form10-k.htm




UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

FORM 10-K

                [ X ]
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 28, 2008
OR
 
[    ]
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
 
 
Mexican Restaurants, Inc. Logo
 
 
 
Commission file number:  0-28234

MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Texas
76-0493269
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(IRS Employer Identification Number)

1135 Edgebrook, Houston, Texas
77034-1899
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  713-943-7574

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class
Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common Stock
Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:  None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Yes           ¨           No þ

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  
Yes  ¨  No þ

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.Yes     þ     No    ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of "large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer" and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.  (Check one):
 
Large accelerated filer ¨                                                   Accelerated filer ¨                                           Non-accelerated filer ý          Smaller reporting company ¨
 
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Act).  Yes  ¨No  ý
 
The aggregate market value of the Registrant’s Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, based on the sale trade price of the Common Stock as reported by the Nasdaq Small Cap Market on June 27, 2008, the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second quarter, was $4,310,469. For purposes of this computation, all officers, directors and 10% beneficial owners of the registrant are deemed to be affiliates.  Such determination should not be deemed an admission that such officers, directors or 10% beneficial owners are, in fact, affiliates of the Registrant.

 
 

 

Number of shares outstanding of the Registrant’s Common Stock, as of December 28, 2008: 3,251,641 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01.

Documents Incorporated By Reference

Specified portions of the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement in connection with the 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held May 27, 2009, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

Mexican Restaurants, Inc.
Form 10-K
Table of Contents

Part I
 
Page
 
3
4
  Item 1A.
11
13
13
15
15
     
Part II
   
15
17
18
27
28
28
28
29
     
Part III
   
29
29
29
30
30
     
Part IV
   
30
 
32
















                                                                                          
 
2

 



SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this Form 10-K constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Reform Act”).  Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other facts that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”), its restaurants, area developers and franchisees to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Such factors include, among others, the following:  general economic and business conditions; competition; success of operating initiatives; development and operating costs; advertising and promotional efforts; brand awareness; adverse publicity; acceptance of new product offerings; availability, locations and terms of sites for store development; changes in business strategy or development plans; quality of management; availability and terms of capital; business abilities and judgment of personnel; availability of qualified personnel; food, labor and employee benefit costs; area developers’ adherence to development schedules; changes in, or the failure to comply with government regulations; regional weather conditions or weather-related events; construction schedules; and other factors referenced in this Form 10-K.  The use in this Form 10-K of such words as “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “intends”, “plans” and similar expressions with respect to future activities or other future events or conditions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements.  The success of the Company is dependent on the efforts of the Company, its employees, its area developers, and franchisees and the manner in which they operate and develop stores in light of various factors, including those set forth above.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable at the time when made, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this Form 10-K will prove to be accurate.  In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that its objectives or plans will be achieved.  Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.  In addition, oral statements made by the Company's directors, officers and employees to the investment community, media representatives and others, depending upon their nature, may also constitute forward-looking statements.  As with the forward-looking statements included in this report, these forward-looking statements are by nature inherently uncertain, and actual results may differ materially as a result of many factors.  Further information regarding the risk factors that could affect the Company's financial and other results are included as Item 1A of this annual report on Form 10-K.























 
 

 
 
 
3

PART I

ITEM 1.                                BUSINESS

General

Mexican Restaurants, Inc. (the “Company”) operates and franchises full-service Mexican-theme restaurants featuring various elements associated with the casual dining experience under the names Casa Olé®, Monterey’s Tex-Mex Café®, Monterey’s Little Mexico®, Tortuga Coastal Cantina®, La Señorita® and Crazy Jose’s®.  We also operate a burrito fast casual concept under the name Mission Burrito™.  The Casa Olé, Monterey, Tortuga, La Señorita, Crazy Jose’s and Mission Burrito concepts have been in business for 37, 54, 15, 30, 22 and 12 years, respectively.  Today, we operate 61 restaurants, franchise 18 restaurants and license one restaurant in various communities across Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Michigan.  The Casa Olé, Monterey, La Señorita and Crazy Jose’s restaurants are designed to appeal to a broad range of customers, and are located primarily in small and medium-sized communities and in middle-income areas of larger markets. The Tortuga Coastal Cantina and Mission Burrito restaurants, which are also designed to appeal to a broad range of customers, are located primarily in the Houston market.  The restaurants offer fresh, quality food, affordable prices, friendly service and comfortable surroundings.  The full-service menus feature a variety of traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex selections, complemented by our own original Mexican-based recipes, designed to have broad appeal.  The Mission Burrito restaurants offer freshly made burritos, tacos, quesadillas, soups, salads, and chips with guacamole and/or chili con queso.   We believe that our established success in existing markets, focus on middle-income customers, and the skills of our management team provide significant opportunities to realize the value inherent in the Mexican-theme and the burrito fast casual restaurant markets and increase revenues in existing markets.

Our Company was incorporated under the name “Casa Olé Restaurants, Inc.” under the laws of the State of Texas in February 1996, and had its initial public offering of Common Stock in April 1996.  In May 1999, we changed the corporate name to Mexican Restaurants, Inc.  The Company operates as a holding company and conducts substantially all of its operations through its subsidiaries.  All references to the Company include the Company and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated.

Strategy and Concept

Our objective is to be perceived as a regional, value leader in the Mexican theme segment of the casual dining marketplace and as a regional player in the burrito fast casual segment.  To accomplish this objective, we have developed strategies designed to achieve and maintain high levels of customer loyalty, frequent patronage and profitability.  The key strategic elements are:

 
Ÿ
Offering consistent, high-quality, original recipe Mexican menu items that reflect both national and local taste preferences;

 
Ÿ
Pricing our menu offerings at levels below many family and casual-dining restaurant concepts;

 
Ÿ
Selecting, training and motivating our employees to enhance customer dining experiences and the friendly casual atmosphere of our restaurants;

 
Ÿ
Providing customers with the friendly, attentive service typically associated with more expensive casual-dining experiences; and

 
Ÿ
Reinforcing the perceived value of the dining experience with a comfortable and inviting Mexican decor.

Menu.  Our restaurants offer high-quality products with a distinctive, yet mild taste profile with mainstream appeal.  Fresh ingredients are a critical recipe component, and the majority of the menu items are prepared daily in the kitchen of each restaurant from original recipes.

The casual dining menus feature a wide variety of entrees including enchiladas, combination platters, burritos, fajitas, coastal seafood and other house specialties.  The menus also include soup, salads, appetizers and desserts.  From time to time we also introduce new dishes designed to keep the menus fresh.  Alcoholic beverages are served as a complement to meals and as a percentage of sales represent a range from less than 5% at our more family-oriented locations to up to 21% in our more casual-oriented dining locations.  At Company-owned restaurants the dinner menu entrees presently range in price from $4.99 to $15.99, with most items priced between $6.95 and $10.99.  Lunch prices at most Company-owned restaurants presently range from $4.95 to $7.99.

4

The burrito fast casual menu features a more limited variety of entrees including burritos (wrapped in a flour tortilla or in a bowl), tacos, quesadillas, soups, salads, chips with guacamole and/or chili con queso.  The menu entrees presently range in price from $2.75 to $7.75.  Alcoholic beverages are served as a complement to meals and represent less than 3% of sales.

Atmosphere and Layout.  Our full-service restaurants emphasize an attractive design for each of our restaurants.  The typical restaurant has an inviting and interesting Mexican exterior.  The interior decor is comfortable Mexican in appearance to reinforce the perceived value of the dining experience.  Stucco, tile floors, carpets, plants and a variety of paint colors are integral features of each restaurant’s decor.  These decor features are incorporated in a floor plan designed to provide a comfortable atmosphere.  Our restaurant designs are sufficiently flexible to accommodate a variety of available sites and development opportunities, such as malls, end-caps of strip shopping centers and free standing buildings, including conversions to our restaurant design.  The restaurant facility is also designed to serve a high volume of customers in a relatively limited period of time.  Our restaurants typically range in size from approximately 4,000 to 5,600 square feet, with an average of approximately 4,500 square feet and a seating capacity of approximately 180 persons.

