Il Fornaio owns and operates more than 15 full-service restaurants that serve Italian cuisine based on authentic regional Italian recipes. It was founded in Italy in 1972 and started operations in the United States in 1981. The company s restaurants and retail bakeries provide in-house dining facilities. Additionally, it operates wholesale bakeries that offer handmade breads, pastries and other baked goods for sale in Il Fornaio locations, as well as in grocery stores, coffee shops, hotels and other restaurants. Il Fornaio operates catering facilities at various locations, such as the Hotel St. Claire and the Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto, Calif. The company offers gift cards to its members and a range of other products, including cookbooks, gift sets and clothing. It maintains a restaurant in San Francisco.