RIYADH — With a ring of their famous tip bell and a hearty rendition of Bella Ciao, Saudi Arabia's first branch of Romano's Macaroni Grill opened in Riyadh on Sunday. Around 80 guests, including US diplomatic staff and the executive team of franchisee Tarfeeh, attended the restaurant's grand opening on King Abdulaziz road. Tarfeeh and parent holding company SEDCO have invested heavily in the new branch, and it shows. The interior is typical Romano's: a large, open taverna style with plenty of timber and exposed stone. The restaurant has capacity for over 200 guests split across two floors. Singles are upstairs, a refreshing change to the standard layout in most of Riyadh's restaurants. Locating the initial branch along what could be described as Riyadh's international restaurant row is a bold move. Within a few blocks there are Italian restaurants Ill Fornaretto, Forchetta, and Piatto, as well as a KFC, China Gate, The Sandwich Company, El Chico, Salmon Seafood, and at least five different branches of the fast-food burger joints that are rapidly colonizing Riyadh's food scene. With all this action right on its doorstep, Tarfeeh could face a tough time carving out market share for Romano's Macaroni Grill, but proximity is apparently part of the business strategy. “The idea is to take market share from other restaurants. So having the location beside other restaurants, that's what we'd like to do,” said SEDCO's CEO Anees Moumina. The new venue may be surrounded by other restaurants, but Riyadh has far from an abundance of restaurants serving Italian cuisine. Tarfeeh CEO Ahmed Marashde believes the Romano's brand will bring new dining options in the casual Italian dining segment in Riyadh. “We think Piattos caters to more of a value driven consumer,” said Marashde. “Romano's Macaroni Grill brand will bring international exposure in terms of the quality and the dining experience it's self.” Tarfeeh has big plans for the brand; the next Macaroni Grill is scheduled for Jeddah, and they have already identified a second site for Riyadh. The company plans on opening an additional eight branches in 2015 across their four brands, which will mean growth of around 30 percent, and will also acquire a fifth brand. Moumina would not reveal which brand would be acquired, but did say that two were currently being considered. — SG