Our six fast-casual Mission Burrito restaurants are between approximately 2,000 and 3,000 square feet.  Several of the restaurants have extensive patios that offer additional outdoor seating.  We have developed a prototype Mission Burrito design that is approximately 2,750 square feet with an indoor seating capacity of approximately 80 persons.  The new prototype also includes a patio that offers additional outdoor seating.  The interior decor has a casual dining atmosphere that distinguishes it from other burrito concepts.  The design is sufficiently flexible to accommodate a variety of available sites and development opportunities; however, we will focus mostly on end-caps of shopping centers, town centers and lifestyle centers developments.

Growth Strategy
Over the last five years, we have focused our energies to assimilate two acquisitions (13 restaurants bought in 2004 from a franchisee and two Mission Burrito restaurants acquired in 2006), to develop new prototypes for our Casa Olé, Monterey’s and Mission Burrito restaurants and to initiate a program of remodeling several of our existing restaurants each year.

In August 2006 we acquired two burrito fast-casual Mission Burrito restaurants located in Houston, Texas.  The concept, established twelve years ago, has a very loyal customer base.  Since the Mission Burrito acquisition, we have spent considerable time and attention planning for the future growth and positioning of the concept.  Beginning in fiscal year 2007, we hired a senior vice president to lead the growth of Mission Burrito and a senior marketing consultant to work exclusively on building the Mission Burrito brand.  During fiscal year 2008, we opened four Mission Burrito restaurants in the Greater Houston Metropolitan Area.  On January 24, 2009, we closed one of our Mission Burrito restaurants seven months after it opened after concluding that the real estate was not conducive to the fast casual burrito segment.  The average net cost of building the four Mission Burrito restaurants was $622,000, net of landlord contributions.

For the foreseeable future, we have decided to focus our growth primarily on Mission Burrito.  The average cost to build a Mission Burrito restaurant is approximately 65% of the cost of building a new Casa Olé restaurant.  Although it will be a few years before we can measure the actual return on investment, based on the average cost and the sales forecast, we believe the Mission Burrito concept will provide a better return on investment than building either Casa Olé or Monterey’s restaurants.  Due to the combined effects of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and the current economic recession, we will focus on a slower rate of growth for Mission Burrito to fine tune the concept and so that we can rebuild our cash flow and pay down debt.  In fiscal year 2009, we plan to open one Mission Burrito restaurant and lay the groundwork for future restaurant expansion in fiscal year 2010 and beyond.

We believe that the unit economics of the various restaurant concepts, as well as their value orientation and focus on middle income customers, provides significant potential opportunities for growth.  Our long-standing strategy to capitalize on these growth opportunities has been comprised of three key elements:


 

 
5

 


Improve Same-Restaurant Sales and Profits.  Our goal is to improve the sales and controllable income of existing restaurants (controllable income consists of restaurant sales less food and beverage expenses, labor and controllable expenses, such as utilities and repair and maintenance expenses, but excludes advertising and occupancy expenses).  This is accomplished through an emphasis on restaurant operations, coupled with improving marketing, purchasing and other organizational efficiencies (see “Restaurant Operations” below).  In fiscal year 2008, substantial increases in commodity prices, utilities and group health insurance premiums had a marked impact on our operating results to the extent such increases could not be passed along to customers.  There can be no assurance that we will not experience the same inflationary impact in fiscal year 2009.  If operating expenses increase, our management intends to attempt to recover increased costs by increasing prices to the extent deemed advisable in light of competitive conditions.

During fiscal year 2009, our goal is to improve sales and profitability so that we can maximize free cash flow, which we will use to pay off debt, remodel one existing restaurant, and build one new Mission Burrito restaurant.  Although we do not anticipate the following transactions in fiscal year 2009, we reserve the right to acquire existing franchise restaurants and to make repurchases of our Common Stock when we determine such repurchases are a prudent use of our capital.
 
Increased Penetration of Existing Markets.  Our second growth opportunity is, when we believe market conditions warrant, to increase the number of restaurants in existing Designated Market Areas (“DMAs”) and to expand into contiguous new markets.  The DMA concept is a mapping tool developed by the A.C. Nielsen Co. that measures the size of a particular market by reference to communities included within a common television market.  Our objective in increasing the density of Company-owned restaurants within existing markets is to improve operating efficiencies in such markets and to realize improved overhead absorption.  In addition, we believe that increasing the density of restaurants in both Company-owned and franchised markets will assist us in achieving effective media penetration while maintaining or reducing advertising costs as a percentage of revenues in the relevant markets.  We believe that careful and prudent site selection within existing markets will avoid cannibalization of the sales bases of existing restaurants.

In implementing our unit expansion strategy, we may use a combination of franchised and Company-owned restaurants.  The number of such restaurants developed in any period will vary.  We believe that a mix of franchised and Company-owned restaurants would enable us to realize accelerated expansion opportunities, while maintaining majority or sole ownership of a significant number of restaurants.  Generally, we do not anticipate opening franchised and Company-owned restaurants within the same market.  In seeking franchisees, we will continue to primarily target experienced multi-unit restaurant operators with knowledge of a particular geographic market and financial resources sufficient to execute our development strategy.

The restaurant industry is a competitive and fragmented business.  Moreover, the restaurant industry is characterized by a high initial capital investment.  Our focus is not on new restaurant expansion just to generate additional sales, but a balanced approach that emphasizes same-restaurant sales growth and selective new restaurant development and acquisitions of existing franchise restaurants.  During fiscal year 2008, we opened four Mission Burrito restaurants, modestly remodeled one existing restaurant and rebuilt two restaurants that had been damaged by fire.  We plan to build and open one new Mission Burrito restaurant in fiscal year 2009, as well as significantly remodel one existing restaurant.

Seek Strategic Acquisitions.   Since our inception as a public company, we have primarily grown through the acquisition of other Mexican food restaurant companies, making four acquisitions since 1996.  We anticipate we will continue to selectively acquire existing franchised restaurants from time to time when such opportunities arise (see “Franchising” below).  Although we are focused primarily on growing the Mission Burrito concept, we will continue to review potential strategic acquisitions within the Mexican food restaurant industry that would complement our existing corporate culture.

Site Selection

When developing new restaurant sites, our senior management devotes significant time and resources to analyzing prospective sites for the Company’s restaurants.  Senior management has also created and utilizes a site selection committee, which reviews and approves each site to be developed.  In addition, we conduct customer surveys to define precisely the demographic profile of the customer base of each of our restaurant concepts.  Our site selection criteria focus on:

1)  
matching the customer profile of the respective restaurant concept to the profile of the population of the target local market;
2)  
easy site accessibility, adequate parking, and prominent visibility of each site under consideration;
3)  
the site’s strategic location within the marketplace;
4)  
the site’s proximity to the major concentration of shopping centers within the market;
5)  
the site’s proximity to a large employment base to support the lunch segment; and
6)  
the impact of competition from other restaurants in the market.

6

We believe that a sufficient number of suitable sites are available for contemplated Company and franchise development in existing markets.  Based on our current planning and market information, we plan to open one new Mission Burrito restaurant in fiscal year 2009.  The anticipated investment for a 2,750 square foot restaurant lease space, including equipment, signage, site work, furniture, fixtures and decor ranges between $550,000 and $650,000, net of landlord contributions.  Additionally, training and other pre-opening costs are anticipated to be approximately $25,000 to $35,000 per location.  The cost of developing and operating a Company restaurant can vary based upon fluctuations in land acquisition and site improvement costs, construction costs in various markets, the size of the particular restaurant and other factors.  Although we anticipate that development costs associated with near-term restaurants will range between $550,000 and $650,000, there can be no assurance of this.

Restaurant Operations

Management and Employees. The management staff of each casual dining restaurant is responsible for managing the restaurant's operations.  Each Company-owned restaurant operates with a general manager, one or more assistant managers and a kitchen manager or a chef.  Including managers, restaurants have an average of 40 full-time and part-time employees.

The management staff of each Mission Burrito restaurant is responsible for managing the restaurant's operations.  Each restaurant operates with a general manager and one or more assistant managers.  Including managers, restaurants have an average of 20 full-time and part-time employees.

We historically have spent considerable effort developing our employees, allowing us to promote from within.  As an additional incentive to our restaurant management personnel, we have a bonus plan in which restaurant managers can receive monthly bonuses based on a percentage of their restaurants’ controllable profits.

Our regional supervisors, who report directly to the Company’s Directors of Operations, offer support to the store managers.  Each supervisor is eligible for a monthly bonus based on a percentage of controllable profits of the stores under their control.

