Delicious food. Fun atmosphere. Great for large groups.
Whoever is the marketing genius that decided "let's give away a free entree with purchase" at Maggiano's is genius. Not only do you get to enjoy one of their delicious Classic Pastas (which in and of itself is big enough for two meals) but you also get to take one home for tomorrow night's dinner. It doesn't need to be the same thing you originally ordered, which allows you to broaden your dining experience. When I was there recently, I had the four-cheese ravioli and the eggplant parmigiana. Both were superb. The eggplant tasted like it came out of my grandma's kitchen, and that's saying a lot.
As far as chain restaurants go, Maggiano's is one of the best in my opinion. In the ranking system of Italian joints, Maggiano's is right up there when it comes to quality, quantity and service. And that's coming from a real Paisan.