Johnny Rockets announces a new partnership with Database Marketing (DBM) Group to launch a direct marketing campaign that connects Johnny Rockets venues with local businesses and their employees. In addition to attracting key customers during peak work time lunch hours, the Please Post Immediately!™ (PPI™) program allows franchise owners to tailor the marketing collateral specific to their store. The campaign also offers special deals to customers while using analytics to track the program's success.

Initially launched in 11 markets throughout the U.S., the PPI™ program resulted in an average of 24.5 percent business customer redemption rate for Johnny Rockets during a two-month test period, compared to the typical 3 percent return seen with other mass direct mail sent to consumers at home. The program has since expanded into 52 restaurant locations. Through the PPI™ program, Johnny Rockets creates a customized plan for each market and store to reach relevant companies nearby and target potential customers at work when they are making a lunch time decision regarding where to eat.

The PPI™ marketing collateral is sent to companies in Johnny Rocket's "customer trade area," or the radius surrounding the restaurant that attracts people who are in walking or brief driving distance. To further entice businessmen and women seeking a quick lunch, Johnny Rockets provides the targeted companies exclusive offers through the trademarked program, which are posted in the office common areas inviting employees to enjoy the classic all-American food. The most popular offer to-date has been the "Buy One, Get One Free" coupon for the Original Hamburgers or another choice entree, which was used by more than 44.1 percent of professionals during the test period.

"With consumers at work eating out three to four meals per week, the variety of lunchtime offerings at Johnny Rockets is the perfect fit for our approach in bringing delicious meal options to businesses nearby," said Kurt Whitmer DBM Group Executive Vice President. "Further, we research the best way to market Johnny Rockets to each business audience before implementing the program to ensure we not only attract new customers, but also help build lifelong patrons."

"From our Original Hamburgers to our classic Tuna Melts, Johnny Rockets offers a range of foods to energize the business crowd during their lunch break," said Johnny Rockets Director of Field Marketing Lisa Bass. "With implementing the Please Post Immediately!™ Program, we are able to effectively target a key group of people at the right time and place, while growing our presence in the community. Additionally, the unique program tracking allows us to analyze what offers were the biggest hits and improve on future incentives to service our customers better."

For more information about Johnny Rockets franchising partnership opportunities go to www.johnnyrockets.com.

About Johnny Rockets

Since 1986, Johnny Rockets has offered the food, fun and friendliness that remind guests of timeless, feel-good Americana. Every Johnny Rockets restaurant serves simple, great-tasting food from a menu of all-American favorites, including juicy hamburgers, classic sandwiches and hand-dipped shakes and malts. It's the place to go for fast, friendly service, flavorful food, uplifting music and relaxed, casual fun. Headquartered in Lake Forest, Calif., Johnny Rockets has 295 corporate and franchise-owned restaurants in 32 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico and 15 countries, including those found in Six Flags amusement parks and aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Johnny Rockets is currently franchising new restaurants in most markets. To learn more about Johnny Rockets, visit www.johnnyrockets.com.

SOURCE Johnny Rockets

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Dunkin' Donuts is celebrating its 60th Anniversary as America's all-day, every day stop for coffee and baked goods with its exciting Dunkin' Donuts "Donut Art" competition in the New York Tri-State area*.  Nine finalist designs of original student art from New York Metro art programs will be featured in over 1,500 regional Dunkin' Donuts restaurants -- and the winning design on a limited-edition top of the six-count donut box -- during the promotion running through September.

The winning design is from local Poughkeepsie resident, Ms. Brianne Seipp of Barrett Art Center in Poughkeepsie, NY -- a 68-year-old retired learning disabilities teacher, first-time art student and longtime Dunkin' Donuts fan. In addition to her design being featured on a limited-edition top of the six-count donut box, a $5,000 grant will be awarded to Barrett Art Center during a ceremony at a Dunkin' Donuts in Poughkeepsie, NY.

"I'm going to go out and deliver Dunkin' Donuts to my dentist, my doctor, my hair stylist..." said the humored and gracious winner, Ms. Seipp, when asked how she felt about the design being re-printed for in-store use. "We did not even initially know it was a contest; finding out only when class was over! It was so much fun, but I never expected in a million years to win."

Ms. Seipp's design is a watercolor showing a plate of donuts -- from the best-selling Boston Kreme to a Glazed Cake Donut -- alongside a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee. The watercolor background is a blend of the signature Dunkin' Donuts pink and orange colors.