As of December 28, 2008, we employed 2,378 people, of whom 2,332 were restaurant personnel at the Company-owned restaurants and 46 were corporate personnel.  We consider our employee relations to be good.  Most employees, other than restaurant management and corporate personnel, are paid on an hourly basis.  Our employees are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Training and Quality Control.  We require our hourly employees to participate in a formal training program carried out at the individual restaurants, with the on-the-job training program varying from three days to two weeks based upon the applicable position.  Managers of both Company-owned and franchised restaurants are trained at one of our specified training stores by that store's general manager and are then certified upon completion of a four to six week program that encompasses all aspects of restaurant operations as well as personnel management and policy and procedures, with special emphasis on quality control and customer relations.  The Company's franchise agreement requires each franchised restaurant to employ a general manager who has completed our training program at one of our specified training stores.  Compliance with our operational standards is monitored for both Company-owned and franchised restaurants by random, on-site visits by corporate management, regular inspections by regional supervisors, the ongoing direction of a corporate quality control manager and the mystery shopper program.

Marketing and Advertising.  We believe that when media penetration is achieved in a particular market, investments in radio and television advertising can generate significant increases in revenues in a cost-effective manner.  During fiscal year 2008, we spent approximately 2.5% of restaurant revenues on various forms of advertising and plan to spend 2.7% of restaurant revenues in fiscal year 2009.  Besides radio and television, we make use of in-store promotions, involvement in community activities, and customer word-of-mouth to maintain their performance.

 
7

Purchasing. We strive to obtain consistent quality products at competitive prices from reliable sources.  We work with our distributors and other purveyors to ensure the integrity, quality, price and availability of the various raw ingredients.  We research and test various products in an effort to maintain quality and to be responsive to changing customer tastes.  We operate a centralized purchasing system that is utilized by all of the Company-owned restaurants and is available to our franchisees.  Under our franchise agreements, if franchisees wish to purchase from a supplier other than a currently approved supplier, they must first submit the products and supplier to us for approval.  Regardless of the purchase source, all purchases must comply with the Company's product specifications.  Our ability to maintain consistent product quality throughout our operations depends upon acquiring specified food products and supplies from reliable sources.  Management believes that all essential food and beverage products are available from other qualified sources at competitive prices.

Franchising

We currently have eight Casa Olé franchisees and one La Senorita franchisee operating a total of 18 restaurants and one licensee operating one Monterey’s Little Mexico restaurant.  Most franchisees operate one or two restaurants.  No new franchise restaurants were opened during fiscal 2008.  In 2007 one company-owned restaurant was sold to Larry Forehand, a director and Vice Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors.  See “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Footnote (10) ‘Related Party Transactions’”.

Franchising allows us to expand the number of stores and penetrate markets more quickly and with less capital than developing Company-owned stores.  We have the first right of refusal when a franchisee decides to sell its restaurant(s).  Historically, we have selectively acquired franchisee restaurants when reasonably available.  At the same time, we plan to expand our base of franchise restaurants.

Franchisees are selected on the basis of various factors, including business background, experience and financial resources.  In seeking new franchisees, we target experienced multi-unit restaurant operators with knowledge of a particular geographic market and financial resources sufficient to execute our development schedule.  Under the current franchise agreement, franchisees are required to operate their stores in compliance with the Company's policies, standards and specifications, including matters such as menu items, ingredients, materials, supplies, services, fixtures, furnishings, decor and signs.  In addition, franchisees are required to purchase, directly from the Company or our authorized agent, spice packages for use in the preparation of certain menu items, and must purchase certain other items from approved suppliers unless written consent is received from the Company.

Franchise Agreements. We enter into a franchise agreement with each franchisee that grants the franchisee the right to develop a single store within a specific territory at a site approved by us.  The franchisee then has limited exclusive rights within the territory.  Under our current standard franchise agreement, the franchisee is required to pay a franchise fee of $25,000 per restaurant.  The current standard franchise agreement provides for an initial term of 15 years (with a limited renewal option) and payment of a royalty of 3% to 5% of gross sales.  The termination dates of our franchise agreements with its existing franchisees currently range from 2009 to 2019.  We are updating our Franchise Agreement.  Under the new Franchise Agreements, the termination dates will range from 2009 to 2024.  There are six franchises that are currently on a month-to-month basis until we have approved the new Franchise Agreement.

Franchise agreements are not assignable without our prior written consent.  Also, we retain rights of first refusal with respect to any proposed sales by the franchisee.  Franchisees are not permitted to compete with us during the term of the franchise agreement and for a limited time, and in a limited area, after the term of the franchise agreement.  The enforceability and permitted scope of such noncompetition provisions varies from state to state.  We have the right to terminate any franchise agreement for certain specific reasons, including a franchisee's failure to make payments when due or failure to adhere to our policies and standards.  Many state franchise laws, however, limit the ability of a franchisor to terminate or refuse to renew a franchise.  See "Item 1.  Business—Government Regulation".

Prior forms of our franchise agreements still in effect may contain terms that vary from those described above, including with respect to the payment or nonpayment of advertising fees and royalties, the term of the agreement, and assignability, noncompetition and termination provisions.

8

Franchisee Training and Support. Under the current franchise agreement, each franchisee (or if the franchisee is a business organization, a manager designated by the franchisee) is required to personally participate in the operation of the franchise.  Before opening the franchisee's business to the public, we provide training at its approved training facility for each franchisee's general manager, assistant manager and kitchen manager or chef.  We recommend that the franchisee, if the franchisee is other than the general manager, or if a business organization, its chief operating officer, attend such training.  We also provide a training team to assist the franchisee in opening its restaurant.  The team, supervised by the Director of Training, will assist and advise the franchisee and/or its manager in all phases of the opening operation for a seven to fourteen day period.  The formal training program required of hourly employees and management, along with continued oversight by our quality control manager, is designed to promote consistency of operations.

Area Developers. The area development agreement is an extension of the standard franchise agreement.  The area development agreement provides area developers with the right to execute more than one franchise agreement in accordance with a fixed development schedule.  Restaurants established under these agreements must be located in a specific territory in which the area developer will have limited exclusive rights.  Area developers pay an initial development fee generally equal to the total initial franchise fee for the first franchise agreement to be executed pursuant to the development schedule plus 10% of the initial franchise fee for each additional franchise agreement to be executed pursuant to the development schedule.  Generally the initial development fee is not refundable, but will be applied in the proportions described above to the initial franchise fee payable for each franchise agreement executed pursuant to the development schedule.  New area developers will pay monthly royalties for all restaurants established under such franchise agreements on a declining scale generally ranging from 5% of gross sales for the initial restaurant to 3% of gross sales for the fourth restaurant and thereafter as additional restaurants are developed.  Area development agreements are not assignable without our prior written consent.  We will retain rights of first refusal with respect to proposed sales of restaurants by the area developers.  Area developers are not permitted to compete with us.  As described above, the enforceability and permitted scope of such noncompetition provisions may vary from state to state. If an area developer fails to meet its development schedule obligations, the Company can, among other things, terminate the area development agreement or modify the territory in the agreement. These termination rights may be limited by applicable state franchise laws.  We currently have two area developers and are seeking new area developers.

Competition

The restaurant industry is intensely competitive.  Competition is based upon a number of factors, including concept, price, location, quality and service.  We compete against a broad range of other family dining concepts, including those focusing on various other types of ethnic food, as well as local restaurants in its various markets.  We also compete against other quick service, fast casual and casual dining concepts within the Mexican and Tex-Mex food segment.  Many of our competitors are well established and have substantially greater financial and other resources than us.   Some of our competitors may be better established in markets where our restaurants are, or may be, located.  Also, we compete for qualified franchisees with franchisors of other restaurants and various other concepts.

The success of a particular restaurant concept is also affected by many other factors, including national, regional or local economic and real estate conditions, changes in consumer tastes and eating habits, demographic trends, weather, traffic patterns, and the type, number and location of competing restaurants.  In addition, factors such as inflation, increased food, labor and benefit costs, and the availability of experienced management and hourly employees may adversely affect the restaurant industry in general and our restaurants in particular.

