Before I started trying to follow a healthier lifestyle, I used to eat out about 6-7 times a week, mostly for dinner. Lately I have been trying to lose the middle age spread so I have cut back to about once a week eating out. This week I chose to visit CiCi’s Pizza after not visiting their restaurant for nearly a year. The last time I was there the food was decent if not great and the place is cheap.
I will Never Eat at CiCi’s Pizza Again!
The food looked the same this time but it was not. After filling my plate with pizza, garlic bread, and salad, I sat down and started to eat. The first thing I noticed was that all the food except for the salad had was too much salt in it. A worker also told me that CiCi’s did not make their famous garlic cheese bread anymore and had substituted the garlic bread I found on the buffet tables. The garlic cheese bread they used to serve was awesome. It was thick, cheesy and went well with the pasta on the buffet. The current garlic bread they serve is covered in the saltiest parmesan cheese I have ever tasted in my life and just does not compare to the garlic cheese bread they replaced.
CiCi’s is Not Complying with National Healthcare Laws As Of 4/10/2010
Providing your customers with the nutritional information they need is just basic common business sense but many restaurant chains have yet to offer this information to their customers in an easy to access method at the restaurant sites. CiCi’s is one of the restaurant chains that are now mandated by law to offer this information to all of its customers and they are not as of yet in compliance with the federal law. I suspect many restaurant chains are dragging their heels about doing this because once educated consumers learn just how much fat, salt, sugar, and additives are in their food they will not visit there until the recipes are changed. I suspect I consumed well over the recommended daily amounts of fat, salt and sugar in just one meal at CiCi’s Pizza.
What Can CiCi’s do to become a Better Corporate Citizen in the USA?
First, they need to comply with the nutritional information laws that are now in effect in America. I realize that the bill was just signed into law but providing this information should be a no-brainer unless your company is scared you might run your customers off. Second, they need to start using ingredients that are considered healthier. Pizza in moderation should be a healthy meal but how can it be when the fat and salt contents of one meal are probably more than the average person should consume in 1-2 days? Third, they should start serving drinks with real sugar in them again and avoid the drinks with high fructose corn syrup in them.
What I Plan to Do Next Concerning CiCi’s Pizza
Let me start by saying I will not be visiting their establishment again for a long while. Second, I plan to write the company and express my displeasure at their discontinuing one of the most popular offerings on their buffet, the garlic cheese bread. Third, I plan to contact the government and let them know that the company is not offering nutritional information to their customers as is required by law. Again, I realize the law was just signed this month but if pressure is not applied to these companies, they will drag the introduction of this information for years. Forth, I recommend anyone who cares about what they consume to contact CiCi’s Pizza and let them know how you feel about the quality of their food. If you want to contact CiCi’s Pizza and send them a message just click the following link CiCI’s Pizza Homepage
5-29-2010 UPDATE: A friend told me yesterday that my local CiCi’s was serving their delicious garlic cheese bread again. See what the power of reviewing can do? I’ve had several IP’s view this article and one of them was from the area where CiCi’s home office is located. Thanks for all who contacted them over this issue.
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