The Perfect Date Night Spot: A Review on North Italia

Keilyn Wollangk College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University ENG- Dr. Z November 13, 2022

The Perfect Date Night Spot: A Review on North Italia As a city begins to grow in population, the need for new trendy places to open also begins to grow. Whether it be new restaurants, places to shop, or somewhere to hang out, the people are constantly expecting something to open along with their arrival. Gilbert is one of the fastest growing cities in Arizona, and new restaurants are constantly being placed all around the city to keep up with the population. North Italia is a newer restaurant which recently opened in the heart of the city. The restaurant is great for all different types of people to enjoy, however it would most be enjoyed by couples who are looking for a new destination to venture out to rather than their usual dinner spot. North Italia’s ambiance, service, and food quality are sure to help find a place at the top of a couple’s date night list. North Italia is a chain restaurant with over 33 successful locations across the nation. It was originally opened first in Arizona as part of the Fox Restaurants Concepts; however, the restaurant was recently sold and is now under the very well-known Cheesecake Factory. This location is located on the northwest corner of Williams Field and Val Vista Road in Gilbert. This specific area of Gilbert is growing rapidly and was in dire need of a nicer restaurant to be built. North Italia is near a fine dining restaurant but stands alone as a place more affordable for a date night. The establishment is an Italian restaurant that offers a wide variety of salads, pastas, pizzas, and other entrees which will entice its guests to want to return to try it all. The food is more sophisticated than a typical Italian restaurant, yet they keep that authentic flavor in their food which is normally found in a mom-and-pop place. The overall style of the establishment is casual and trendy, while still being a little more modest. North Italia also offers both indoor and patio seating to all its guests as well as the option to make reservations in advance.

influence a customer’s choice of restaurant to be visited” (Slack et al., 2020). When a guest walks into North Italia, they are immediately greeted by an employee who is eager to help them get seated and begin their dining experience. The hosts at this restaurant are extremely patient and friendly, they do their best to get the guest seated quickly and in a timely manner. Once seated, the guests are greeted by their server, who is extremely helpful. The servers are open to answering any and all questions a guest may have and are able to make several accommodations if asked. When a couple is out dining on a date, they are looking for a place that has hospitable employees and North Italia sets that standard very high. The server does a phenomenal job at keeping the table clean while clearing the empty plates. They are also on top of making sure all drinks are topped off and that the food gets out in an efficient time. According to an article, “companies need to be innovative in their service quality in order to discriminate themselves from competitors” (Slack et al., 2020). The service quality at North Italia is on a completely different level than those at other restaurants. This shows because the entire staff is dedicated to making the guests experience a great one. The quality of food and portion sizes are just one of the factors at North Italia that attract the number of guests that they do. A couple who is eating out for a date night is looking for an entire dining experience. They want to get quality food with portion sizes that are worth the money they are paying. If they eat at North Italia, they will be getting just that. The sizes of the appetizers are enough to share for a small family and the perfect amount for a couple. For example, the Wild Shrimp Scampi ($17), comes with bread that is slathered in a delicious blend of garlic and herbs that is accompanied by 5 shrimp that are doused in butter and garlic as well. The crunch of the bread pairs beautifully when topped with the soft shrimp that falls apart once eaten. All the pastas at North Italia are large enough to be shared amongst people so

everyone can get a little taste of different flavors. The Spicy Rigatoni Vodka ($22) comes with an Italian sausage and a creamy vodka sauce. This pasta has a kick that is addicting, but not overbearing. The noodles are a perfect al dente and the creamy sauce balances the crunchy sausage that comes in every bite. The quality of the ingredients used in the food speaks for itself. After eating, the guests do not feel too heavy and as though they’ve eaten junk food. They feel refreshed and can quite literally taste the quality. The pricing of the food at North Italia seems overwhelming at first; however, once the food is brought to the table, the price is justified. The large portions and high quality vouch for the pricing. In a study it demonstrates, “food quality was the most important attribute of restaurant quality and a key predictor of customer royalty” (Bujisic et al., 2014). Because North Italia offers such high quality in all their food, the guests continue to return after their first visit. This is a huge part as to why North Italia is as successful as they are and why their guests visit time after time. North Italia is an authentic, higher end, Italian restaurant. They place their guest’s experience first on their priority list and want them to have an experience so great that as soon as they leave, they are already planning their next trip back. The restaurant is the ideal spot for couples to enjoy a night out on a date. The reason North Italia attracts so many couples are because of their ambiance, service, and food quality. If a couple chooses this restaurant as their next date night destination, they will not be disappointed.