Government Regulation

Each restaurant is subject to regulation by federal agencies and to licensing and regulation by state and local health, sanitation, safety, fire and other departments relating to the development and operation of restaurants.  These include regulations pertaining to the environmental, building and zoning requirements in the preparation and sale of food.  We are also subject to laws governing the service of alcohol and our relationship with employees, including minimum wage requirements, overtime, working conditions and immigration requirements.  If we fail to comply with existing or future laws and regulations, we could be subject to governmental or judicial fines or sanctions.    We believe that we are operating in substantial compliance with applicable laws and regulations that govern our operations. Difficulties or failures in obtaining the required construction and operating licenses, permits or approvals could delay or prevent the opening of a specific new restaurant.

9

Alcoholic beverage control regulations require each of our restaurants to apply to a state authority and, in certain locations, county or municipal authorities, for a license or permit to sell alcoholic beverages on the premises and to provide service for extended hours.  Typically, licenses must be renewed annually and may be revoked or suspended for cause at any time.  Alcoholic beverage control regulations relate to numerous aspects of our restaurants, including minimum age of patrons drinking alcoholic beverages and of employees serving alcoholic beverages, training, hours of operation, advertising, wholesale purchasing, inventory control and handling, storage and dispensing of alcoholic beverages.  We are also subject to "dramshop" statutes that generally provide that a person injured by an intoxicated person may seek to recover damages from an establishment determined to have wrongfully served alcoholic beverages to the intoxicated person.  We carry liquor liability coverage as part of our existing comprehensive general liability insurance.  Additionally, within thirty days of employment by the Company, each of our Texas employees who serves alcoholic beverages is required to attend an alcoholic seller training program that has been approved by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and endorsed by the Texas Restaurant Association that endeavors to educate the server to detect and prevent over-service, as well as underage service, of the customers at our restaurants.

In connection with the sale of franchises, we are subject to the United States Federal Trade Commission rules and regulations and state laws that regulate the offer and sale of franchises and business opportunities. We are also subject to laws that regulate certain aspects of such relationships.  To date, we have had no claims with respect to its programs and, based on the nature of any potential compliance issues identified, do not believe that compliance issues associated with our historic franchising programs will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.  We believe that we are operating in substantial compliance with applicable laws and regulations that govern franchising programs.

The federal Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in public accommodations and employment.  We are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and regulations relating to accommodating the needs of the disabled in connection with the construction of new facilities and with significant renovations of existing facilities.

We are subject to various local, state and federal laws regulating the discharge of pollutants into the environment.  We believe that we conduct our operations in substantial compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations.  We conduct environmental audits of each proposed restaurant site in order to determine whether there is any evidence of contamination prior to purchasing or entering into a lease with respect to such site.  To date, our operations have not been materially adversely affected by the cost of compliance with applicable environmental laws.

Trademarks, Service Marks and Trade Dress

We believe our trademarks, service marks and trade dress have significant value and are important to our marketing efforts.  We have registered the trademarks for “Casa Olé”, “Casa Olé Mexican Restaurant”, “Monterey’s Tex-Mex Café”, “Monterey’s Little Mexico”, “Tortuga Cantina”,  “La Señorita” and “Crazy Jose’s.” We have a federal registration for Mission Burritos Fresh Food Fast & design and a pending federal application for Mission Burrito More Choices. More Flavor. & design.  We also have a Texas state registration for the wordmark Mission Burritos.    

Available Information
 
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and in accordance therewith, we file reports, proxy and information statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").  Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy and information statements and other information and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are available through our Web site at www.mexicanrestaurantsinc.com.  Reports are available free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC.  In addition, our officers and directors file with the SEC initial statements of beneficial ownership and statements of change in beneficial ownership of the Company's securities, which are available on the SEC's Internet site at www.sec.gov.  We are not including this or any other information on our Web site as part of, nor incorporating it by reference into, this Form 10-K or any of its other SEC filings.  In addition to our Web site, you may read and copy public reports we file with or furnish to the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549.  You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.  The SEC maintains an internet site that contains the Company's reports, proxy and information statements, and other information that we file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.




 
10

 



ITEM 1A.                      RISK FACTORS

You should carefully consider the following risk factors as well as the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this report, as these are important factors, among others, that could cause our actual results to differ from our expected or historical results.  It is not possible to predict or identify all such factors and these factors are based on management’s current knowledge and estimates of factors affecting our operations, both known and unknown.  Consequently, you should not consider any such list to be a complete statement of all of our potential risks or uncertainties.

Changes in General Economic and Political Conditions Affect Consumer Spending and May Harm Our Revenues and Operating Results.  With a few exceptions, most of the restaurant industry’s casual dining segment experienced a slow down or negative same-store sales and tighter profit margins in 2008.  The forecast for 2009 continues to be cautious, calling for a continuation of the current economic recession.  A few economic conditions that could impact the economy and our operating results are: rising unemployment, the economic recession and the subsequent decline in household wealth could reduce consumers’ level of discretionary spending; a decrease in discretionary spending could impact the frequency with which our customers choose to dine out or the amount they spend on meals while dining out, thereby decreasing our revenues.  A return to rising fuel and energy costs could reduce consumers’ level of discretionary spending.  Additionally, the continued responses to the terrorist attacks on the United States, possible future terrorist attacks and the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan and its aftermath may exacerbate current economic conditions and lead to a further weakening in the economy.  Adverse economic conditions and any related decrease in discretionary spending by our customers could have an adverse effect on our revenues and operating results.

Our Small Restaurant Base and Geographic Concentration Make Our Operations More Susceptible to Local Economic Conditions and the Economic Downturn May Adversely Impact Our Results.  The results achieved to date by our relatively small restaurant base may not be indicative of the results of a larger number of restaurants in a more geographically dispersed area.  Because of our relatively small restaurant base, an unsuccessful new restaurant could have a more significant effect on its results of operations than would be the case in a company owning more restaurants.  Additionally, given our present geographic concentration (all of our company-owned units are currently in Texas, especially along the Gulf Coast region, and in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Michigan), results of operations may be adversely affected by economic or other conditions in the region, such as hurricanes, and any adverse publicity in the region relating to its restaurants could have a more pronounced adverse effect on its overall sales than might be the case if its restaurants were more broadly dispersed.  Also, the ongoing financial crisis and economic downturn could result in material decreases in discretionary spending by consumers, which in turn could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Cost Pressures May Adversely Impact Our Net Income.  We believe that certain cost pressures impacted net income during fiscal year 2008.  Substantial increases in food commodity prices, utilities and group health insurance had a marked impact on our operating results to the extent such increases could not be passed along to customers.  There can be no assurance that we will not experience similar cost pressures in 2009.  If operating expenses increase, our management intends to attempt to recover increased costs by increasing prices to the extent deemed advisable in light of competitive conditions.

Increases in the minimum wage may have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.  Many of our employees are subject to various minimum wage requirements.  On July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage increased from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour.  We estimated that the increase in the federal minimum wage impacted our labor cost by approximately $2,000 per week.  Future federal minimum wage increases are scheduled to increase to $7.25 per hour on July 24, 2009.  The minimum wage increases may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows to the extent that we cannot increase menu prices.

Changes in food costs could negatively impact our revenues and results of operations.  Our profitability is dependent in part on our ability to anticipate and react to changes in food costs. Other than for a portion of our produce, which is purchased locally by each restaurant, we rely on Ben E. Keith Company as the primary distributor of our ingredients.  Ben E. Keith Company is a privately held corporation that is part of a cooperative of independent food distributors (Unipro) located throughout the nation. We have an exclusive contract with Ben E. Keith Company on terms and conditions which we believe are consistent with those made available to similarly situated restaurant companies.  Any increase in distribution prices by Ben E. Keith Company could cause our food costs to fluctuate.  Additional factors beyond our control, including adverse weather conditions and governmental regulation, may affect food costs.  We may not be able to anticipate and react to changing food costs through our purchasing practices and menu price adjustments in the future, and failure to do so could negatively impact our revenues and results of operations.
 
11

Rising Insurance Costs Could Negatively Impact Our Profitability.  We are insured against a variety of uncertainties.  We also provided group health insurance to certain of our employees and cover approximately 65% of the cost.  While the cost of certain insurance coverages increased in 2008, we were able to negotiate lower premium costs for other insurance coverages, and in general, were able to minimize the overall increase and impact of all total insurance costs to the Company.  For example, a decrease in property and casualty premiums did have a positive impact on our profitability in fiscal year 2008.  However, the increase in group health insurance costs did have a negative impact on our profitability in fiscal year 2008.  Each year, we renew our insurance coverages.  Although we try to be proactive in our efforts to control insurance costs, market forces beyond our control may thwart our ability to manage these costs.  We expect insurance premiums for property and casualty insurance to increase in light of the impact of recent hurricanes on the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast.