New York Metro art programs were recruited to participate in the pilot "Donut Art" program celebrating 60 years of Dunkin' Donuts history. Students were given creative license to produce original designs with sole instruction to use the iconic Dunkin' donut as inspiration.

Eight finalists, whose artwork will be featured on an in-store window poster in regional Dunkin' Donuts restaurants, include the following:

• Nicholas Black of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ
• Clori Caminiti-Osso of Bergen Community College in Paramus, NJ
• Jessica Chao of The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ
• Jillianne Chimento of Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ
• Meghan Maney of SUNY Orange County Community College in Middletown, NY
• Alice Slopnick of All About Art in Monroe, CT
• Theodore Williams of Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, NY
• Jacqueline Wilson of SUNY Orange County Community College in Middletown, NY

Designs were judged and finalists selected by a panel of regional Dunkin' Donuts corporate executives and franchisees based on the following criteria: creativity in design, use of Dunkin' Donuts signature pink and orange colors and inspiration of the iconic donut.  

"This year's "Donut Art" competition is a new way we're proudly recognizing our loyal Dunkin' Donuts guests while also helping bring attention to local art programs throughout the New York Tri-State area," said Missy Maio, Director of Field Marketing for Dunkin' Donuts in the Central Atlantic Region. "An original student-designed donut box top will be exciting for all Dunkin' customers as they arrive in our restaurants today."

Dunkin' Donuts is the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world, selling more than 900 million donuts and Munchkins™ donut hole treats and one billion cups of hot and iced coffee every year. Today, there are more than 6,500 restaurants in 35 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and more than 2,600 international restaurants in 29 countries.

*Participating restaurants include those in the following counties:

New York: Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester

New Jersey: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, Warren

Connecticut: Fairfield

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite all-day, every day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for four years running. The company has more than 9,000 restaurants in 30 countries worldwide. In 2009, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were more than $5.6 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

SOURCE Dunkin' Donuts

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Outback Steakhouse has been voted number one Best Steak in the 2010 Zagat National Restaurant Chain Survey.  

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The winners were announced live on NBC's TODAY Show, with the full results released on ZAGAT.com.  Over 6,500 diners participated in this survey, which included 136 of the nation's largest restaurant chains. The survey participants eat at chain restaurants an average of 10.7 times per month.

"We are honored to be recognized once again by our customers who look to Zagat as their primary resource to the best of the best in dining options," says Outback Steakhouse President Jeff Smith.  "We want to thank our many customers across the country for voting us as the top steak among restaurant chains in America.  All of our Outbackers work hard to provide the best service and delicious crave-able dishes made fresh to order and just the way our customers like it."

"We are also thrilled to be recognized in Zagat's Best Value category this year," Smith adds.  "At Outback Steakhouse we have an ongoing commitment to providing our customers with fresh, quality food at accessible price points."

For more than 20 years Outback has been dedicated to providing its customers with only the finest cuts of choice steaks that have gone through a proprietary aging process to ensure unrivaled taste and tenderness.

"Our quality is a direct result of the extra steps we take in sourcing, preparing and cooking all our menu items," says Outback Steakhouse Vice President of Research and Development Dave Ellis. "All of our beef is grain fed, aged to perfection, hand trimmed and then cooked exactly how our customers order it in our restaurants."

For more information about the Outback Steakhouse menu and restaurant locations, please visit www.Outback.com.

About Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse starts fresh every day to create the flavors that our mates crave. Best known for grilled steaks, chicken and seafood, Outback also offers a wide variety of crisp salads and freshly made soups and sides. New creations and grilled classics are made from scratch daily using only the highest quality ingredients sourced from around the world. For more information, please visit www.outback.com.

SOURCE Outback Steakhouse

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Golub Capital today announced that it has provided a $46.1 million GOLD financing and an equity co-investment to support Rubio's Restaurants, Inc. ("Rubio's" or the "Company") going private transaction with Mill Road Capital ("Mill Road").  GOLD financings are Golub Capital One-Loan Debt facilities.

Rubio's owns and operates a regional chain of fast-casual Mexican restaurants, offering high-quality, prepared to order distinctive Mexican cuisine combined with freshly prepared seafood fare inspired by the Baja region of Mexico.  The Company was founded in 1983 and went public in May 1999, trading on the Nasdaq under 'RUBO'.  Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, Rubio's operates, licenses or franchises more than 200 restaurants in California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. More information can be found at www.rubios.com.

