So, in a city with splendid non-chain food Italian, I still ended up at Maggiano's. The flavours aren't delicate, nor are the dishes exquisitely creative... but it's a convenient location, and it's consistent across cities.
A Calamari, Linguini Carbonara, Chocolate cake and a Stella Artois later, there were two very sated people walking out with a fairly full doggy bag. Midnight snack and satiation -- not a bad combo.
High dining it may not be, but a stable staple it is indeed.