Restaurant Revisited: Maniaci’s Italian Bistro by Maria Russo in Shows, March 10th, 2013
After their mother passed away five years ago, brothers Geoff, John and Tim Maniaci have struggled with dwindling business at their family’s 18-year-old restaurant, Maniaci’s Italian Bistro, in Mohnton, Pa. Before its Restaurant: Impossible overhaul, the eatery was losing more than $2,000 per month, and for those whose livelihoods depend on profits, the damages were almost too much to bear. Robert Irvine and his team worked with the brothers to revamp the interior of Maniaci’s and rework its menu, as well as to fix the tattered management in the hopes of giving the business a second chance at success. After only two days of renovations, Maniaci’s opened its doors again, this time to a packed dining room and with a menu focused on quality food. We checked in with Geoff, John and Tim a few months after Maniaci’s transformation to find out how the eatery is doing today.
Since Robert left, business at Maniaci’s has indeed increased, and, according to Geoff, the restaurant saw “almost $15,000 in dining room sales for the month of December.” Bar sales are up, as well, nearly $6,000 for the same month.
In terms of management, Geoff is now wholly in charge of the restaurant, and he says that “employees like that we are more structured.”
The brothers agree that customer reaction to both Maniaci’s food and updated decor has been incredible. Staff members are now expected to clean every day to maintain the hygiene of the made-over space, and management is holding them accountable. “We have the waitresses and bartenders making sure that their area is cleaned at the end of the night,” John explains. “We have made checklists for them to follow.” Geoff adds: “We want to keep everything clean and not let it go back to the way it was. We care more now than before.”
Along with a cleaner space, Maniaci’s is now offering a menu made only with fresh food. With the exception of his branzino, all of Robert’s dishes are still being featured, but the restaurant has also incorporated other plates, including those on a kids’ menu. “I have given my head cook, Lisa, more responsibility in taking over the dinners,” Tim tells us.
In regard to the family dynamic at Maniaci’s, John explains that the relationship among the brothers has been acceptable so far. “Since this is a family-owned business, there will always be tension at some point in time, but for the most part, we have been working well together.” He adds that because of his full-time job, he’s able to devote only three days per week to bartending, but it’s enough because other bartenders are there to relieve him. “My full-time job provides health insurance for my family and me, and I have to make sure that I am performing at the top of my game.”
Tim’s wife, Dre, notes that, because of her husband’s schedule, “he still doesn’t see his kids much during the week.” Both Geoff and John agree that Tim is largely more accepting of criticism than he was before the renovation. “I would have to say it all depends upon the topic,” John explains.
To Robert and the entire Restaurant: Impossible team, Tim says simply: “Thank you again for all you have done. We are truly grateful.”
More From Restaurant Revisited:
Dinner Bell Restaurant (February 27)
Nanny Goat’s Cafe & Feed Bin (February 20)
Sapori D’Italia (January 23)
Windseeker Restaurant (January 16)
Whiskey Creek Steakhouse (January 2)
Rising Sun Bistro (December 19)
Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri (December 9)
Bronk’s Bar and Grill (December 5)
Rohrer’s Tavern (November 28)
Poco’s on the Boulevard (November 21)
Oleander Bar and Grill (October 17)
Valley Inn (October 10)
Whistle Stop (October 3)
The Maple Tree Cafe (September 26)
Michele’s (September 19)
Paliani’s Restaurant (September 12)
Frankie’s (September 5)
Gusanoz (August 29)
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More posts from Maria Russo.
I ate at Maniaci's after realizing that I only live about 30 min away. I watch Restaurant Impossible pretty regularly, so I thought it would be fun to check it out and play the role of the critic with my wife. Aside, from the cucumbers, which were clearly rotten, on my salad the rest of the food was very good. However, you can tell that they still have some serious mismanagement issues and I would be surprised if they are able to stay open. I heard the table next to us tell the waitress they would never be back due to the restaurant refusing to take their coupon because the customers presented it after the bill was delivered. Two others on here have also posted that Maniacis refused to refund their money after serving them inedible food. It sounds like the management is pushing customers away when they are clearly in the wrong. If the restaurant closes because the management is simply making brainlessly stupid choices, then are going to get what they deserve
First time I've every visited this site. I wanted to see if the post-show results would be "glossed over". Very glad to see the Food Network allows free and open discussion, even discussion critical of the sponsors of the show. "Keeping it real" – even when that reality is not a positive outcome, will serve the show and network well.
To those critical of food service's such as Sysco and hyping the "buy local" mantra, spare me please. It is neither Green nor necessarily healthful to only buy local. Every major restaurant with reasonable prices purchases some products from a supplier such as Sysco. I, for one, welcome their sponsorship of this show I get to enjoy for free.
I don't know what all the comments about Sysco have to do with the wonderful program I love to watch. I can say that from experience, when Sysco supplies a restaurant, the food quality improves tremendously. I know local businesses need to make a profit also, but very hard to compete with quality of a company who can buy the big order freshness. Also, beware of favorable comments about the competition. It seems that they could possibly be the competition making those comments. One can criticize an establishment, but when they mention the competitor, it usually turns out to be them. I love what Robert and Food Network are doing, and that's giving a business a second chance. No one else seems to be doing it. Go get them Robert!
