Macaroni Grill in South Portland, Maine, Has Permanently Closed

A turbulent few years for a South Portland chain restaurant has finally come to an end. Romano's Macaroni Grill near the Maine Mall has permanently closed their doors and spent the weekend auctioning off items and equipment from the restaurant.

It's an abrupt end to what has been an up-and-down existence for the chain over the past couple of years. Back in late-2021, Romano's Macaroni Grill appeared doomed after it had suddenly closed around Thanksgiving without notice. The restaurant promised that closure was planned and based on renovations, but social media whispers said differently.

The restaurant did eventually reopen, and received several five-star reviews on Google as recently as last month. Somewhere between their last five-star review and right, Romano's Macaroni Grill decided to pull the plug on their existence in South Portland.

Macaroni Grill follows a lengthy line of chain restaurants that have closed down around the Maine Mall. Bugaboo Creek, Weathervane, Tilted Kilt, and Ruby Tuesday have all tried and ultimately failed to catch on. Ironically, several of the national chains that didn't make it have been replaced by local restaurants.

It's been a struggle for Romano's Macaroni Grill to stay afloat over the last decade. At its height, Macaroni Grill operated 230 locations nationwide. Now, the chain is down to 33 restaurants.

With the permanent closing of their South Portland location, Romano's Macaroni Grill has officially exited from operating anywhere in the northeast. The chain has put their primary focus on operating in the south and west.