Carrabba's Italian Grill facts for kids
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A Carrabba's Italian Grill in Durham, North Carolina
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Genre | Casual dining |
| Founded | December 26, 1986, in Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Founder |
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| Headquarters | 2202 North West Shore Boulevard, Suite 500 Tampa, Florida, U.S. 33607 |
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Number of locations
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217 (2022) |
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Area served
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Key people
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Pat Hafner (president of Carrabba’s) |
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| Revenue | US$ 699.7 million (2022) |
| Parent | Bloomin' Brands |
Carrabba's Italian Grill, often just called Carrabba's, is a popular American restaurant. It serves delicious Italian-American cuisine, which is a mix of Italian and American flavors. This restaurant chain is owned by a company called Bloomin' Brands. Its main office is in Tampa, Florida.
The Story of Carrabba's
Carrabba's Italian Grill started on December 26, 1986. It was founded by John Charles "Johnny" Carrabba III and his uncle Damian Mandola. They opened their very first restaurant in Houston, Texas. Soon after, they opened a second location nearby.
The second restaurant became much bigger. It was then renamed "Rosie Carrabba's." This was to honor Damian's sister, Rose. Johnny Carrabba and his family still own and run these first two restaurants today.
In January 1993, Carrabba's teamed up with Outback Steakhouse, Inc. This company is now known as Bloomin' Brands. Together, they opened 10 new Carrabba's restaurants. These new locations were in Houston and Florida. A couple of years later, Bloomin' Brands gained the right to open Carrabba's restaurants all over the country.
In 2008, Carrabba's opened its first airport location. This restaurant was at Tampa International Airport. By 2013, Florida had more Carrabba's restaurants than any other state. This is because Bloomin' Brands, the parent company, has its main office there.
Carrabba's also expanded to other countries. In 2015, the first international restaurant opened in Brazil. It was given a new name, "Abbraccio." In 2020, Carrabba's opened a location in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
In 2021, Bloomin' Brands bought out the original founders of Carrabba's. This agreement meant the founders kept their first two restaurants in Houston.
What's on the Menu?
Many of the tasty recipes at Carrabba's come from Damian's mother, Grace, and his sister, Rose. These family recipes were even shown on a TV cooking show. The show was called Cucina Sicilia and was hosted by Carrabba and Mandola.
One very popular dish is called Chicken Bryan. It features a grilled chicken breast. This chicken is topped with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and a special lemon-butter sauce with basil. The dish is named after the city of Bryan, Texas, where the Carrabba family first settled.
