Florida, United States, with more than 11,000,000 square feet (1,000,000 m2) of commercial office space, 4,000 businesses with nearly 100,000 employees, 32 hotels, two major shopping malls and more than 200 restaurants and bars. Westshore Boulevard is the district's main thoroughfare. Although mostly zoned for commercial use there is also some residential space in the area. The NEVs that circulate people around Tampa's urban corridor areas are starting to venture to International Plaza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brinker International</span> American restaurant company

Brinker International, Inc. is an American multinational hospitality industry company that owns Chili's and Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant chains. Founded in 1975 and based in Dallas, Texas, Brinker currently owns, operates, or franchises 1,672 restaurants under the names Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pollo Tropical</span> Restaurant chain

Pollo Tropical is a South Florida-based restaurant chain and franchise specializing in food inspired by Latin-Caribbean cuisine. Founded in 1988, the chain has its headquarters in Doral, Florida, It is best known for marinated and grilled chicken and various sides including black beans and rice, mojo roast pork and more.

Romano's Macaroni Grill is a casual dining restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. As of February 2024, the company operates 31 locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.

Bloomin' Brands, Inc. is a restaurant holding company that owns several American casual dining restaurant chains. The company was established in 1988 in Tampa, Florida, where it is headquartered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheeseburger in Paradise (restaurant)</span> Defunct Casual dining restaurant and former chain

Cheeseburger in Paradise was a casual dining theme restaurant chain in the United States that operated between 2002 and 2020. The chain started in 2002 as a partnership of American musician Jimmy Buffett's company, the Orlando, Florida-based Margaritaville Holdings LLC, and OSI Restaurant Partners, with Buffett licensing the name and Outback Steakhouse operating the franchising of restaurants. After a change of ownership in 2012, most of the restaurants were closed by 2014. The last location closed in September 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonefish Grill</span> American casual dining restaurant chain

Bonefish Grill is an American casual dining seafood restaurant chain owned and operated by Bloomin' Brands, headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The company was founded on January 15, 2000, in St. Petersburg, Florida by Tim Curci and Chris Parker.

Chris T. Sullivan is one of the founders of Outback Steakhouse and OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. He also formerly held the titles of director and chairman. He is currently a board member at Bloomin' Brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taco Palenque</span>

Taco Palenque is a Mexican cuisine restaurant chain in South Texas and northern Tamaulipas, Mexico. The restaurant is headquartered in Laredo, Texas and was established in 1987. The restaurant's main dishes are the flame-grilled beef or chicken fajita plate, parrillada, pirata taco, panchos drizzled with bean and cheese on top of tortilla chips, homemade desserts, and breakfast tacos Taco Palenque's salad bar has more than 7 different homemade salsas.

Dave Deno was named Chief Executive Officer of Bloomin' Brands and a member of the Board of Directors in March 2019 after serving as the company's Chief Financial and Administrative Officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy's</span>

Roy's is an upscale American restaurant that specializes in Hawaiian and Japanese fusion cuisine, with a focus on sushi, seafood and steak. The chain was founded by James Beard Foundation Award Winner Roy Yamaguchi in 1988 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The concept was well received among critics upon inception. The concept has grown to include 21 Roy's restaurants in the continental United States, six in Hawaii, one in Japan and one in Guam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ninfa Laurenzo</span> Texas restaurateur

Maria Ninfa Rodriguez Laurenzo, born with the family name Rodriguez, was an American restaurateur from Houston, Texas, who founded the restaurant Ninfa's. Laurenzo started out running a single taco stand in Houston, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar</span>

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is an American steakhouse restaurant chain owned and operated by Bloomin' Brands, headquartered in Tampa, Florida. In addition to steak and wine, they serve a variety of American cuisine associated with fine dining, such as calamari, chocolate desserts, crab, lobster, and other seasonal specials. The Fleming’s 100 is a brand trademark that consists of a collection of 100 wines available by the glass or bottle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Gannon</span> American businessman and polo player

Tim Gannon is an American businessman and polo player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Pollo Loco (United States)</span> Restaurant chain

El Pollo Loco, Inc., is a restaurant chain based in the United States, specializing in Mexican-style grilled chicken. Restaurant service consists of: dine-in, take-out, with some locations offering drive through options. The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, and operates about 500 company-owned and franchised restaurants in the Southwestern United States.

References

  1. 1 2 "Carrabba's Story". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  2. "Carrabba's Locator, Kirby". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  3. "Carrabba's Locator, Woodway". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  4. Steve Huettel (October 22, 2008). "Changes on their way to Tampa International Airport". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  5. Carrabba's Locations
  6. "Bloomin' Brands Announces 2015 First Quarter Adjusted Diluted EPS of $0.54 and Diluted EPS of $0.47". May 5, 2015. Archived from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  7. "Carrabba's Italian Grill | Corey Craig Group Moncton, NB". 10 November 2020.
  8. "PURCHASE AND SALE OF ROYALTY PAYMENT STREAM AND TERMINATION OF ROYALTY AGREEMENT". www.sec.gov. August 2, 2021. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  9. "About, Meet the Family". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  10. "Cucina Sicilia". PBS. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  11. "Founders". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Archived from the original on April 13, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Chicken Bryan". OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2012.

Further reading