How many restaurants do you need to have before you become a chain? For Alfredo's I count four restaurants, Rome, New York, Orlando and soon in Las Vegas.
In addition to the original Alfredo of Rome in Italy, there are currently only two other locations -- one in Rockefeller Center in New York, and one at Epcot in Florida. Essentially that's a main location and two branch locations. I would not call that a chain. (Another location is planned for Las Vegas, but does not yet exist.)
In comparison, Maggiano's Little Italy has four locations just in Chicago -- one in the actual city of Chicago and three in suburban Chicago area shopping meccas. There are other Maggiano's locations in metropolitan areas throughout the United States.
As far as Alfredo's being an Italian concept, well it may be, but Fettucine Alfredo is not. It was started here in the US as a take off on Fettucine Al Burro in Italy which is butter and noodles. So, I'm not sure how "authentic" you want to get when it comes to this current restaurant.
Yes, Fettuccine Alfredo is based on Fettuccine al burro. But Fettuccine Alfredo didn't start in the United States. It was started in Rome by the restauranteur Alfredo di Lelio -- hence the name Fettuccine Alfredo. And that's the same Alfredo as in the name of L' Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante at Epcot.
Fettuccine Alfredo is American in that the dish became famous because Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks liked it during their 1927 honeymoon, and popularized it upon their return to the US. Even now Fettuccine Alfredo is a dish that is popular primarily with Americans.
I only ate at Alfredo at Epcot once, and that was probably around ten years ago. The fact that we haven't been back should tell you what we thought of our overall experience at the restaurant.
It seems that Disney might again be working with an outside restauranteur on the replacement for Alfredo. That's fine -- if it's a good restaurant and if it's not something that's already in metropolitan areas throughout the United States. I would be happy to have an offshoot of another famous eatery in Italy (ideally one that's better than Alfredo). I'd also be happy if Disney chefs and Imagineers collaborate on a one-of-a-kind restaurant that captures the essence of successful, traditional restaurants in Italy. I'd be disappointed if it were a Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden, Maggiano's Little Italy, Buca di Beppo, or Carrabba's Italian Grill -- and I don't think Disney would do anything like that.