Over a year ago, Dallas-based Brinker International shed majority ownership of their Romano's Macaroni Grill brand to affiliates of Golden Gate Capital out of San Francisco. Now, they're trying a similar deal to shed the On the Border chain to Golden Gate.
Though the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the announced plan for the 149 U.S. locations includes having Golden Gate lease the space from Brinker, with no plans to cut jobs or stores. In fact, Brinker will be the corporate support for the chain through fiscal year 2011, keeping the chain's corporate-related jobs in Dallas.
Brinker continues to shed brands in order to focus on two chains; Maggiano's Little Italy and the massive Chili's chain. In the latter brand alone, Brinker owns, operates, or has franchise deals with 1,499 locations.