Monsanto has a major stake in Sysco, so we can count on the food supplied being genetically modified, or fed gmo feed. Most restaurants buy premade soups, sauces, and other assorted frozen crap, so the majority of restaurants are food reheaters. I can do that at home without wondering how filthy the kitchen is
Went the other night to give Maniaci's a try. I only watched the show after we went there. The place was dirty, with taped signs on the doors out front of wheree to go in at. There was only one other table with diners so we should have gotten good service and great food. Wrong! While the decor was nice…The only thing good about the experience was the Bread. The hostess did not know the menu. The waitress did not either. The salad had an odd taste. the spagetti and meatballs was not edible. The sauce tasted like non seasoned right out of the can. The meatballs were an odd texture and had a spice in that was so overwheming in a bad way that you could no longer tell it was probably hamburger? The pizza margarita was a lot of crust on the edge with nothing on, the oil dripped off it, there were 4 pieces on tomato on a very small amunt of sauce and 4 chucks of unmelted cheese. Not good at all. When we asked aobut the odd tastes etc…the waitress did not offer to get managemnt, just said she ws glad at least we liked the bread. No offer of another meal on the house or cutting down the ticket for us. We will defintiely not go back. And celing tiles were still stained! Noone cared that we had a ad experience.
WOW, in your mothers honor you guys should all keep here dream alive and going strong for many years,god bless you all…
$15-$21 K in monthly sales does not sound like significant improvement. That translates to $5K for labor….
I am going to Maniacis tomorrow night with my friends. After reading some of these posts I am a bit reluctant. After watching the show my heart went out to the family. I just hope that I am not disappointed!
To all of those that are beyotching about Sysco —
Are you all that stupid???? How many times have you seen ALL of the food thrown away? Where do you think the NEW STOCK comes from? The owner is broke and sinking and cannot afford to re-stock.
I think one or two ads is more than enough to offset what Sysco provides for these businesses!!!!
My boyfriend and I had been in the restaurant and really enjoyed ourselves.We re goi8ng on vacation soon so won't be able4 to come back until we get back. Please do me a favor an fix the curtain in the f ont window.I'd really appreciate it because those are things that are noticed. Thank you Denise
Theyre not open on Mon's so its actually $800/day
I didn't think the restaurant paid the $10k for the renovation, I thought that was provided by the show.
I could be wrong, tho.
Can one of the officially official FN people give us the "dish" on that? ;)
I think that the article meant to say that the restaurant had an INCREASE of $15, 000 in December, not total sales because it then said that the bar had an increase of $6,000
Actually, unlike some, I understand the difference between the two. The concept of sponsorship and that of product placement are not interchangeable, although product placements may, as in this instance, be done *by* sponsors. No one said product placement wasn't a revenue source — in fact I said the opposite.
It is, however, relatively rare (and unprecedented AFAIK for RI) to have a gigantic box bearing a sponsor's name on screen while the dialogue for the scene is "arranged" to make specific reference to the sponsor's product and its freshness.
Considering that there are still 20 minutes of commercials to fast forward through during every hour long episode, I would disagree that the DVR is causing anybody to need to make up for anything anywhere.
I read something about Chef Irvine's new deal with SYSCO… now we are seeing it in action. Can you say "sellout?" It's pronounced a lot like "greed."
And I agree with P_Fagioli. This was way over the top.
Actually it is a fact that product placement in television shows is increasing because of DVRs. When Neilson does the ratings they do in fact track which shows are watched "live" and which ones are recorded then watched later. They also track the time that you watch the recording.
The last time I did a Neilson report I think they asked if we typically fast forwarded through commercials or let them play when watching things on the DVR.
The sponsors watch the ratings too, and when they see that fewer people are watching the commercials, they don't have much choice but to find other ways to incorporate their message and get their product out there.
I am not sure if RI specifically is increasing its product placements because of the decrease in viewership of commercials that networks across the board are seeing, but it's a pretty safe bet.
I don't like a lot of product placements lately, either– in fact, the blatently obvious and painfully scripted ones like I used to see in Biggest Loser made me want to change the channel– but their unavoidable and kind of necessary right now. If it weren't for product placements, we'd all probably be paying much, much more for cable than we already do.
People that they say "sellout" and "greed", are nothing more than jealous of someones success and their "RIGHT" and "ABILITY" to capitalize on it.
So what..so they advertised a product on the show. Big deal. Sysco is a restaurant supplier….so why not. Most people here would not be buying from them anyways, as you can not buy most of their product as a regular consumer. So , …who cares!
If it is indeed "a fact" as you contend, Annie, then there must be proof. I would love to see that. And Nielsen, even if they pretend to report 'facts', is not proof.
As I said earlier, RI specifically is increasing its product placements (i.e., SYSCO) because Irvine made a deal with them to do it. No mystery. End of story.
I would contend (but not be so self-righteous to claim it as fact) that product placement in programming is increasing for two simple reasons:
1. Greed
2. Lack of any semblance of integrity.
End of epilogue.
I hope you are right that is actually the only thing that makes sense. There is no way that a place can survive on 21k in sales a month. 21k increase a month in sales is nice but it remains to be seen how long it lasts after the novelty factor wears off. It is tough to change the way people act. Complacency sets in quickly especially when things go better for a while.
How very lawyerly of you, Penelope…..the previous poster didn't mention Robert's Lexus SUV that he tools around in on the show. Lexus is a major sponsor, same as Sysco.
Not to mention Sherwin Williams (ever look closely at the interior designers' paint cans?) and Transitions lenses!
Oh, so you think that television stations are in this game for free – just to provide you with content? LMAO! You're a special kind of stupid. Making money on a business venture is NOT greed – it is capitalism. Don't watch the show if you find it that offensive.