Seasonal Fluctuations in Sales and Earnings Affect Our Quarterly Results.  Our sales and earnings fluctuate seasonally.  Historically, our highest sales and earnings have occurred in the second and third calendar quarters, which we believe is typical of the restaurant industry and consumer spending patterns in general.  In addition, quarterly results have been and, in the future are likely to be, substantially affected by the timing of new restaurant openings.  Because of the seasonality of our business and the impact of new restaurant openings, results for any calendar quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved for a full fiscal year and cannot be used to indicate financial performance for the entire year.

       An Increase In Our Interest Rates May Adversely Impact Net Income.    We are subject to interest rate fluctuations under the terms of our outstanding bank debt with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.   The interest rate is either the prime rate or LIBOR plus a stipulated percentage.  Accordingly, we are impacted by changes in the prime rate and LIBOR.  As of December 28, 2008, we had $7.5 million outstanding on our credit facility with Wells Fargo.

Our Financial Covenants Could Adversely Affect Our Ability to Borrow.   Under the Wells Fargo Agreement, we are required to maintain certain minimum EBITDA levels, leverage ratios and fixed charge coverage ratios.  Due to the impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in the third quarter of fiscal year 2008, which resulted in approximately $1.15 million in lost sales, we increased our debt by $1.0 million to $7.5 million.  As a result of the lost sales, we failed to satisfy our minimum EBITDA covenant for the twelve month period as of the third quarter of fiscal year 2008.  We requested and received from Wells Fargo a waiver to this covenant for the third quarter of fiscal year 2008, and as of December 28, 2008, received an amendment to the covenant permanently removing the requirement to maintain certain minimum EBITDA levels.

Although we are currently in compliance with such financial covenants as amended, an erosion of our business could place us out of compliance in future periods.  Potential remedies for the lender if we are not in compliance include declaring all outstanding amounts immediately payable, terminating commitments and enforcing any liens.  See “Note 3, Long-term Debt, of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.

Competition May Adversely Affect Our Operations and Financial Results.  The restaurant industry is highly competitive with respect to price, service, restaurant location and food quality, and is often affected by changes in consumer tastes, economic conditions, population and traffic patterns.   We compete within each market against other family dining concepts, as well as quick service and casual dining concepts, for customers, employees and franchisees.  Several of our competitors operate more restaurants and have significantly greater financial resources and longer operating histories than we do.  If we are unable to successfully compete with the other restaurants in our markets, this could prevent us from increasing or sustaining our revenues and profitability and result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Implementing Our Growth Strategy May Strain Our Resources.  Our ability to expand by adding Company-owned and franchised restaurants will depend on a number of factors, including the availability of suitable locations, the ability to hire, train and retain an adequate number of experienced management and hourly employees, the availability of acceptable lease terms and adequate financing, timely construction of restaurants, the ability to obtain various government permits and licenses and other factors, some of which are beyond our control.

We may not be able to open our planned new operations on a timely basis, if at all, and, if opened, these restaurants may not be operated profitably.  We have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, delays in restaurant openings from time to time. Delays or failures in opening planned new restaurants could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.



 
12

 


Our Management and Directors Hold a Majority of the Common Stock.  Approximately 64.8% of our Common Stock and rights to acquire Common Stock are beneficially owned or held by Larry N. Forehand, The D3 Family Funds (with which Cara Denver, one of our directors, is affiliated), Michael D. Domec and Louis P. Neeb, directors and/or executive officers or affiliates thereof.  As a result, these individuals have substantial control over matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election of directors.

Shares Eligible for Future Sale Could Adversely Impact the Stock Price.  Sales of substantial amounts of shares in the public market could adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock.  In any event, the market price of the Common Stock could be subject to significant fluctuations in response to our operating results and other factors.

Litigation Could Have a Material Adverse Effect on Our Business.  From time to time, we are the subject of complaints or litigation from guests alleging food-borne illness, injury or other food quality, health or operational concerns.  We may be adversely affected by publicity resulting from such allegations, regardless of whether such allegations are valid or whether the Company is liable.  We are also subject to complaints or allegations from former or prospective employees from time to time.  A lawsuit or claim could result in an adverse decision against us that could have a materially adverse effect on our business.

We are subject to state “dramshop” laws and regulations, which generally provide that a person injured by an intoxicated person may seek to recover damages from an establishment that wrongfully served alcoholic beverages to such person.  Although we carry liquor liability coverage as part of our existing comprehensive general liability insurance, we may still be subject to a judgment in excess of our insurance coverage and we may not be able to obtain or continue to maintain such insurance coverage at reasonable costs, or at all.

Compliance with Changing Regulation of Corporate Governance and Public Disclosure May Result in Additional Expenses. Keeping up-to-date and in compliance with changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, new SEC regulations and Nasdaq Stock Market rules, has required an increased amount of management attention and external resources.  We remain committed to maintaining high standards of corporate governance and public disclosure.  As a result, we intend to invest all reasonably necessary resources to comply with evolving standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities.

Future changes in financial accounting standards may affect our reported results of operations.  Changes in accounting standards can have a significant effect on our reported results and may affect our reporting of transactions completed before the change is effective. New pronouncements and varying interpretations of pronouncements have occurred and may occur in the future.

Changes to existing rules or differing interpretations with respect to our current practices may adversely affect our reported financial results.

ITEM 1B.                   UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 2.                      PROPERTIES

In fiscal year 2008, our executive offices were located in approximately 10,015 square feet of office space in Houston, Texas.  The offices are currently leased by us from Gillett Properties, Ltd., under a gross lease (where the landlord pays utilities and property taxes) expiring in December 2009, with rental payments of $11,000 per month.  We hired a commercial real estate broker to search for new executive office space and anticipate finding and moving into new executive offices sometime during fiscal year 2009.  We believe that our properties are generally well maintained, in good condition and adequate for our operations.  Further, we believe that suitable additional or replacement space under comparable terms will be available if required.


13

 
Real estate leased for Company-owned restaurants is typically leased under triple net leases that require us to pay real estate taxes and utilities, to maintain insurance with respect to the premises and in certain cases to pay contingent rent based on sales in excess of specified amounts.  Generally the non-mall locations for the Company-owned restaurants have initial terms of 10 to 20 years with renewal options.

All of the Company-owned restaurant sites are leased.  During fiscal year 2007, we subleased a previously closed restaurant and assigned one lease as part of the sale of one company-owned restaurant to Larry Forehand, a Director and Vice Chairman of our Board of Directors.  See “Footnote (10) Related Party Transactions”.

During fiscal year 2008, we opened four new Mission Burrito restaurants and closed one underperforming Mission Burrito restaurant subsequent to year-end.  We modestly remodeled one existing restaurant and rebuilt two restaurants that had been damaged by fires.

Restaurant Locations

At December 28, 2008, we had 61 Company-operated restaurants, 18 franchise restaurants and one licensed restaurant.  As of such date, we operated and franchised 42 Casa Olé restaurants in the State of Texas and four in the State of Louisiana; operated five Monterey’s Tex-Mex Café restaurants in the State of Oklahoma; operated and licensed 11 Monterey’s Little Mexico restaurants in the State of Texas; operated three Tortuga Coastal Cantina restaurants in the State of Texas; operated three Crazy Jose’s in the State of Texas; operated six Mission Burritos in the State of Texas; and  operated and franchised six La Señorita restaurants in the State of Michigan.  Our portfolio of restaurants at December 28, 2008 is summarized below:


Casa Olé
         
 
Company-operated
    29  
Leased
 
Franchisee-operated
    17    
 
    Concept total
    46    
             
Monterey’s Tex-Mex Café
           
 
Company-operated
    5  
Leased
 
   Concept total
    5    
             
Monterey’s Little Mexico
           
 
Company-operated
    10  
Leased
 
Licensee-operated
    1    
 
   Concept total
    11    
             
Tortuga Coastal Cantina
           
 
Company-operated
    3  
Leased
 
   Concept total
    3    
La Señorita
           
 
Company-operated
    5  
Leased
 
Franchisee-operated
    1    
 
   Concept total
    6    
Crazy Jose’s
           
 
Company-operated
    3  
Leased
 
   Concept total
    3    
             
Mission Burrito
           
 
Company-operated
    6  
Leased
             
 
   System total
    80    
             



14



ITEM 3.                      LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

We are involved from time to time in litigation relating to claims arising from our operations in the normal course of business.  Management believes that the ultimate disposition of all uninsured matters resulting from existing litigation will not have a material adverse effect on our business or financial position.

ITEM 4.                      SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

No matter was submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Company during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended December 28, 2008.


PART II

ITEM 5.

Market Information. Our Common Stock trades on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market tier of The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “CASA.”  At March 23, 2009, the closing price of our Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market was $2.54.  The following table sets forth the range of quarterly high and low reported sale prices of the Company’s Common Stock on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market during each of our fiscal quarters since the end of our 2006 fiscal year.


   
HIGH
   
LOW
 
             
Fiscal Year 2009:
           
   First Quarter (through March 23, 2009)
  $ 2.57     $ 1.75  
                 
Fiscal Year 2008:
               
   First Quarter (ended March 30, 2008)
  $ 6.51     $ 5.11  
   Second Quarter (ended June 29, 2008)
  $ 5.88     $ 3.35  
   Third Quarter (ended September 28, 2008)
  $ 5.65     $ 3.75  
   Fourth Quarter (ended December 28, 2008)
  $ 5.39     $ 1.36  

             
Fiscal Year 2007:
           
   First Quarter (ended April 1, 2007)
  $ 11.70     $ 9.32  
   Second Quarter (ended July 1, 2007)
  $ 9.60     $ 7.60  
   Third Quarter (ended September 30, 2007)
  $ 8.37     $ 6.36  
   Fourth Quarter (ended December 30, 2007)
  $ 7.57     $ 4.75  
                 


15

Performance Graph

The following Performance Graph and related information shall not be deemed “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates it by reference into such filing.
 
The following performance graph compares the cumulative return of the Common Stock with that of the Nasdaq Composite Index and the Standard & Poors Small Cap Restaurants Index, assuming in each case an initial investment of $100 at December 31, 2003.
 

 

Chart
 

 
 
Holders. As of March 23, 2009, we estimate that there were approximately 600 beneficial owners of our Common Stock, represented by approximately 50 holders of record, and 3,251,641 shares of Common Stock outstanding.

Issuer Purchases.  We did not repurchase any shares of our Common Stock during 2008.

Dividends.  Since our 1996 initial public offering, we have not paid cash dividends on our Common Stock.  We intend to retain earnings of the Company to support operations, to finance expansion and pay down our debt, and do not intend to pay cash dividends on the Common Stock for the foreseeable future.  In addition, our current credit agreement prohibits the payment of any cash dividends.  Any payment of cash dividends in the future will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend upon such factors as earnings levels, capital requirements, our financial condition, the ability to do so under then-existing credit agreements and other factors deemed relevant by the Board of Directors.  See Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation—Liquidity and Capital Resources) contained in Item 7 to this Report.

16

ITEM 6.                      SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The selected financial data set forth below should be read in conjunction with and are qualified by reference to the Consolidated Financial Statements and the related Notes thereto included in Item 8, hereof and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included in Item 7, hereof.
 
   
Fiscal Years
 
   
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
 
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2007
   
2008
 
Income Statement Data:
                             
Revenues:
                             
  Restaurant sales
  $ 73,499     $ 76,356     $ 80,805     $ 81,380     $ 80,915  
  Franchise fees, royalties and other
    753       694       825       710       637  
  Business interruption
     --        534        60        --        318  
      74,252       77,584       81,690       82,090       81,870  
Costs and expenses:
                                       
  Cost of sales
    20,311       20,757       22,259       23,366       23,651  
  Restaurant operating expenses
    40,414       42,433       45,318       46,550       46,696  
  General and administrative
    6,587       6,942       7,717       7,472       7,640  
  Depreciation and amortization
    2,114       2,653       3,102       3,417       3,568  
  Goodwill impairment
    --       --       --       --       5,130  
  Impairment and restaurant closure costs
    322       --       448       100       774  
  Gain on involuntary disposals
    --       (472 )     (367 )     --       (685 )
  Loss on sale of other property and equipment
     180        368        30        208        206  
      69,928       72,681       78,507       81,113       86,980  
                                         
Operating income (loss)
    4,324       4,903       3,183       977       (5,110 )
Other expense, net
     (459 )      (404 )      (303 )      (443 )      (388 )
                                         
Income (loss) before income taxes
    3,865       4,499       2,880       534       (5,498 )
                                         
Income tax (expense) benefit
     (1,280 )      (1,486 )      (901 )      (79 )      1,478  
Income (loss) from continuing operations
    2,585       3,013       1,979       455       (4,020 )
                                         
Discontinued Operations
                                       
  Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes
     (824 )      (696 )      (841 )      (106 )      33  
  Net income (loss)
  $ 1,761     $ 2,317     $ 1,138     $ 349     $ (3,987 )
 
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2007
   
2008
 
Basic income (loss) per share:
                             
     Income (loss) from continuing operations
  $ 0.76     $ 0.88     $ 0.58     $ 0.13     $ (1.23 )
     Income (loss) from discontinued operations
    (0.24 )     (0.20 )     (0.25 )     (0.03 )     0.01  
     Net income (loss)
  $ 0.52     $ 0.68     $ 0.33     $ 0.10     $ (1.22 )
                                         
Diluted income (loss) per share:
                                       
     Income (loss) from continuing operations
  $ 0.71     $ 0.82     $ 0.56     $ 0.13     $ (1.23 )
     Income (loss) from discontinued operations
    (0.23 )     (0.19 )      ( 0.24 )      ( 0.03 )     0.01  
     Net income (loss)
  $ 0.48     $ 0.63     $ 0.32     $ 0.10     $ (1.22 )
                                         
     Weighted average shares – Basic
    3,388,489       3,415,806       3,402,207       3,339,280       3,255,503  
                                         
     Weighted average shares – Diluted
    3,634,849       3,700,876       3,521,587       3,430,276       3,255,503  

 
   
As of the End of Fiscal Years
 
                               
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2007
   
2008
 
   
(In thousands)
 
Balance Sheet Data:
                             
Working capital deficit
  $ (1,359 )   $ (1,632 )   $ (1,928 )   $ (911 )   $ (847 )
Total assets
  $ 32,326     $ 33,137     $ 33,276     $ 34,356     $ 31,503  
Long-term debt, less  current portion
  $ 6,000     $ 4,500     $ 3,800     $ 6,400     $ 7,500  
Total stockholders’ equity
  $ 17,868     $ 18,884     $ 20,573     $ 19,265     $ 15,486  


17

ITEM 7.

Certain statements set forth below under this caption constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Reform Act.  See “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” above for additional factors relating to such statements.  The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the other sections of this Annual report on Form 10-K, including the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this Report.  Additional information concerning factors that could cause results to differ materially from those in any forward-looking statements is contained under “Item 1A. Risk Factors”.

General Overview

The Company was organized under the laws of the State of Texas in February 1996.  Through our subsidiaries, we operate and franchise Mexican-theme restaurants featuring various elements associated with the casual dining experience under the names Casa Olé, Monterey’s Tex-Mex Café, Monterey’s Little Mexico, Tortuga Coastal Cantina, Crazy Jose’s and  La Señorita.  We also operate fast casual burrito restaurants under the name Mission Burrito.  At December 28, 2008 we operated 61 restaurants, franchised 18 restaurants and licensed one restaurant in various communities in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Michigan.

Our primary source of revenues is the sale of food and beverages at Company-owned restaurants.  We also derive revenues from franchise fees, royalties and other franchise-related activities.  Franchise fee revenue from an individual franchise sale is recognized when all services relating to the sale have been performed and the restaurant has commenced operation.  Initial franchise fees relating to area franchise sales are recognized ratably in proportion to services that are required to be performed pursuant to the area franchise or development agreements and proportionately as the restaurants within the area are opened.

The consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for fiscal years 2007 and 2006 have been adjusted to remove the operations of closed restaurants, which have been reclassified as discontinued operations.  There were no discontinued operations in 2008.

Fiscal Year

We have a 52/53 week fiscal year ending on the Sunday nearest December 31.  References in this Report to fiscal 2008, 2007 and 2006 relate to the periods ended December 28, 2008, December 30, 2007, and December 31, 2006, respectively.  Fiscal years 2008, 2007 and 2006, presented herein consisted of 52 weeks.

