Chili's Franchisee Acquires Six Company-Owned Restaurants, Commits to Opening 14 More in South Carolina, Georgia

Chili's Grill & Bar franchisee Bonnaroo Restaurant Group has acquired six company-owned Chili's restaurants in South Carolina and Georgia and will open 14 more in the two states through a franchising and development agreement with Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), the companies announced.

This is the second agreement between Bonnaroo and Brinker. Through a 2004 pact, the franchisee is developing up to 15 Chili's restaurants targeting non- metropolitan cities and towns in South Carolina and Georgia. Three of those restaurants are open in Sumter and Camden, S.C. and Milledgeville, Ga.

The new agreement will focus development in the metro areas of Columbia, S.C.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Charleston, S.C.; and Augusta, Ga. The six newly acquired restaurants are in those same markets.

Based in Athens, Ga., Bonnaroo is headed by President & CEO, Greg Cyrier, whose background includes operations management experience with Brinker and La Madeleine. Bonnaroo has also hired 20-year restaurant industry veteran Brett Summers as VP of Operations for this new development territory.

"We're very pleased to expand our relationship with Greg and his team and look forward to supporting him as he drives the growth of the Chili's brand in South Carolina and Georgia," said Todd Diener, President of Chili's.

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