Even in a Lousy Economy, Brinker Finds Someone to Buy Macaroni Grill

And then there were three. Eleven days after analysts predicted Brinker International would indeed unload Romano’s Macaroni Grill despite the lousy credit market, it’s happened — for about $88 million, which doesn’t seem like a lot of pasta for a chain with some 220 eateries worldwide (as in, Egypt and Japan and Kuwait, no kidding). Dallas-born-bred-and-based Brinker — which still has Chili’s, On the Border and Maggiano’s — will keep a minority interest in the Mac Grill, but it’s now the problem of San Francisco-based Golden Gate Capital, whose money Brinker’s using to pay down debt. Not gonna lie, though: Haven’t eaten at a Macaroni Grill since, oh, forever, and I don’t know anyone else who has. You? Is it good? Oh. Really. –Robert Wilonsky