Muscatine

DISCLAIMER: I never worked at Fazoli’s – just a customer. These are only my observations. I originally posted this on the Journal website and has yet appeared (it’s been 3 days prior of this being posted here).

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Just got reading the comment section on the journal website about Fazoli’s closing down.

 It bugs me when a business closes down and all you read about is how bad it was or the food sucks or any number of things.

Unfortunately, there are the few who may have worked there over the years and have been released due to reasons known only to the Manager or employee at the time. Naturally, they would air their grievances after they or the business is gone.

Some comments state that it tried passing itself off as “Authentic Italian”. I agree to an extent.
 It’s like serving German Potato Salad at an American restaurant and stating it is authentic. Sorry, I’d pass. ANYONE who believes that is nutty. The only true German Potato Salad is one made by a full blooded German or you can go up I-80 to the Ox Yoke Inn. 

 The only claim to Italian would be the atmosphere that it was trying to create during your meal. That’s it. Nothing more.

 I agree the pizza should have been left off the menu.

Another poster had made mentioned of being kicked out during the tornado that ripped thru town. Sorry to hear you didn’t want to head to the bathroom(s) while the darn thing was tearing up the town and flipping cars across the street. If I recall, it was recommended that you stay put and not leave. I think you wanted to leave in the middle of it, but was refused until the all clear was sounded. Management was just looking out for your well being.
 I know, I was there. Didn’t even get to finish my meal.

Menu’s change, recipes change, food changes.

Management can make or break a business – be it small a mom/pop place or corporate. If there was a problem with a “snotty employee”, then the thing to do would have asked for the on shift Manager and report it. Kinda late now, don’t ya think?

 A lot of things do happen behind the scene of any business. A poster mentioned that a lot of crap went on that cannot be mentioned. Well, that person could have spoken up and said something at the time instead of waiting. Maybe your Manager could have been replaced earlier instead of running it into the ground from the start.


  the following info was relayed to me by one of the assistant managers:
 Of the last 4 of the GM’s that worked there, 2 of them deserved to be let go. Too bad it took corporate to go thru the books to catch them.
 1 of the other 2 left for greener pastures. The last GM took her almost 4 years to get that location out of a $xx,xxx per year slump (from the prior GM who ran the place into the dirt) and was able to reduce that number by 80% . It’s too bad she didn’t have that extra year. It would have been possible started showing a positive flow (again) same time next year if it wasn’t for the local economy and the boost during Soccer and Baseball season .
 Unfortunately, towards the end, the summer sports season WAS their biggest money maker.
 
 I’m guessing that it came down to either paying to keep the lights on or shutting down and paying rent on a empty building and having the cost go towards rent.

 Just my 2 cents

I mss thier bread sticks and garlic butter!

The food sucked. Plain and simple. I'm surprised they lasted this long.

When they first opened they did a lot of local advertising. Then it was cutback and cutback and cutback. Even thought they were located next to a road with a high traffic volume, people need to be constantly reminded of a restaurant's existence.

I loved their breadsticks and the sampler platter was my favorite entree.