On December 18, 2008, Brinker announced that a majority stake in the chain was sold to Mac Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of Golden Gate Capital.

[8] On February 6, 2013, Ignite Restaurant Group announced the acquisition of Romano's Macaroni Grill from Golden Gate Capital through a $55.0 million all-cash transaction.

Jason Kemp has been named in multiple lawsuits alleging serious fraud and theft of money from both his business partners and the federal government.

[14][15][16][17] Romano's Macaroni Grill menu features items found in traditional cuisine from Italy and the Mediterranean area.

[20] Three years later, however, the magazine rated Macaroni Grill as the healthiest Italian chain, noting that a number of entrees had significantly decreased in calorie count.