Global All-American Restaurant Chain Expands Middle Eastern Presence With Second Bahrain Location

ALISO VIEJO, California, August 1, 2011 -

- Johnny Rockets Continues to Export Classic American Fare Overseas

Joining nearly 20 Johnny Rockets restaurants in the Middle East, the Home of the Original Hamburger opened its second Bahrain location, last month. The new 1,991 square-foot full-service restaurant is situated within the retail and leisure shopping center, the Lagoon at Amwaj Islands.  Featuring the same all-American look and feel of the original Bahrain location, at Al A’ali Mall in Seef District, the new Lagoon location also offers home delivery service.

(Logo:  photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110212/LA47262LOGO)

The new restaurant is owned by Kuwait-based franchise holding company Kharafi Global, the brainchild of founding owners Waleed Al-Kharafi and Haidar Al-Naqeeb. Their mission is to develop and operate multiple food services throughout Gulf countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.  Their dynamic business approach has led to the exclusive territorial rights to Johnny Rockets in several GCC countries and now, Egypt, as well.  All of their Johnny Rockets ventures, including the new Bahrain location, boast a contemporary twist on classic American food, fun and decor, specializing in classic hamburgers, sandwiches and hand-dipped shakes and malts.

“We’ve seen tremendous success since opening our first Johnny Rockets in Kuwait, in 1995,” said Director of Operations, Ramzey Chehab. “The decor, music and food all contribute to our classic atmosphere. We offer entertainment and a very personalized approach, so it is really our employees that make our operations so distinctive. They are also the reason Johnny Rockets is positively recognized in the communities and cultures we serve - which is proven by the more than one million hamburgers we serve each year.”

In addition to opening restaurants in four other new markets, in Cyprus, Chile, Panama and Korea, Johnny Rockets has opened a total of 14 restaurants in non-U.S. markets this year, contributing to a 32 percent growth rate over last year. The new Bahrain restaurant aligns with Johnny Rockets’ plans for continued international growth, as the company anticipates that global openings are expected to make up 70 percent of new restaurants within the next five years.

“Since opening our first restaurant in the Middle East 15 years ago, in Dubai, the Johnny Rockets brand has flourished in this market,” said Steve Devine, Senior Vice President of International Development for Johnny Rockets. “Kharafi Global is an excellent Franchise Partner that continues to expand and positively build our brand throughout the Gulf countries.”

For more information on Johnny Rockets or its franchise opportunities, please contact www.johnnyrockets.com.

Cozette Koerber, +1-949-330-9317, cphifer at johnnyrockets.com, or Jericho Tallman, +1-949-517-8716, jtallman at johnnyrockets.com, both of Johnny Rockets