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Al's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Pizza Italian, Pizza [Edit]
6050 W Cermak RdCicero, IL 60804
(708) 656-1060
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 1 am
Fri-Sat 11 am - 2 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Candi D. said: "Food was hot! Delivery on time! All my food was much better than I was expecting. Rip tips may be the best that I have had in the city. Same for the wings (spicy) - Harold's in WP seems to be gong downhill.!The side salad was huge and…" read more »
40 reviews for Al's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
Review Highlights
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"The salad bar has a very good selection." In 9 reviews -
"Been ordering from Al's for about 8 years and have been..." In 3 reviews -
"...it comes with two stuffed chicken breast and Vesuvio style..." In 3 reviews
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40 reviews in English
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Review from Cameron H.
Chicago, IL
1/28/2012
I was out on a site visit with my client. It just so happened we finished around noon and in the area. Since I've never been to this area, he recommended this place. I was really surprised with the food.
The pizza was great. If you love cheesy, greasy (I know sounds disgusting but awesome), and delicious tasting sausage and pepperoni, then this is the place to go.
Along with the all you can eat lunch buffet, we received salad and soup. No complaints on this end!! If in the area, I would go back!! -
Review from America Q.
Berwyn, IL
2/1/2012
We've ordered pizza from this place and it's pretty decent. My issue is that I recently ordered a chicken Caesar salad for delivery. For $13 (yes, thirteen) I got a container filled with wet lettuce, I mean it was so wet the croutons were soggy!! Soggy croutons a few pieces of chicken and some cheese. It was absolutely the worst salad ever and terribly over priced!
The only reason I didn't give this place one star is because they have a really good football pizza deal. Their football pizza, which is ginormous, comes with mostacholi, wings and salad. The wings are delish but over priced.
The people taking phone orders don't always get your order right so if you decide to order from this place make sure you double check your order and have witnesses. -
Review from Jose C.
Cicero, IL
3/26/2012
Pizza don't taste like how it used to be its still kind of good I like the mondays half off on all pizza orders
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Review from Laura A.
Forest Park, IL
4/2/2012
This is only a review of the mostacholi not service or other food items: I recently ordered a party package deal and I must state that the speed of the food for delivery was fast. I ordered the party package 1 with a football pizza, half tray of mostacholi, dozen wings, and 2-liters of Coke. I have ordered your pizza before and I enjoy it. However, this was my first time ordering your mostacholi and it was not good at all. The sauce was not seasoned at all and too thick and since the noddles were soaked in water, it was a mess. I tried to mix the watery noodles with the super thick sauce but sad to say, it was just not good. Hope they could improve on this dish because their pizza is good.
However, I must add that i let the management know of my experience and they were very grateful of my review and made sure I was happy in the end. -
Review from Domenic A.
Berwyn, IL
Updated - 5/2/2012
Yet again, Al's get's 5 PLUS stars. After a VERY long week at work I stopped at Al's for a perfectly charred filet and dessert. The service was wonderful and it hit the spot. GREAT JOB........
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/2/2012
Always RIGHT on the money!!! Tonight a perfectly cooked filet (charred) and grilled TENDER calamari… Read more »
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Review from Brad C.
6/2/2011
Just did a party, great place. The space was clean and organized, the wait staff was GREAT, loved the bartenders. The price was really reasonable and they helped us package all the leftover pizza and salad to go.
Improvements to make this place a 5, more room in a entry / waiting area and stronger drinks. I know I am dreaming on the last, this is a banquet after all.
The food was good, just like I remember growing up in the area. -
Review from Jessica S.
Chicago, IL
12/21/2011
We just bought a house in nearby Berwyn, and were on the hunt for a good local restaurant that we could become regulars at. We found it!! The service is fantastic. The food is amazing. 2 people in my group had the Giambatta which was worth the 25 minute wait (which you are warned about upfront). 2 people had the Chicken Pompeii, which was so so tasty. I had the daily special Spaghetti Primavera, it was so flavorful!! The portions are huge so you can easily eat half and be stuffed and take the rest home for tomorrow, but its so good that you'll have a hard time stopping. I'm looking forward to regular visits and trying everything on the menu.
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Review from R M.
Berwyn, IL
12/17/2011
i have been ordering food from Al's for 10 yrs and it seems everytime i order the food scale drops, it was great food in the past now its one of those its alright joints. Everytime i order i try to pay with a card and they say its delclined and i have to take that card right to a cash station and withdraw the money to pay cash......big hiccup i cant get over. Time to find a new Pizza joint in Berwyn/Cicero. :'(
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Review from Joe B.
