Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Staten Island Carrabba's "Ambushed" Employees With 10-Minute Layoff Notice
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Dec 15, 2011
Modified Dec 15, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Dec 15, 2011
Modified Dec 15, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The 60-plus Employees at the Carrabba's Italian Grill in the Staten Island Mall say they were "ambushed" by a Sunday-morning meeting telling them they were out of a job...effective in ten minutes.
The "coldhearted" firings came after management requested an all-staff meeting at 10 a.m. on Sunday. “The regional proprietor had said to us that, ‘There’s no nice way to say this, but we’re closing down,’” said former full-time employee Marissa Grillo. “Apparently, the managers knew about it for a couple of months now." A representative from OSI restaurants, which owns Carrabba's, Bonefish Grill, and Outback Steakhouse, told us in a statement that "the company paid all of the employees a two week severance, and is currently helping to facilitate placement with the Outback Steakhouse located next door and the new Bonefish Grill that will open at the Carrabba’s Staten Island site in 2012."
But Grillo says that no one's been transfered, and that severance pay was capped at $300. Another employee, Theresa Carbonara, said that the restaurant witheld pay for some employees "in retaliation" for going to the media with the story and refused to pay up until authorities got involved. “We read through some laws," she said, "and apparently it’s mandated that full-time employees are supposed to be told 90 days in advance if something like this is to happen, and it is a known fact that the managers did know for three months." OSI would not respond to our questions about how much the managers knew or how far ahead of time they were informed, saying only "This is a prudent business decision, as this location is no longer feasible for Carrabba’s." It's a crap position for both the laid-off workers and anyone craving pasta weesie, though Staten Islanders may want to check out this grandma-run Italian joint instead.
Tagged
ambush
carrabba's
firing
layoff
shutter
staten island
Jamie Feldmar
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 19, 2026
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .