Moe’s Southwest Grill® Opens 700th Restaurant in East Brunswick, NJ

Leading southwest fast casual restaurant chain continues to expand

ATLANTA – September 20, 2017— Moe’s Southwest Grill® was recognized as the Brand of the Year in the Fast Casual Mexican category according to the 2017 Harris Poll EquiTrend® study*, and today announces the brand will open its 700^th restaurant in East Brunswick, NJ on Thursday, September 21.

“Last year, Moe’s Southwest Grill opened 66 new restaurants and the brand continues to experience growth in new and existing markets that wouldn’t be possible without our passionate and dedicated franchisees,” said Bruce Schroder, President of Moe’s Southwest Grill. “We are proud to reach the 700th restaurant opening milestone because each new location creates jobs, develops leaders and gives back to the local community in meaningful ways.”

The Moe’s East Brunswick is located at 326 Route 18 North, and the restaurant is excited to shout “Welcome to Moes!®” to the local community who come to celebrate the restaurant opening on September 21.^.  The first 100 guests in line opening day will receive free burritos for an entire year! The free burritos a year prize entitles each winner to one burrito per week for a year. There will be 700 free t-shirts to commemorate the 700^th milestone, custom Coca-Cola bottles and additional giveaways throughout the day. Additionally, our fans will enjoy $5 burritos all day Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23. The Moe’s East Brunswick has selected East Brunswick Public Schools as the recipient of 100 percent of the net sales from the community nights that the restaurant will host, and Moe’s is hosting two VIP events on September 20 to kick off the partnership.

“I have partnered with the Moe’s brand for eight years, and it’s an honor to open the Moe’s East Brunswick restaurant as such an important milestone in the brand’s growth,” said franchisee, Nori Khan. “The most exciting part of bringing Moe’s to a new community is introducing the extensive variety of fresh ingredients and southwestern combinations we serve that please the entire family – no matter what they’re craving.”

Khan has been a Moe’s franchisee since 2009 and owns and operates seven locations throughout New Jersey including in Piscataway, Florham Park, North Brunswick, Englishtown, Saddle Brook, Linden and now East Brunswick. Over his franchisee career with Moe’s, Khan has created more than 150 job opportunities in the state of New Jersey.

At Moe’s, our well-known greeting “Welcome to Moe’s®!” and quirky menu names are just two things that set us apart. We are serious about the variety of high quality and fresh ingredients made in-house daily and meats grilled right in front of our fans, you can create meals with unique combinations and bold flavors in every restaurant, every day. And no matter the meal, free chips and salsa are always on the menu.

In addition to dining in one of our 700 restaurants, our fans can enjoy Moe’s through online ordering, catering and delivery. Visit www.moes.com to find a store nearest to you, and connect with Moe’s on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook.

* Moe’s Southwest Grill received the highest numerical Equity Score and the highest numerical score relating to Trust/Love among Fast Casual Mexican Restaurant brands included in the 2017 Harris Poll EquiTrend® Study, which is based on opinions of 102,617 U.S. consumers ages 15 and over surveyed online between December 30, 2016 and February 21, 2017. “Highest Ranked” was determined by a pure ranking of a sample of Fast Casual Mexican Restaurant brands.

About Moe’s Southwest Grill^®
Welcome to Moe’s!^® Founded in 2000 and based in Atlanta, GA, Moe’s Southwest Grill is a fast-casual restaurant franchise that serves high quality and fresh southwestern food. Moe’s has an extensive variety of menu items to please the entire family – from burritos to specialty items like quesadillas, nachos and stacks. Whether you visit one of our 700 franchised locations or have us cater your next event, free chips and salsa come with every order, and each restaurant has a salsa bar and serves our famous queso. Moe’s Southwest Grill has been recognized as the Brand of the Year in the Fast Casual Mexican Restaurant category for two years in a row based on the 2016 & 2017 Harris Poll EquiTrend® Studies. Check us out online at www.moes.com to find a store near you, and then connect with us on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook.

Moe’s Southwest Grill® Announces Annual Free Queso Day on September 21

Fast Casual Brand Celebrates with 24-Hour Queso Hotline & Free Queso for Life Sweepstakes

ATLANTA – Sept. 5, 2017 – Queso is Life at Moe’s and for the eighth year in a row, Moe’s Southwest Grill®  is bringing cheese-induced happiness to fans around the country with the most anticipated day of the year – Free Queso Day. On Sept. 21, all guests will enjoy a complimentary 6-ounce cup of queso and fresh, warm chips at participating locations, no purchase necessary.

This year, Moe’s isn’t just giving away free queso to every guest, the brand has upped the ante by launching a 24-hour Queso Hotline to support and comfort all queso obsessed fans that put everything before queso because… queso is life. Plus, on Sept. 1, Moe’s launched a Free Queso for Life sweepstakes awarding one lucky fan a lifetime supply of liquid gold (the stakes are high this year!)

“As we move into our 17^th year of serving our famous queso, which is now available in over 700 restaurants, we know just how much our fans light up at the mere mention of the liquid gold,” said Bruce Schroder, President of Moe’s. “It is time once again to celebrate Free Queso Day together, our annual chance to say thanks to our loyal fans and invite queso newbies along to see why Moe’s is known for it.”

In an effort to support fans nationwide in their passion to indulge in flawless liquid gold – Moe’s will launch a 24-hour Queso Hotline at 12:01 AM on Free Queso Day, Sept. 21 for fans to divulge their queso confessions; plus, we’ve got even more queso surprises for our fans on the line.

Give Moe’s experts a call on the Queso Hotline at 1-855-440-6337 if you want to share a confession about:

• How much queso you’ve eaten in one sitting
• How often you think about eating queso
• The weirdest food you put on queso (when in doubt, do it)
• The craziest queso-related thing you’ve ever done

Additionally, don’t miss out on the chance to win a lifetime supply of Moe’s famous queso. Here’s how to enter the Free Moe’s Queso for Life sweepstakes between Sept. 1 and Sept. 17, 2017:

• Download the Moe’s Rockin’ Rewards App on your smartphone;
• Make a purchase at Moe’s and check in through the app by scanning your receipt; OR
• Visit Moe’s Facebook page and click on the “Free Queso for Life” ad

On Sept. 21, the winner will be announced during a Facebook Live on the Moe’s Facebook page. For more information about the Moe’s Queso for Life sweepstake visit: www.moes.com/rules.

About Moe’s Southwest Grill^®
Welcome to Moe’s!^® Founded in 2000 and based in Atlanta, GA, Moe’s Southwest Grill is a fast-casual restaurant franchise that serves high quality and fresh southwestern food. Moe’s has an extensive variety of menu items to please the entire family – from burritos to specialty items like quesadillas, nachos and stacks. Whether you visit one of our 700 franchised locations or have us cater your next event, free chips and salsa come with every order, and each restaurant has a salsa bar and serves our famous queso. Moe’s Southwest Grill has been recognized as the Brand of the Year in the Fast Casual Mexican Restaurant category for two years in a row based on the 2016 & 2017 Harris Poll EquiTrend® Studies. Check us out online at www.moes.com to find a store near you, and then connect with us on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook.

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL® ISSUES PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: QUESO IMPOSTERS ON THE LOOSE

Leading southwest fast casual restaurant chain warns consumers of queso imitators

ATLANTA – July 12, 2017 Moe’s Southwest Grill® is issuing an official public announcement concerning multiple alleged “queso” dishes posing as cheesy authentic goodness. These queso impersonators are claiming to serve the perfection that is smooth and delectable queso, attempting to fool consumers across the nation.

Moe’s has been serving its queso for 17 years and our rich ribbons of liquid gold are famous for a reason. Moe’s was struck with this news when cups of nacho-cheese-esque dips were roaming around, pretending to be southwestern-inspired queso. As a courtesy to our awesome fans and with a promise to serve and protect all queso lovers, Moe’s is issuing this public warning.

If you have been duped by any of these queso copycats serving yellow, grainy, nacho cheese-like “queso” dishes, please snap a photo or share your feedback by reporting it directly to @Moes_HQ using #QuesoImposters.