4/23/2011 2 Check-ins Here
How can you not love a place with classic delicious pizza...ice cold Peroni beer and a wait staff that is classic and nice. This place is becoming the go to spot when I'm looking for local spots with my girlfriend. You must check out the Uncle Bobs pizza special!
I definitely recommend this place. The decor doesn't compliment as it should but its a nice dimly lit place, but not at all fancy which could be a good thing! -
Review from Marcia T.
Chicago, IL
9/5/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I love coming here with my fiance =) The service has always been great...and the food really good...I love their salad bar...very reasonable prices and great portions...also recently it's been remodeled...it's a good place for a date =)
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Review from Tina M.
Chicago, IL
2/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been going to Al's for almost ten years and I love the people, food, and service. I haven't gone in a while and recently returned while they were renovating. The regular restaurant was closed but they opened up there smaller banquet hall to accomodate customers.
My husband and I love there food. They always give big portions and I like the variety. It definitely has an awesome old school feel which I really appreciate.
I would recommend even ordering out for parties. They have awesome family packs with a great value. For $35 you can get a 1/2 tray Lasagna, 1/2 Mostoccoli, 1/2 tray salad, Chicken, garlic bread, and soda. -
Review from Celina H.
Portland, OR
3/18/2007
*sigh*
One of the places that I wish was just a little bit closer to the West Coast is Al's Italian Restaurant. They have the best pizza, (in my opinion,) perfect crust, sauce, cheese and overall taste. Great fresh or cold, yes cold, this pizza is one of the places I go to when ever i visit Chicago. It's located in Cicero, on Cermak Rd, near Austin Blvd. They have other locations but this place has great atmosphere. Now if only they could branch out to Portland, Or..... -
Review from Nektaria R.
8/15/2009 2 photos
Free Wi-Fi at a wedding? Yeah! I bow my head in prayer so I can check my yelp compliments and wondering when I can sip my Cosmo.
Everyone at work's been raving about Al's food. It's great they say, been eating it since high school, blah-blah-blah. Well, last night, my friend got married there. It was a last minute thing. They hardly had time to plan it and yet this joint pulled it off. It was so nice. Covered chairs, pretty flower pieces on each table. Nice little dance floor and full service bar. They have a cute little hall (about 60 people) and Al's really made it look wonderful! I loved it. I believe there's a larger hall there too. My one coworker said her sisters have their events there all the time (Christenings, showers, etc.)
The food was great. The vegetarian eggplant Parmesan was so cheesy and um good. The soup, salad and rolls, pasta, chicken, the sundaes, were all really good. They also make their own salad dressings. How cool is that? Very!
The service was so cheery and nice. From what I hear, the price is really good too. I think this is a really great deal for someone on a tight budget and wants to have a party, whether it be a wedding, shower or birthday bash.
I would totally go back for dinner. Parking is a little weird if you're heading eastbound as it was from Melrose Park, but if I were heading west as I normally would from the Northside, there would be prime parking right in front. There's also a 2 hr lot in with lots of parking spots in the back. -
Review from Yvonne O.
Chicago, IL
3/26/2008
Although I have yet to try the pizza, I have been going to Al's for at least 10 years. I love the old-style feel of this place - it's like something you would expect the mob to frequent.
The salad bar is fantastic in that, "made by mom" kind of way. I think their minestrone soup is also excellent. I usually end up choosing a pasta dish or veal selection and have never been disappointed.
They are also part of the Entertainment Book resturants, so if you get one of these every year, you can get a BOGO on your visit. Service is always friendly and fast - although getting the check sometimes takes a while.
Nearby Berwyn police are often seen eating here - another good sign that the food is good! -
Review from Al D.
4/30/2010
Great pizza in an ambiance that you can't recreate. Even if you don't like wood paneling and oxblood booths, you'd be well advised to have some of Alessandro's pizza.
Veggie pizza with ricotta. That's it - and I usually would never order veggie pizza. And yes, do the ricotta.
Also, they have a bona fide salad bar, for those that want more than iceberg on a plate.
The price - 11.00 for a large pizza, not including toppings. -
Review from Victoria h.
Berwyn, IL
1/24/2009
I don't really know what to say. I don't usually eat pizza, but everytime I've had it, it has tasted better than Al's. Husband loves pizza and he agreed on the 2 star rating.
We ordered delivery and had it 40 minutes later. I also ordered a large house salad that was a big disappointment. I asked for green peppers and got pepperoncini instead. I asked for cucumber and got exactly one slice. The onion was overwhelming and the tomatoes were tasteless.
Back to the pizza. It was greasy and had a weird taste to it. Like one of the ingridients had freezer burn. I liked that it wasn't totally covered in sauce and the thin crust was crunchy. That's about it.