Results of Operations

Fiscal Year 2008 Compared to Fiscal Year 2007 as Adjusted for Discontinued Operations

Revenues.    Our revenues for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2008 were down $221,131 or 0.3% to $81.9 million compared with fiscal year 2007.  Restaurant sales for fiscal year 2008 decreased $465,227 or 0.6% to $80.9 million compared with fiscal year 2007.  We lost approximately $1.15 million in restaurant sales from the impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.  Restaurant sales were also impacted by approximately $900,000 due to restaurant fires at two stores.  The decrease also reflects the sale of the Stafford, Texas Casa Olé restaurant in July of 2007.  An increase in same-store sales partially offset the above mentioned decreases, along with the addition of four Mission Burrito fast casual restaurants.  For the 52-week period ended December 28, 2008, excluding the lost sales from the hurricanes and fires from the same-store sales comparison (only stores open in both periods are included in same-store sales amounts), Company-owned same-restaurant sales increased approximately 1.5%.  The same-store sales trend prior to the two hurricanes was up 0.3%.  Franchised-owned same-restaurant sales, as reported by franchisees, and reflecting the lost hurricane sales, increased approximately 1.2% over the same 52-week period ended December 28, 2008.

18

Franchise fees, royalties and other for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2008 was down $73,621 or 10.4% to $636,773 compared with fiscal year 2007 because other miscellaneous revenues of a nonrecurring nature were realized in fiscal year 2007.

In fiscal year 2008, we recorded $317,717 of business interruption proceeds related to claims for two restaurant fires and Hurricane Ike store closures.

Costs and Expenses.  Costs of sales, consisting of food, beverage, liquor, supplies and paper costs, increased 50 basis points as a percent of restaurant sales to 29.2% compared with 28.7% in fiscal year 2007.  The increase primarily reflects higher commodity prices, especially cheese, produce, tortillas, supplies and paper costs, and higher food discounts to customers.  In March and again in September of 2008, we raised menu prices at most of the concepts in an effort to offset some of the rise in commodity costs.

Labor and other related expenses increased as a percentage of restaurant sales 20 basis points to 32.7% compared with 32.5% for fiscal year 2007.  Higher group health insurance expense impacted restaurant labor 10 basis points.  Hourly back-of-house labor and management costs increased 60 basis points, primarily due to lost sales from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, while hourly front-of-house labor improved 50 basis points during fiscal year 2008.

Restaurant operating expenses, which primarily includes rent, property taxes, utilities, repair and maintenance, liquor taxes, property insurance, general liability insurance and advertising, increased in fiscal year 2008 as a percentage of restaurant sales 10 basis points to 24.8% as compared with 24.7% in fiscal year 2007.  The increase primarily reflects a lower level of sales due to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.  Electricity and natural gas costs also increased.  Favorable electricity contracts on approximately 60% of our restaurants expired in August of 2008, resulting in higher electric costs per kilowatt hour thereafter.  We have signed short-term, three-month contracts until such time management believes that a lower, longer term contract can be obtained.  The price of electricity in Texas is primarily tied to the price of natural gas, which has been on a downward trend over the last three months.  These increases were partially offset by lower advertising expense, as we pulled commercial advertising immediately after Hurricane Ike and during the 2008 presidential campaign season.

General and administrative expenses consist of expenses associated with corporate and administrative functions that support restaurant operations.  General and administrative expenses increased 20 basis points as a percentage of total sales to 9.3% compared with 9.1% for fiscal year 2007.  The increase, as a percentage of total revenue, reflects, in part, a lower level of sales due to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Actual general and administrative expenses increased $167,908 in fiscal year 2008 compared with fiscal year 2007.  The increase primarily reflects higher relocation expense, banking fees, legal expenses, consulting fees related to marketing for Mission Burrito concept development, and consulting fees related to Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, all of which were partially offset by reductions in general and administrative salaries and bonuses, and lower manager-in-training expenses.

Depreciation and amortization expenses include the depreciation of fixed assets and the amortization of other assets.  Depreciation and amortization expense increased as a percentage of total revenues 20 basis points to 4.4% in fiscal year 2008 as compared with 4.2% in fiscal year 2007.  Actual depreciation and amortization expense increased $150,405 in fiscal year 2008 compared with fiscal year 2007.  The increase reflects additional depreciation expense for remodeled restaurants, new restaurants, and the replacement of equipment and leasehold improvements in various existing restaurants.


19

 
During fiscal year 2008, we incurred $166,655 in pre-opening expenses related to the opening of four new Mission Burrito restaurants.  In fiscal year 2007, we spent $23,947 in pre-opening expenses related to the re-opening of remodeled restaurants.

Goodwill Impairment.  Goodwill represents the excess of costs over fair value of assets of businesses acquired.  We adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets”, as of January 1, 2002.  Goodwill and intangible assets acquired in a purchase business combination and determined to have an indefinite useful life are not amortized, but instead tested for impairment at least annually in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 142.  At year end 2008, management determined that the fair value did not exceed the carrying amount of the reporting unit and recorded an impairment of approximately $5.1 million.

Impairment and Restaurant Closure Costs.  In accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairments or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets”, long-lived assets, such as property, plant and equipment, and purchased intangibles subject to amortization, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.  Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset.  If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset.

During fiscal year 2008, we expensed $773,789 to impair the assets of one closed restaurant, one under-performing restaurant earmarked for closure once its lease expires in fiscal year 2009 and two other under-performing restaurants, and for broker commissions related to two subleased restaurant sites in Idaho.  During fiscal year 2007, we expensed $99,978 to impair the assets of two under-performing restaurants.

Gain on Involuntary Disposals   The consolidated statements of operations for the period ended December 28, 2008 includes a separate line item for gain on involuntary disposals which includes a gain of $685,137 resulting primarily from the write-off of assets damaged by two restaurant fires, offset by insurance proceeds for the replacement of assets.  The first fire occurred on February 19, 2008 at our Casa Olé restaurant located in Vidor, Texas which re-opened July 7, 2008.  The second fire occurred July 28, 2008 at our Casa Olé restaurant located in Pasadena, Texas which re-opened October 25, 2008.  The gain on involuntary disposals was partially offset by losses from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.  We recorded net losses of $60,991 resulting primarily from spoiled inventory caused by temporary electricity outages at 35 Company-owned restaurants after Hurricane Ike made landfall on September 13, 2008.

During fiscal year 2008, our insurers have paid $739,969 and we have recorded a receivable of $241,757 related to property damage.  We have spent $1,167,418 as of December 28, 2008 for the replacement of assets related to the two fires and the two hurricanes.

The consolidated statements of operations for period ended December 28, 2008 includes a separate line item for revenues for business interruption insurance proceeds as follows:  $248,717 related to the two restaurant fires and $69,000 related to the hurricanes.

Loss on Sale of Other Property and Equipment.  During fiscal year ended December 28, 2008, we recorded losses of $206,447 primarily related to the disposal of restaurant assets during the conversion of an existing restaurant into a Mission Burrito restaurant.

Other Income (Expense).   Net expense decreased $54,950 to $387,851 in fiscal year 2008 compared with a net expense of $442,801 in fiscal year 2007.  Interest expense decreased $72,109 to $427,742 in fiscal year 2008 compared with interest expense of $499,851 in fiscal year 2007, reflecting a decrease in interest rates.

Income Tax Expense. Our effective tax rate from continuing operations for fiscal year 2008 was a benefit of 26.89% as compared to 14.8% of expense for fiscal year 2007.  In fiscal year 2008, we had a pretax net loss from continuing operations compared to pretax net income in fiscal year 2007.  We recorded a receivable of approximately $128,000 in 2008 for an expected income tax refund for carrying back the 2008 net operating loss to an amended 2006 income tax return.  The permanent differences in 2008 were approximately $1.5 million higher as compared to the permanent differences in 2007 because of the goodwill impairment.  Since the tax deduction for goodwill is limited to its net tax value, the difference between the net tax value and net book value contributed to the decrease in the effective tax rate.  Certain other permanent differences result in tax credits.  In fiscal year 2008, we were not able to use any of our current year tax credits, but tax credits of $291,383 can be carried forward for a twenty year period to reduce future federal regular income taxes.