Think you might have fallen victim to this? Here’s how to tell:

• Imposter queso is said to be yellow in color, resembling a block of faux cheddar cheese, rather than smooth, white queso blanco
• The texture is grainy, devoid of the velvety queso goodness you’ve come to know and love
• When snapping a gram-worthy pic for #foodporn, nothing happens. No magical cheese pulls or beautiful, bold drippings off the end of a perfect chip

As the experts on queso, Moe’s wants to make sure your next queso experience isn’t a bust. For New Yorkers that may have experienced a queso imposter this week, visit Moe’s Avenue of the Americas (1029A Avenue of the Americas) to get a FREE cup of queso with any purchase tomorrow, July 13 only.

For all consumers across the nation, instead of risking a poor substitute, we invite you to experience the authentic perfection Moe’s created 17 years ago: Download our Rockin’ Rewards app and enjoy your first cup of queso on us!

About Moe’s Southwest Grill^®
Welcome to Moe’s!^® Founded in 2000 and based in Atlanta, GA, Moe’s Southwest Grill is a fast-casual restaurant franchise that serves high quality and fresh southwestern food. Moe’s has an extensive variety of menu items to please the entire family – from burritos to specialty items like quesadillas, nachos and stacks. Whether you visit one of our 700 franchised locations or have us cater your next event, free chips and salsa come with every order, and each restaurant has a salsa bar and serves our famous queso. Moe’s Southwest Grill has been recognized as the Brand of the Year in the Fast Casual Mexican Restaurant category for two years in a row based on the 2016 & 2017 Harris Poll EquiTrend® Studies. Check us out online at www.moes.com to find a store near you, and then connect with us on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook.

About FOCUS Brands Inc.
Atlanta-based FOCUS Brands Inc., through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of over 5,000 ice cream shoppes, bakeries, restaurants and cafes in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 60 foreign countries under the brand names Carvel^®, Cinnabon^®, Schlotzsky’s^®, Moe’s Southwest Grill^®, Auntie Anne’s^® and McAlister’s Deli^®, as well as Seattle’s Best Coffee^® on certain military bases and in certain international markets.  Please visit www.focusbrands.com to learn more.

 

Moe’s Southwest Grill Opening New Location in Citrus Heights

Leading Southwest Fast-Casual Brand Giving Away Free Burritos for a Year to First 100 Guests!

Citrus Heights, Calif. – October 17, 2016 – “Welcome to Moe’s!^®” will soon be heard on the streets of Citrus Heights, California when Moe’s Southwest Grill^® opens on the corner of Sunrise Blvd and Madison Avenue at 5406 Sunrise Boulevard on Thursday, October 20 at 11 a.m.

To celebrate the grand opening, the Citrus Heights Moe’s is hosting a fundraiser for Bella Vista High School Athletic Department on Wednesday, October 19 from 12 to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. where guests can purchase an entrée, side and drink for $5 with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the local high school. The new location will also offer $5 burritos all day on opening day.

A week after the grand opening, the Citrus Heights Moe’s is offering free burritos to the first 100 guests in line on Friday, October 28. The free burritos a year prize entitles each winner to one burrito per week at the Citrus Heights Moe’s

The Citrus Heights Moe’s is owned and operated by franchisee Nick Krowel. This is his first Moe’s location with plans to open more throughout greater Sacramento in the coming years.

“Moe’s is a rapidly growing brand with a loyal following across the country and we believe Citrus Heights will also enjoy Moe’s fresh, flavorful food and family-friendly atmosphere,” said Krowel. “We’re eager to open our doors and look forward to building long-lasting relationships with our guests and the community.”

There are three things Moe’s newbies should know: the crew will say, “Welcome to Moe’s!” when you walk in the door (don’t be jolted – it’s normal), the most popular burrito is lovingly called the Homewrecker, and Moe’s Famous Queso is famous for a reason.

