WICHITA, Kan., Dec. 2, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon, Inc. ("Lone Star") announced today that Jeff Bracken, Chief Operating Officer of the Lone Star Concept would leave the Company at the end of this fiscal year. Chief Executive Officer Jamie B. Coulter said, "Jeff has had a distinguished career and played a very important role in the current success of Lone Star. He is leaving to pursue other interests, and we wish him well in his future endeavors. Jeff is a valued colleague, an outstanding executive and an exemplary team player; we will miss him a great deal. Lone Star is fortunate to have a deep and very talented field operations team, and I am pleased to announce the following management realignment."
"T.D. O'Connell, President of the Lone Star Concept, will assume the additional duties and title of Chief Operating Officer for all Lone Star restaurants. In addition, we have created the new position of Regional Vice President and have promoted three highly qualified individuals to this position. Bill Pintner, currently Vice President of Operations, will assume the new title of Regional Vice President; joining Bill as Regional Vice Presidents will be Pat Barth and Ryan Franklin, both currently Regional Managers for Lone Star restaurants. Mark Mednansky, Vice President-Upscale Restaurants and Dee Lincoln, Vice President-Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House will retain their current positions."
Lone Star owns and operates 249 domestic and 19 international Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon restaurants; 15 Sullivan's Steakhouse restaurants; and five Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House restaurants and one Frankie's Italian Grille restaurant. Licensees operate three domestic and one international Lone Star restaurants, and one domestic Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House restaurant.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Although the Company believes the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements contained in the press release will prove to be accurate.