The medium pizza is kind of small and comes with a hefty price tag. -
Review from Angela U.
Chicago, IL
3/8/2010
We love the pizza from Al's and every chance we get we go to the restaurant.
The salad bar has a very good selection.
If you get a chance go there for the lunch buffet, it's really reasonable. -
Review from Lindsey C.
Chicago, IL
10/12/2008
The pizza IS good, but so are many other menu items!
Believe it or not, my favorite thing to order from Al's is the broiled halibut steak. It is prepared perfectly, because with such a quality piece of fish, simplicity is key- just a touch of white wine and butter. The chicken tettrazinni is also delicious, but so heavy and heart attack-inducing.
The menu prices have been fluctuating. The salad bar used to be included in the price of the entrees, but now the salad bar costs extra, except that the price of entrees are cheaper...so if you order an entree and the salad bar, it ends being about the same price as before? Confusing.
Their Easter/Mother's Day buffet is out of this world. Everything you could ever want. Huge carving tables of meat, make-you-own omelet station, and my favorite, the make-your-own pasta station. I always ask for pesto with a touch of alfredo sauce. -
Review from Grace G.
Cicero, IL
11/18/2008
OK, so while I'm on the pizza streak, here's another CONSISTENT pizzeria to order from. Al's Pizza is the Hub's fav. I like it too because the crust is the perfect thin crust, and they always brown it just right.
Oh, another BIG reason we order from Al's...their fried calamari!! It's really to die for. Sometimes, it's a little greasy and sometimes, because it's delivered, the steam tends to make it a little mushy, it's still delish enough to mention it. If you ever get to their restaurant and order it as an app, you'll understand why I'm so 'gaga' over the calamari. It's like muscle calamari, the rings AND tentacles are so huge!!
And, you have many ingredient options to choose from. My Hub would probably recommend the beef and gardiniere half and half my cheese, sausage and mushroom. Really a nice combo!!
Once again, price is comparable. Delivery is a little timely but they are REALLY busy. Always ask them how long before you order. If they have a function AND it's busy night AND the restaurant is packed, you might be sitting a bit longer than normal, normal averaging 45 min. give or take a minute or two.
But on the consistency thing...right on!! Oh, and they're open pretty late at night too!! That's also a good thing!! -
Review from Natalie R.
Oak Park, IL
11/27/2009
So, how did we not know this place existed after like 4 years in this area? WTF? OPEN LATE. AWESOME DAILY SPECIALS. I MUST USE CAPS. THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Bread. Butter. Oil. Parm. Soup/salad. I had this provolone stuffed chicken breast((s) there were two) thingamobob with Vesuvio potatoes (technical name: Chicken Pompeii) and it was fabulously delicious. The Hub had ribs...which, BTW, are the Monday special. Awesome. Food so so good. Service also good. Decor...place has been open since 1959...you figure it out.
Easy parking, open late, great food, older than you. You go now.
aaaaaand...bottle of Ruffino Chianti: $23. TWENTY THREE. HELLo. -
Review from Maria G.
Chicago, IL
1/16/2009
We went here for a friend's birthday and I loved it!
I like the casual and cozy atmosphere and the people working there were very friendly.
We ordered a platter of appetizers which was HUGE- our group of 6 was not able to finish it. Oh but you better believe we wolfed down the friend calamari! There was not even a tiny piece of a tentacle left when we were done- I definitely recommend it to any calamari lovers out there.
I had the Chicken Pompeii - it comes with two stuffed chicken breast and Vesuvio style potatoes. It was perfection.
My husband had the Filet Mignon with baked potato- he gave it a 3 out of 4, he asked for medium rare, but the outside was a bit burned.
The only thing I didn't like about this restaurant is their bread. The bread they bring out in a basket is cold, hard and seems a bit stale. I'm giving them a 4 out 5 stars just because of this, any excellent Italian restaurant should have delicious and warm bread.
p.s. after reading other people's reviews- we will be back to try the pizza! -
Review from Trudy O.
Chicago, IL
7/13/2011
My office is located near Al's, so I have been going there for years, the food is really good and you get a nice size portion, but the customer service has ALWAYS been lacking, it is like they are doing you a favor by waiting on you, if this place were not so close to work, I would not return, the wait staff could all use training
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Review from Dave B.
Berwyn, IL
3/15/2009
Been ordering from Al's for about 8 years and have been very satisfied. I've only ordered their thin crust pizza so I can't comment on their other offerings.
Pizza is always hot and the price is reasonable and always have coupons for $3-$4 dollars off your order in the local circulars or online. They use to include a couple of pops with your order. But because of "high gas prices", they stopped doing that. -
Review from Vanessa M.
