The '90s Italian Restaurant Chain That Survived Bankruptcy And Still Has 24 Locations Left
Today, when we want Italian cuisine fast and easy, we lean on restaurant chains like Olive Garden or Carrabba's. But once upon a time, in the late 90s and early 2000s, many people across the country were getting their pasta and comfort meal fix from the one and only Johnny Carino's.
It was chef Johnny Carino himself who developed the original idea for the chain that would come to be known for its family-style meals and traditional Italian fare. He inherited a 15-unit Italian concept from Brinker International in 1994 and was tasked with revamping the menu to fit his own Italian heritage. Later, in 1997, the restaurant company Fired Up — founded by former Brinker executives Norman Abdallah and Creed Ford III — acquired Johnny Carino's and helped in growing its footprint. Johnny Carino's started in Fort Collins, Colorado, but by its peak in 2006, it was operating 173 locations – both company-owned and franchises — across 30 states.
Unfortunately, less than a decade later, the chain was no longer twirling in success. It was drowning in debt. In 2014, its parent company, Fired Up, was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing the recession, a decline in gas and oil prices, and costs related to the Affordable Care Act as main reasons. Then, despite closing stores and liquidating assets, the company filed for bankruptcy again in 2016. Still, like any true Italian classic, Johnny Carino's has proven resilient, and a handful of the restaurant's locations continue to serve guests to this day.
Where is Johnny Carino's now?
Johnny Carino's is now a part of the Bluestone Hospitality Group – a company that owns franchises for other fast-food chains like Popeyes and Burger King, and is operating a total of 24 locations as of 2025. These span across 10 states (California, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas), with California and Texas leading the pack with 8 and 7 locations, respectively.
From the outside, these remaining restaurants share the old familiar aesthetic featuring stone and stucco walls and low, Spanish tile roofs. On the inside, they're still serving up longstanding favorite dishes like Italian nachos, signature lasagna, handmade chicken parmesan, Grilled Chicken Bowtie Festival, and the Sizzling Skilletini® Cacciatore. Unlimited salads round out the meal, and we can't forget about the decadent desserts like tiramisu and strawberry cheesecake. But Italian comfort food isn't the only thing on the menu these days. Thanks to a partnership with Famous Dave's BBQ that began in 2020, some Johnny Carino's kitchens are now moonlighting as smokehouses, cranking out ribs, brisket, and scratch-made sides for takeout and delivery orders. It's an unlikely pairing, but it's one that has allowed both chains to stay afloat in recent years despite financial struggles.
As for Johnny Carino himself, his chef career continues, but now as a private chef and restaurant consultant in St. Simon's Island, Georgia, surrounded by his 5 rescue pets. And while his namesake chain has evolved in ways he likely never expected, he can be proud that his recipes and legacy simmer on.