Each meal is created-to-order in a way that is as unique as the people Moe’s serves. With honestly good ingredients like all-natural chicken, grass-fed steak, organic tofu and handcrafted guacamole, Moe’s offers a wide variety of options to meet guests’ unique tastes and lifestyle. And no matter the meal, guests can always count on getting free chips and salsa.

And whether you’re hosting a party, business function or wedding, or you’re tailgating before a big game, Moe’s catering has you covered. Moe’s offers one-of-a-kind caterings filled with flavorful options that please even the pickiest of eaters (vegetarian, gluten-sensitive, lower calorie). Check out www.moes.com/catering for more information.

Moe’s in Citrus Heights will be open every day Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, guests may call 916-536-9761 or visit www.moes.com.

About Moe’s Southwest Grill^®

Welcome to Moe’s!^® Founded in 2000 and based in Atlanta, GA, Moe’s Southwest Grill is a fast-casual restaurant franchise that serves honestly good, fresh, southwestern food in a welcoming environment that rocks. Best known for its burritos, Moe’s has more than 20 fresh, flavorful ingredients like all-natural chicken and handcrafted guac that are rolled together into an endless serving of awesomeness. Whether you visit us at one of our more than 650 franchised locations throughout the U.S., have us cater to your home or office, or pick up one of our licensed products, it’s just honestly awesome food. Check us out online at www.moes.com to find a store near you, and then connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, Vine and Facebook.

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Moe’s Southwest Grill Opening New Location in Cortland

Leading Fast-Casual Brand Giving Away Free T-Shirts to First 100 Guests!

 Cortland, NY – October 13, 2016 – “Welcome to Moe’s!^®” will soon be heard on the streets of Cortland when Moe’s Southwest Grill^® opens at 872 Route 13 on Thursday, October 20 at 11 a.m.

To celebrate the grand opening, the Cortland Moe’s is giving away free t-shirts to the first 100 guests in line beginning at 11 a.m. on grand opening day. In addition, the new Moe’s is hosting a fundraiser on Wednesday, October 19 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the local booster clubs.

The Cortland Moe’s is owned and operated by franchise group Hot Pepper Properties LLC who have been with Moe’s since 2012 and operate two additional locations in Auburn and Watertown.

“Moe’s is a rapidly growing brand with a loyal following across the country and we believe Cortland will also enjoy Moe’s fresh, flavorful food and family-friendly atmosphere,” said Hot Pepper Properties LLC franchisee Roger Wagner. “We’re eager to open our doors and look forward to building long-lasting relationships with our guests and the community.”

There are three things Moe’s newbies should know: the crew will say, “Welcome to Moe’s!” when you walk in the door (don’t be jolted – it’s normal), the most popular burrito is lovingly called the Homewrecker, and Moe’s Famous Queso is famous for a reason.

Each meal is created-to-order in a way that is as unique as the people Moe’s serves. With honestly good ingredients like all-natural chicken, grass-fed steak, organic tofu and handcrafted guacamole, Moe’s offers a wide variety of options to meet guests’ unique tastes and lifestyle. And no matter the meal, guests can always count on getting free chips and salsa.

And whether you’re hosting a party, business function or wedding, or you’re tailgating before a big game, Moe’s catering has you covered. Moe’s offers one-of-a-kind caterings filled with flavorful options that please even the pickiest of eaters (vegetarian, gluten-sensitive, lower calorie). Check out www.moes.com/catering for more information.

Moe’s in Cortland will be open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, guests may call (607) 344-3058 or visit www.moes.com.

About Moe’s Southwest Grill^®

Welcome to Moe’s!^® Founded in 2000 and based in Atlanta, GA, Moe’s Southwest Grill is a fast-casual restaurant franchise that serves honestly good, fresh, southwestern food in a welcoming environment that rocks. Best known for its burritos, Moe’s has more than 20 fresh, flavorful ingredients like all-natural chicken and handcrafted guac that are rolled together into an endless serving of awesomeness. Whether you visit us at one of our more than 650 franchised locations throughout the U.S., have us cater to your home or office, or pick up one of our licensed products, it’s just honestly awesome food. Check us out online at www.moes.com to find a store near you, and then connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, Vine and Facebook.

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