Chicago, IL
4/8/2008
Their pizza is great! The sauce isn't too sweet and the cheese is just right. If you're having a lot of people over, they have something called a "Football Pizza" which is 18" x 36". It's supposed to feed 8 people, but it seems to feed about 6 of my family and friends. Their delivery is also pretty fast. My bar tends to order from them a lot (either for the patrons or for us) and they are usually there within 30 minutes or so -- and that's on a Friday night.
Listed in: Chicago(land) = Pizza
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Review from Angela D.
Chicago, IL
3/13/2009
the boyfriend asked if we could give thumbs down for this place.... no such luck.
we went here a while back, NEVER AGAIN!
we tried asking the "oh-so-helpful" waitress what was good...
according to her EVERYTHING we asked about was good.... (that doesn't help!)
we ended up getting burgers. they were generic expensive burgers. i can do better w.homemade burgers.
the waitress was also kind enough to tip herself $6 w/my boyfriends card w.out our knowledge! what the hell!
dont go there!!! -
Review from Matt L.
Cicero, IL
1/27/2011
Ah yes... good old al's. bad service and wood panel walls but good pizza. when i get delivery i get al's. i read a review down the list about a mouse in the restaurant, listen... welcome to Cicero and glad you could stop by. i hope my girlfriend doesnt read this because i always talk her into goin here on a random monday night. great plate of pasta and toco pizza is something worth tryin. Cheap pitchers of beer and a good thin crust pizza.
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Review from Jose V.
Chicago, IL
7/24/2008 1 photo
I like there cheap football pizza.
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Review from Ray N.
4/15/2009
My family has been ordering from Al's for as long as I can remember. Honestly I'm not as big a fan as my mom or brother are, at least anymore, but I prefer their non-pizza offerings. They can last you for at least 2 meals, but they are over $9 before tax and delivery. Thankfully Al's throws in some bread and cheese.
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Review from Bobby D.
Chicago, IL
6/16/2011
Tried this place a few years ago, Not a bad place at all. For linguine with white clam sauce, A pretty decent salad bar, Their pizza was pretty good too.
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Review from Mickey Z.
Cupertino, CA
8/7/2011
The food was excellent. The review was for the terrible service which approached rudeness. When the server brought the bread basket, she decided to move the pitcher of tea. Although there was plenty of room elsewhere on the table, she chose to plop it right in front of me. She only served two of the side plates, and I was handed my side dish rather than her walking around me to serve it herself. We always had to ask for refills for water and sodas. Very little eye contact or smiles. Her whole approach was pretty robotic. Too, too bad because the food that was served was very good. Go for food but expect to be treated like an unwanted guest.
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Review from ivory z.
Downers Grove, IL
3/8/2011
Still haven't been to the actual restaurant, but we order their family package with the football pizza quite often. Their buffalo wings are our favorite! Great packages when you are having a few friends over. Good pizza.
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Review from bridgette k.
Chicago, IL
2/13/2009
My mother and I came here tonight since we haven't came in like 8years. We walk in the door the hostess was great very friendly. The server was so so not very experienced. The salad bar was not fresh. The dressings were hot. The pasta salads were hot and had crust on them with jello mixed into it as if it was sitting from lunch. That turned me off quick. The table bread also wasn't fresh. I ordered the fettucine alfredo that was delicious and made up for the salad bar. Just the service was bad we had to call him while he was talking about a show with another table. Also kept mumbling things under his breath. Its like wow not so friendly its not like we kept bothering him for things. I highly reccomend not getting the salad bar it is not fresh. Unless you like jello in your pasta salad. Eat the pastas their delicious!
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Review from Christine G.
Willow Springs, IL
4/25/2010
Can I just say I have dreams about the heavenly goodness that is Al's lasagna. Everything I have ever ordered from here is heaven, and they have a great salad bar. They also make full trays and half trays of many of their specialty items including their lasagna, so if you are planning a party...here is a great idea!
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Review from Judy C.
