Boston Market Corporation and McDonald's Canada Bring The Great Taste of Boston Market to...

GOLDEN, Colo. and TORONTO/PRNewswire/ -- Boston Market Corporation and McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited, both wholly owned subsidiaries of McDonald's Corporation, today announce a partnership to launch Boston Market(R) restaurants in Canada. Three restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area are scheduled to open in the fall of 2002 and will serve as a market test for the Boston Market concept in Canada.

The partnership leverages the strengths of both companies. As a leader in quick-casual dining, Boston Market combines the convenience and value of quick service with the high-quality food and ambience of casual dining. Along with its strong brand and consumer appeal, Boston Market offers the Canadian customer a unique dining experience of complete home-style meals. McDonald's Canada brings to the partnership its more than 30 years of experience serving the Canadian consumer, well-developed site selection expertise, and a solid supply and distribution network.

Consistent with its deliberate growth plan, Boston Market is taking a methodical and thoughtful approach to international expansion. Boston Market and McDonald's Canada will take the learnings from these three restaurants in Toronto to further refine long-term international plans.

According to company officials, Canada was a natural choice for international development of the Boston Market brand. While Canada's proximity to the U.S. played a role, more importantly, Canada shares similar customer demographics, and eating styles and patterns with the U.S.

Another critical factor is the strength of operations of McDonald's Canada and its stellar track record in customer satisfaction and new restaurant development.

"We have long recognized the tremendous potential of the Boston Market brand in the United States and internationally," said Boston Market President and CEO Mike Andres. "We believe Boston Market's signature menu items will have great appeal to time-pressed Canadians. Consumers everywhere are looking for convenient, wholesome meal solutions, and Boston Market can serve that need."

"Our decision to bring Boston Market to Canada was not a hard one to make," said Bill Johnson, President of McDonald's Canada. "Boston Market will give us the opportunity to further develop a leadership position in another area of the Canadian restaurant business. It will assist us in our quest to capture more of the 'eating out' market without impacting on the growth of our existing business." Johnson adds, "We believe Boston Market will bring a whole new home-style meal experience to the Canadian consumer. It's a very exciting time for McDonald's Canada."

About Boston Market
Boston Market Corporation, based in Golden, Colorado, specializes in quick, convenient meals, featuring home-style entrees, fresh vegetables, sandwiches, salads, soups, side dishes and desserts. Boston Market restaurants combine the freshness and quality of traditional home cooking with convenience, value and contemporary flair.

With more than 650 restaurants, Boston Market Corporation operates in 28 states. In spring 2002, Boston Market plans to open its first restaurant outside the U.S. in Sydney, Australia through an agreement with McDonald's Australia. Acquired by McDonald's in May 2000, the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of McDonald's Corporation. For more information on Boston Market, visit the company's website at http://www.bostonmarket.com.

About McDonald's Canada
McDonald's is the largest foodservice company in the world. McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited and its Canadian franchisees own and operate more than 1,170 restaurants and employ more than 75,000 Canadians coast to coast. Over 70 per cent of McDonald's Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs. For more information about McDonald's Canada, visit the company's website http://www.mcdonalds.ca.

SOURCE: Boston Market Corporation, 10/29/2001
CONTACT: Phyllis Hammond, Vice President, Communications of Boston Market Corporation, +1-303-216-5407; or Maureen Shaughnessy Kitts, Director of Communications of McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited, +1-416-446-3690
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Website: http://www.mcdonalds.ca
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