ORLANDO, Fla., March 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Earl Enterprises recently became aware of a data security incident potentially affecting payment card information of a limited number of guests that dined at certain of Earl Enterprises' restaurants.  Potentially affected restaurants include the following brands: Buca di Beppo, Earl of Sandwich, Planet Hollywood, Chicken Guy!, Mixology and Tequila Taqueria.  Once the company learned of the incident, the company promptly initiated an internal investigation and engaged two leading cybersecurity firms.  As part of the investigation, the company has been in contact with federal law enforcement officials and is cooperating with them. 

The security and privacy of guests' payment card data is a top priority, and the company deeply regrets that this incident occurred.  The incident has now been contained, and Earl Enterprises is working diligently with security experts on further remediation efforts.  Moving forward, the company will continue to closely monitor its systems and take additional security measures to help prevent something like this from happening again in the future. 

Based on the investigation, it appears that unauthorized individuals installed malicious software on some point-of-sale systems at a certain number of Earl Enterprises' restaurants.  The software was designed to capture payment card data, which could have included credit and debit card numbers, expiration dates and, in some cases, cardholder names.  Although the dates of potentially affected transactions vary by location, guests that used their payment cards at potentially affected locations between May 23, 2018 and March 18, 2019 may have been affected by this incident.  Online orders paid for online through third-party applications or platforms were not affected by this incident.

A full list of potentially affected restaurant locations is available at www.earlenterprise.com/incident. The company advises all customers to visit this website to determine if they may have dined at one of the potentially affected restaurants.

As a best practice, it is always advisable for individuals to remain vigilant and monitor their payment card statements for suspicious charges or activity they do not recognize.  If a guest suspects an unauthorized charge, they should immediately notify the bank that issued the card.

The company has set up a website at www.earlenterprise.com/incident with additional information and steps that guests can take to help protect themselves.  A dedicated call center is also available for guests by calling 888-437-2399, toll-free, between 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, March 30, 2019 and Sunday, March 31, 2019, and between 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except holidays). 

ABOUT EARL ENTERPRISES
Earl Enterprises is a recognized leader in the hospitality industry; building innovative, sustainable brands that guests can enjoy today and in the future, including restaurant brands Buca di Beppo, Earl of Sandwich, Planet Hollywood, Chicken Guy!, Mixology and Tequila Taqueria.

Media contact:
asadowsky@earlenterprise.com

SOURCE Earl Enterprises

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http://www.earlenterprise.com