"Rubio's is a great franchise with loyal customers and an attractive position in the fast casual space," commented Senior Managing Director Greg Cashman. "We are excited to partner with management and Mill Road Capital to continue the Company's growth."

"Golub Capital was a real partner for us in the acquisition of Rubio's. They provided a committed financing facility that allowed us to sign up the transaction when most other lenders were on the sidelines," said Scott Scharfman, a Managing Director at Mill Road Capital. "Their deep knowledge and experience in the restaurant sector was critical to structuring a deal that worked for our growth plan."

About Golub Capital

With over $4 billion in capital, Golub Capital is a leading provider of financing solutions for the middle market, including one-loan financings (through the firm's proprietary GOLD facility), senior, second lien, and subordinated debt, preferred stock and co-investment equity. The firm also underwrites and syndicates senior credit facilities up to $200 million. Golub Capital's hold sizes range up to $75 million per transaction.  Golub Capital was ranked by Thomson Reuters Loan Pricing Corporation as the #1 Traditional Middle Market Bookrunner for 2009.  For two years in a row, Golub Capital was named "Middle Market Lender of the Year" by Buyouts Magazine for achievements in 2009 and 2008.  Other honors include being named "Debt Financing Agent of the Year" in June 2010 by M&A Advisor. Golub Capital is a national firm with offices in Chicago, New York and Atlanta. For more information, please visit the firm's website at www.golubcapital.com.

Golub Capital Incorporated (and its various affiliates) creates and manages multiple private funds.  One of its affiliates, GC Advisors LLC is an investment advisor registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Mill Road Capital

Mill Road Capital is an investment firm focused exclusively on investing in outstanding publicly-traded companies. Mill Road invests on behalf of a prominent international group of limited partners, including state pension funds, foundations, endowments and insurance companies. Mill Road has flexible, long-term capital and the ability to purchase shares in the open market, buy large block positions from existing shareholders, provide capital for growth or acquisition opportunities, or partner with management and sponsor going-private transactions. More information about Mill Road Capital can be found at www.millroadcapital.com.

SOURCE Golub Capital

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Krispy Kreme ushers in fall by debuting an orchard-fresh apple duo and bringing back an undisputed fan-favorite, the football-shaped doughnut.

Now through October 3, Krispy Kreme is offering two new sharable treats—the Caramel Apple Cobbler and Apple Spice Cake doughnuts. The Caramel Apple Cobbler doughnut is bursting with the taste of full-grown, savory fruit. It features a tree-ripened apple filling that has a sprinkle of cinnamon, a smooth caramel icing and a crunchy oats topping. Add to the seasonal bounty by enjoying the Apple Spice Cake doughnut. Created with real apples and complementary spices, including nutmeg and cinnamon, this satisfying autumn treat is then finished with Krispy Kreme's signature Original Glaze.

"I urge everyone to stop by Krispy Kreme and try our new Apple Harvest doughnut duo," said Ron Rupocinski, corporate chef of Krispy Kreme. "They feature the delicious flavor and texture of apples and provide the perfect seasonal complement for parties and family-get-togethers."

Go for extra points, whether you're in the stands or on the field, with Krispy Kreme's football doughnut. These chocolate-frosted, football-shaped doughnuts, adorned with a black lace stamp, will complete any tailgate party. Be sure to pick up plenty to include in your game-day spread for fellow fans.

"Take game time and tailgating to the next level with Krispy Kreme's football doughnuts," said Chef Ron. "No matter which team you root for, a dozen or two of our football-shaped treats is a guaranteed win."

Krispy Kreme's Caramel Apple Cobbler, Apple Spice Cake and football doughnuts are available now through October 3 in participating U.S. and Canadian retail stores. Product offerings may vary by market.

For updates on special promotions, exclusive offers and local events, join "Friends of Krispy Kreme" by visiting www.KrispyKreme.com, or interact with Krispy Kreme at www.facebook.com/KrispyKreme and www.twitter.com/krispy_kreme.

About Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme is an international retailer of premium-quality sweet treats, including its signature Original Glazed® doughnut. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., the company has offered the highest-quality doughnuts and great-tasting coffee since it was founded in 1937. Krispy Kreme is proud of its Fundraising program, which for decades has helped non-profit organizations raise millions of dollars in needed funds. Today, Krispy Kreme can be found in approximately 615 locations around the world. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE: KKD) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Visit us at www.KrispyKreme.com.

SOURCE Krispy Kreme

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