BRIEF: Brinker to Add Eateries at Airports, on Toll Roads

By Karen Robinson-Jacobs, The Dallas Morning News

Sep. 14–Aiming to reach out to the traveling public, Dallas-based Brinker International Inc. Thursday announced a deal with HMSHost Corp. to develop 26 restaurants at airports and along toll roads throughout the U.S.

Three of the four Brinker brands — Chili’s Grill & Bar, Romano’s Macaroni Grill and On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina — will be developed over the next five years, the company said.

The fourth brand, Maggiano’s, is a large-format restaurant that requires more square footage than an airport or toll road setting could accommodate, the company said.

Brinker currently has more than 30 similar travel-size locations, and all but two are Chili’s. Most of the new units will be similar to the Chili’s Too format now in airports, the company said.

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