Consolidated Restaurant Management Company

CRO Signs Five Restaurant Expansion in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

DALLAS, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc., which operates and franchises 117 full-service restaurants encompassing seven different brands, announced the signing of a five restaurant franchise agreement for El Chico Restaurants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Riyadh-based Safari Group, a top-twenty conglomerate in KSA will operate the El Chico franchise, and expects to open the first of two locations within one year. Safari has recently formed Unique Hospitality Company (UHC), as a fully owned subsidiary of its holding company to achieve the vision of the Group's founder, Mr. Saleh Al Sagri to attain a leadership position in the restaurant landscape of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. UHC will be led by Mr. Talal Azhari, a veteran with 33 years experience in the operation and development of restaurants. The business plan aims to develop five restaurants across the Kingdom under the El Chico casual dining restaurant brand. Mr. Ali Al Sagri stated "UHC is the latest addition to the Safari group and is a result of the Chairman's strategic decision of diversifying into specialized retail businesses that will stand out for their quality operation and unique products." CRO currently operates and franchises restaurants in 12 states, United Kingdom United Arab Emirates and Egypt. Its brands range across the gourmet Mexican, casual Mexican and Steakhouse segments and also include Cantina Laredo, III Forks, Silver Fox, Good Eats, Luckys Cafe and Cool River Cafe. CRO had system-wide sales of $214 million in 2009. "This agreement represents further significant expansion of the footprint of our brands and solidifies our global appeal," said John D. Harkey, Jr., Chief Executive Officer for CRO. CRO previously opened international El Chico restaurants in Dubai and Cairo. The Middle East franchising market is a multi-billion dollar sector with strong growth potential. The region's multicultural population is also growing and bringing with it a hearty appetite for varied cuisine. Mr. Harkey said U.S. franchise concepts such as those under the CRO umbrella have attracted international franchise partners for three main reasons: strong brand identification, sophisticated distribution networks and well-defined, proven operating systems. CRO has development agreements in place to build 170 restaurants over the next seven years. Mr. Harkey said the company is now considering further expansion into the Asian market. SOURCE Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc

Saudi Arabia · 3 Aug 2010

Consolidated Restaurant Operations Opens First Cantina Laredo and El Chico Restaurants in United Arab Emirates

DALLAS, May 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc. (CRO) announced today the openings of the first Cantina Laredo and El Chico restaurants in United Arab Emirates. El Chico opened at Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai, the world's largest single-phase mixed use development with 25,000 residents in 40 towers along the prestigious Dubai Marina. Cantina Laredo opened at Khalidiyah Mall in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE. The restaurants are the first of more than 100 CRO locations planned to open in the Middle East region. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080522/LATH059) During 2006, Dallas-based CRO entered into a 105 restaurant development agreement with Saleh Bin Lahej Group, a well-regarded foodservice operator based in Dubai. Saleh bin Lahej is slated to open III Forks and Silver Fox fine-dining steakhouses in addition to Cantina Laredo and El Chico restaurants. The opening event for El Chico and Cantina Laredo was hosted by John D. Harkey Jr., CEO Consolidated Restaurant Operations and Mohamed Saleh Bin Lahej, Vice Chairman Saleh Bin Lahej Group. Dignitaries and partners were among invitees for the first meal at the Mexican restaurant. Commenting on their decision to partner with Saleh Bin Lahej in the region, Mr. Harkey said, "Over the past 10 years, the Saleh Bin Lahej Group has had tremendous success with a number of international franchises. Their experience, combined with the region's exponential growth and demand for choice and innovation, makes the partnership with Saleh Bin Lahej a very attractive and significant decision for us." El Chico is the iconic Tex-Mex, family-oriented restaurant with a heritage dating back to 1940. The authentic and colorful restaurant caters to families looking for freshly-prepared, original-recipe, savory Mexican food in a welcoming, casual atmosphere. The varied menu of El Chico features signature Top Shelf tastes and traditional Mexican dishes including everything from fajita, enchiladas and burritos to Sirloin & Camarones. Cantina Laredo offers gourmet Mexican cuisine, and caters to patrons looking for a more sophisticated dining experience. Cantina Laredo offers vibrant contemporary dining that rewards guests with a gourmet taste of Mexico. The restaurant also boasts authentic in-house sauces and incomparable table-side preparation of various dishes. Originated in 1984, Cantina Laredo is the premier brand in the gourmet Mexican dining market. Since 2002, Cantina Laredo has grown from two restaurants in Dallas to 26 restaurants in six U.S., Cairo, Egypt and now UAE. Cantina Laredo is the largest gourmet Mexican restaurant concept in the United States. "The partnership between the Saleh Bin Lahej Group and CRO has given the region its first authentic taste of Mexican cuisine. We pride ourselves in bringing true taste sensations to the region for over a decade and El Chico Cafe and Cantina Laredo add their unique personalities and flavors to our expanding portfolio of restaurants," commented Mohammed Saleh Bin Lahej, Vice Chairman, Saleh Bin Lahej Group. "The UAE is one of a number of locations where we plan to launch El Chico and Cantina Laredo over the coming seven years, including all the other Emirates, Egypt, Pakistan, Malaysia and Brunei to name but a few," commented Osama Salhin, President Saleh Bin Lahej Group. About Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc.: Dallas-based Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc. (CRO) operates and franchises 117 restaurants in 12 states, employs 6,000 and has system wide sales of approximately $250 million. CRO also operates and franchises III Forks, Silver Fox, Cool River, El Chico, Good Eats and Lucky's Cafe. For more information, please visit http://www.croinc.com. SOURCE Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc.

United Arab Emirates · 21 May 2008