Oak Park, IL
12/28/2010
I've been to Al's a few times over the years and they usually provide a solid if predictable old-school, basic Italian restaurant experience. But I went there last night and was very disappointed, especially with the service. First they seated us (3 adults, 1 teen) in a station where the waitress was apparently too busy to take our order. After 10-15 minutes we asked to change stations where another waitress was available and so we moved (weird because, why did we have to move?). So the new waitress took our order, and forgot my brother's soup and spilled his coffee but not a big deal - the pasta order were delivered but not my son's pizza, but he had ordered the salad bar so didn't mind the wait. She told us a few times that his pizza was almost done... never came out. Finally when we were done with our pasta she came out and said that there was a miscommunication and his pizza had never been done - did he still want it? They would start it right now. How long would it take? I asked. "I don't know." she replied. So we said "uh, no.." We all felt like we'd been there for an eternity already and even though my teenage son was still hungry we could not wait (or trust them) any longer. We asked to talk to the manager and he was making excuses but didn't seem to think it was a big deal. He thought he was being generous by telling us he wouldn't charge us for the pizza! Yeah, the one we never got. Same with the soup we never got. He comped us my son's sprite and my brother's coffee... big deal. We weren't looking for freebies but we were very disappointed in the lack of concern. The food was average (there was a bone in my boneless chicken breast), sauces were ok, water never replenished. The portion sizes were huge to the point of feeling like you were eating out of sink. But the service was the worst (our waitress apologized profusely but she had to apologize so much it was like a chorus)... just a real disappointment, probably won't ever go back there again because they didn't seem to care and everything else was so average.
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Review from Patrick W.
Naperville, IL
2/9/2009
My family regularly ordered pizza and ribs from here beginning in the late 70's. We lived only 6 blocks directly south. I have to say, I'm super disappointed by the quality of the food. It's crap now. Smaller portions, lackluster taste. It just doesn't cut it anymore.
The last few times, I really gave them the benefit of the doubt...3 times! I ordered 2 rib dinners twice and each time, the bread was dry, the ribs didn't fall off of the bone like they used to. The french fries were just not good and the portions were smaller.
The last time I ordered from there, I ordered a pizza and it didn't take very long, the average 40 minutes. It was soggy and it just didn't have that taste it used to have. It used to be where you saved 20 menus and receive a free pizza.... GONE. I'm very disappointed overall. -
Review from Giacomo M.
Oak Park, IL
3/11/2009
Absolutely the best pan pizza! we've been ordering from Al's for years.
Occasionally we'll go for pasta there, but mostly we order pizza delivered.
Perfect sauce and cheese combo .Delivered quickly and hot.
We love sausage or spinach and ricotta.
Can't beat prices and freshness. -
Review from mary l.
Naperville, IL
4/27/2009
This place is a little funky decorwise...think 1970s. However, their food, both pizza & entres are quite good. The Chicken Pompeii is very flavorful, with 2 generous sized chicken breasts, and roasted potatoes.
Pass on the salad bar as it isn't that good, not horrible either.
If you like Calamari order some but be sure to bring some friends because the portion size on the appetizers is generous.
Much better than the Olive Garden without the wait. -
Review from Kimberly W.
Forest Park, IL
5/7/2010
We took the family for a last-minute dinner out, and it's like we stepped into a time machine. The decor hasn't been changed since the 70's and it's dark and paneled and the tablecloths are covered in plastic like your Italian grandmother might do... and we loved it! The food was VERY good. We got the baked clams for an appetizer (actually, these were outstanding), and we got stuffed shells (thumbs up), a small cheese pizza (not as good as Salerno's but still good), chicken tetrazzini (HUGE portion covered in decadent cream sauce--not for the dieters) and ravioli. Everything was terrific. We had enough left for another meal, too. They had a great special on beer and a nice house chianti. Our server, Ray, was friendly, helpful and attentive. The guy tending bar came out and chatted us up at the table, and we felt like we'd been coming there for years. We will definitely go back when we're in the mood for Sunday-gravy-Italian. Someone mentioned a lunch buffet, and I can't wait to try it!
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Review from mel e.
Berwyn, IL
4/10/2007
definitely, the best pizza i've ever tried.
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Review from Joyce R.
Cicero, IL
5/2/2010
I use to love Al's in Cicero and have been going there for 40 years since I was a little kid. Its changed and not in a good way. First off, we went there for a family dinner with four people and we used a http://Restaurant.com gift certificate. Because we used the certificate they added a 23% gratuity to the bill - a bit ridiculous! Since I had been going there for so long, I decided to forgive the new owners for this screw up and try again. Went there to buy a gift card and there is a sign on the door that they no longer accept http://Restaurant.com gift certificates. Perhaps understandable, but why are they still selling gift certificates on http://Restaurant.com? The very last straw was when I tried to redeem my coupons for buying 20 pizzas for a free large. I wanted to upgrade to a larger pizza and pay the difference, just take off the cost of the free large (I've done this many times remember I am a customer for many, many years) and they refused! I was willing to pay the difference, delivery charge and gratuity and they said no. Well, I will go and pick up my free pizza sometime in the future and never spend another penny there again! New owners (RIP Grandma) and lousy customer service. They still have good pizza just really bad attitude and service.
