Number One Restaurant in the Nation Opens Their First East Coast Location in Olney, MD on April 27th

OLNEY, Md., April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After conquering the restaurant industry's Oscar equivalent as number one in the nation, Cafe Rio Mexican Grill sets its sights on a new challenge: making a presence on the East Coast. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill will be opening its very first East Coast location, about 30 minutes from the White House itself, in Olney, Maryland. This will be the company's 40th opening and the first of nine locations planned in the DC Metropolitan Area.

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is a company nationally known for its made-from-scratch cooking, only using fresh ingredients in every meal. There aren't any house freezers or microwaves in any of the restaurants. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill employees are up early every morning, hand-squeezing approximately 1,000 limes per day, hand-scooping fresh avocados and making secret recipes from scratch. All of the signature sauces and salad dressings are made by hand and every tortilla is handmade fresh right in front of the customers in an open-view kitchen by an experienced tortilla maker. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill uses only USDA choice beef, and its pork and chicken are deemed "highest quality."

The Olney, MD location will open on April 27th with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 10:30AM. (Note: All media is welcome to attend at 3140 Olney Sandy Spring Rd., Olney, MD 20832.) During the Grand Opening ceremonies, there will be wounded warriors attending as representation for the Hope for the Warriors foundation, who will be honored on that day. There will also be a donation ceremony taking place, with a check to Hope for the Warriors along with another check to the Montgomery County Public School District.

President and CEO Bob Nilsen comments, "Our Olney, Maryland opening is a very significant milestone for Cafe Rio. Since opening our first location in 1997, we have been a Western-based restaurant, and Olney will represent our huge transition to the East Coast. We are very excited for this expansion and so grateful for the local support we have already received in the Olney area."

In order to continue giving back to the Olney community and East Coast area, Cafe Rio Mexican Grill will be hosting a Military Night for the first Thursday of every month, starting May 5, 2011, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Hope for the Warriors foundation. There are also plans in the works for upcoming "Free Meal" days where free meals will be given all day long, in hopes that customers will donate to the Hope for the Warriors foundation via a donation box next to the register. The Olney location will also hold "School Fundraiser Days" on May 11th, 18th and 25th where a portion of the proceeds during those events will be collected and donated to the neighboring schools. Along with the company's continuous growth comes more jobs for future employees, prosperity, and extended community involvement.

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill was recently voted the number one Quick Service Restaurant in the nation for 2010 through the prestigious Sandelman and Associates' Quick-Track Award, edging out strong companies such as In-N-Out Burger, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A and Pei Wei. The Quick-Track Award is an honor limited to the very best restaurant performers in the nation. This highly respected award is based solely on customer reviews and dining experience: taste of food, overall service, speed of service and value.

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, Inc.:

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the leading quick-casual restaurant specializing in made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine. The company currently operates 39 restaurants in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, California, Colorado, Arizona and on April 27, 2011, Olney, Maryland. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill's primary business is specializing in serving customers the highest-quality meals with the freshest ingredients both through their restaurant locations and catering business. Cafe Rio's Internet address is http://www.caferio.com.

For royalty-free stock photography as well as video footage of Cafe Rio visit: http://www.caferio.com/press, Password: C@FERIO

Logo: http://www.ereleases.com/pic/2011-Cafe-Rio.jpg

If you would like more information on this topic or to schedule an interview or appearance with a Cafe Rio executive, please contact Cafe Rio Mexican Grill Media Representative: Jennifer Burns, 310-993-9494 or [email protected]    

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SOURCE Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, Inc.