BREAKING NEWS: Macaroni Grill Closing at Branson Landing

By: Monte Schisler, News Director
Posted: Friday, January 06, 2012

Saying he just couldn’t make a go of it anymore, the owner of Romano’s Macaroni Grill at Branson Landing is closing the doors. Bruce Swisshelm of Swisshelm Group in Springfield tells HometownDailyNews.com that he’s not sure when the last day will be, but employees of the Branson restaurant will be offered jobs at the company’s Springfield location. An initial online post on the restaurant’s Facebook page confirmed the decision, telling its Branson customers it had been a pleasure serving you, but the Springfield restaurant would stay open. Minutes after HometownDailyNews.com contacted the restaurant’s office, the post had been deleted, along with all other content. Swisshelm said smaller than anticipated crowds at the Landing played a part in his decision, adding that the restaurant just didn’t stay busy enough. It’s not known if another restaurant will take over the space. A spokesperson for Branson Landing has been unavailable for comment.

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Comments (14) - comment on this story

maggied@centurytel.com - 01/06/2012 9:20:04 AM

It is no wonder. The menu had been trimmed of all my favorites/ Also what I ordered was not good

chef - 01/06/2012 9:32:14 AM

What do you know City of Branson another business gone

Jan - 01/06/2012 10:16:32 AM

Bransons visitors are a lot of senior people which I am myself.The prices these places charge are way to high for a lot of people. Look at the little restaurant thought just up the road which is locally owned. I have been there several times. I have yet to see the day when this place is not packed

Bruce - 01/06/2012 10:31:37 AM

If the food and service is good, people will come, when it's not they won't. Neither were good at this location. Last time we ate there we were served drinks in styrofoam cups. The restaurant was practically empty but they had no clean glasses and the restaurant was dirty. I hope something good replaces it.

dlpfaff - 01/06/2012 10:33:33 AM

My friend and I went just last month. The food and the service was great but it was a little on the pricey side. I would go more often but can't afford to. Sorry to see it go.

LLM - 01/06/2012 11:58:48 AM

I agree with Maggie. It was not good. Hubby and I went there twice, but both times the food was sub par!

Bigger Problem - 01/06/2012 2:16:48 PM

Not many things can survive at the landing. Part of that has to be the rent costs. The rent in those places is way to high not to mention the fact that Branson is only busy 7-8 months out of the year. What are those businesses supposed to do the rest of the time. There is not enough business to make the rent, not to mention the payroll.

city of branson ain't very business friendly - 01/06/2012 3:00:58 PM

city of branson are not business friendly.branson landing was charging $5,000 dollars a month rent for that small place. no wonder they could not make it. many more stores are gonna be closing this winter too. some will never come back.

Jim - 01/06/2012 5:48:24 PM

This has nothing to do with the city of Branson lol! Come on guys, it's a restaurant. Restaurants have one of the highest failure rates of any business. The Landing was more packed than I have ever seen this year, and I actually saw people with bags stuffed full of merch. Heck, why don't we blame this failed business on the new bridge too. I see a lot of couch potato cockpit whiners on this site all too frequently. If you don't like what city hall is doing, 99.9% of BOA meeting are public forum. Go speak there, or are you too lazy? "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." Abraham Lincoln

tcr78 - 01/06/2012 6:37:38 PM

I agree with Maggie too! We were their Wednesday evening and the service was slow & food was not as good as the Springfield location. I hope the staff that moves to that location get it together!

rent - 01/07/2012 8:17:44 PM

If the Landing didn't charge such high rent maybe places would be able to make it!

concerned - 01/09/2012 6:24:23 AM

Most locals DO NOT SHOP/EAT AT THE LANDING!! You can always blind side a tourist once BUT not twice. High rent--High sales tax rate poor service--poor food take your pick. I shop Bass pro and then make my purchase in Springfield. The TIF crap just makes me sick!! Because of TIF's we all are paying higher taxes to support the school system. Those TIF properties do not and that is plain wrong!! Go broke Branson landing we just don't care about you fountain anymore!!

Jim - 01/09/2012 9:08:26 PM

Out of 12 comments yours seems to be the only one supporting the City Fathers in their wisdom to operate a tourist trap, i.e. Branson Landing. Since 11 other people see it differently than you, perhaps you missed something. Not to worry it happens here all the time, and with each failure comes another influx of money only to fail again. Each one that tries it knows better than the last guy...he can make it work. Yeah right. Drive out the strip today and look what a sad shape this town is in.

n/a - 01/11/2012 2:04:04 PM

And this is BREAKING NEWS? LOL.