20

Discontinued Operations.  During the fiscal year ended December 28, 2008, we recorded closure income of $46,226, all of which is included in discontinued operations.  The closure income related to the revision by management of the estimated repair and maintenance costs, utility costs and property taxes associated with restaurants closed in prior years and actual repairs performed in third quarter 2008.  No stores were permanently closed in fiscal year 2008.

Fiscal Year 2007 Compared to Fiscal Year 2006 as Adjusted for Discontinued Operations

Revenues.    Our revenues for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2007 were up $400,537 or 0.5% to $82.1 million compared with fiscal year 2006.  Restaurant sales for fiscal year 2007 increased $574,879 or 0.7% to $81.4 million compared with fiscal year 2006.  The increase in restaurant sales reflects the full year impact of one restaurant opened in fiscal year 2006 and the acquisition of Mission Burrito (two restaurants), offset in part by a 1.8% decline in same-restaurant sales.

Franchise fees, royalties and other for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2007 was down $114,721 or 13.9% to $710,394 compared with fiscal year 2006.  Fiscal year 2006 included the recognition of $80,000 in royalties due to a correction of understated royalty income over the 16 previous quarters.   For the fiscal year 2007, franchised-owned same-store sales, as reported by franchisees, increased approximately 2.97%.

In fiscal year 2006, we recorded $59,621 of business interruption proceeds related to our Hurricane Rita insurance claim.

Costs and Expenses.  Costs of sales, consisting of food, beverage, liquor, supplies and paper costs, increased 120 basis points as a percent of restaurant sales to 28.7% compared with 27.5% in fiscal year 2006.  The increase primarily reflects higher commodity prices, especially produce, cheese and dry goods.  The increase also reflects a one time adjustment of $100,000 to cost of sales to correct for rebates we mistakenly recorded as our own that should have been paid to franchisees.

Labor and other related expenses increased as a percentage of restaurant sales 20 basis points to 32.5% compared with 32.3% for fiscal year 2006.  The increase primarily reflects the lingering impact of the first quarter of fiscal year 2007, which had labor cost of 33.7%, reflecting hourly labor that wasn’t scheduled in proportion to declining same-restaurant sales.  Since the first quarter of 2007, labor cost improved to 32.0% in the second quarter, 32.5% in the third quarter and 31.7% in the fourth quarter.  Since the first quarter, labor utilization improvements were approximately the same for all three quarters.  The second quarter benefited from a one time adjustment to worker’s compensation insurance and unemployment tax adjustments related to a policy audit and a refund due to excess funding from the State of Texas Workforce Commission.

Restaurant operating expenses, which primarily includes rent, property taxes, utilities, repair and maintenance, liquor taxes, property insurance, general liability insurance and advertising, increased in fiscal year 2007 as a percentage of restaurant sales 110 basis points to 24.7% as compared with 23.6% in fiscal year 2006.  The increase primarily reflects higher property and casualty insurance expense, which is directly attributable to severe weather associated with the United States’ Gulf Coast region, higher repair and maintenance expense, rents and advertising.

General and administrative expenses consist of expenses associated with corporate and administrative functions that support restaurant operations.  General and administrative expenses decreased 30 basis points as a percentage of total sales to 9.1% compared with 9.4% for fiscal year 2006.  Actual general and administrative expenses decreased $245,030.  The decrease primarily reflects lower vested option expense which was partially offset by higher legal expenses, employee finder fees and consulting fees related to Sarbanes-Oxley required internal control documentation and testing.

Depreciation and amortization expenses include the depreciation of fixed assets and the amortization of other assets.  Depreciation and amortization expense increased as a percentage of total revenues 40 basis points to 4.2% in fiscal year 2007 as compared with 3.8% in fiscal year 2006.  Actual depreciation and amortization expense increased $315,720 in fiscal year 2007 compared with fiscal year 2006.  The increase reflects additional depreciation expense for remodeled restaurants, new restaurants, and the replacement of equipment and leasehold improvements in various existing restaurants.


21

During fiscal year 2007, we incurred $23,947 in pre-opening expenses related to the reopening of a remodeled restaurant.  In fiscal year 2006, we spent $108,847 in pre-opening expenses related to the opening of two new restaurants.

Impairment costs.  In accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairments or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets”, long-lived assets, such as property, plant, and equipment, and purchased intangibles subject to amortization, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.  Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset.  If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset.

During fiscal year 2007, we expensed $99,978 to impair the assets of two under-performing restaurants.  During fiscal year 2006, we expensed $447,903 to impair the assets of two under-performing restaurants.  We also expensed real estate broker commissions related to the sale of one subleased restaurant and for future broker commissions related to two other subleased restaurants.

Gain on Disposal of Assets – Hurricane Rita.  On September 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast area, affecting a number of our restaurants in that region.  We subsequently hired an insurance consulting firm to assist management with the filing of our insurance claim.  During the second quarter of 2006, we finalized negotiations with our insurance carrier for the hurricane insurance claim.  Also, during fiscal year 2006, we capitalized $511,236 in asset cost expenditures related to damaged property in the consolidated balance sheets, and recognized in the consolidated statement of operations $366,808 as a gain and $59,621 as business interruption revenue from the insurance claim.  As of December 31, 2006, we have collected all receivables related to our hurricane insurance claim.

 Loss on Sale of Other Property and Equipment.   During fiscal year 2007, we recorded a loss on the sale of assets of $207,517, reflecting the loss from two remodeled restaurants and from the sale of one under-performing restaurant to Mr. Forehand, Vice Chairman of the Company, who purchased the assets of our Casa Olé restaurant located in Stafford, Texas for an agreed price of 26,806 shares of our common stock.  The stock was valued at $8.14 per share, which was the ten-day weighted average stock price as of June 12, 2007, for a total value of $218,205.  The Stafford restaurant operates under our uniform franchise agreement and is subject to a monthly royalty fee.  During fiscal year 2006, we recorded a loss of $29,591 due to the disposition of miscellaneous assets.

Other Expense.   Net expense increased $139,487 to $442,801 in fiscal year 2007 compared with a net expense of $303,314 in fiscal year 2006.  Interest expense increased $109,312 to $499,851 in fiscal year 2007 compared with interest expense of $390,539 in fiscal year 2006, reflecting an increase in outstanding debt.

Income Tax Expense. Our effective tax rate from continuing operations for fiscal year 2007 was 14.8% as compared to 31.3% for fiscal year 2006.  In fiscal year 2007, we had significantly lower pretax income from continuing operations compared to fiscal year 2006. In both years, the permanent differences were approximately the same, resulting in the lower effective tax rate in fiscal year 2007. Certain permanent differences result in tax credits.  In fiscal year 2007, we were not able to use all of our current year tax credits, but tax credits of $268,386 can be carried forward for an indefinite period to reduce future federal regular income taxes.

Discontinued Operations.  In fiscal year 2007, we closed one under-performing restaurant in February, 2007 after its lease expired incurring losses from discontinued operations, net of taxes, of $106,622 pursuant to Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 146, “Accounting for Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities”. In fiscal year 2006, we closed four underperforming restaurants incurring losses from discontinued operations, net of taxes, of $840,804.

The circumstances and testing leading to an impairment charge were determined in accordance with SFAS No. 144 which requires that property and equipment be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.   See “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Footnotes (1) ‘Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies’ and (10) ‘Related Party Transactions’.”

 
22



Liquidity and Capital Resources

We financed our capital expenditure requirements for the fiscal year ended December 28, 2008 primarily by drawing on our revolving line of credit and drawing on our cash reserves.  In fiscal year 2008, we had cash flow provided by operating activities of approximately $3.0 million, compared with cash flow provided by operating activities of approximately $3.7 million in fiscal year 2007 and cash flow provided by operating activities of approximately $5.0 million in fiscal year 2006.  The decrease in cash flows from operating activities reflects the decrease in operating income, primarily due to the impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike during the third quarter of fiscal year 2008.  During fiscal year 2008, we made a net draw of $1.1 million on our line of credit, $1 million of which related directly to the impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.  During fiscal year 2007, financing activities provided $1.0 million, in which $3.1 million was drawn from our lines of credit with $1.6 million used for the July 2007 purchase of 200,000 shares of our common stock and $0.5 million used for the prepayment of the Beaumont-based franchise restaurant seller note.  As of December 28, 2008, we had a working capital deficit of $846,905 compared with a working capital deficit of $911,023 at December 30, 2007 and $1.9 million at December 31, 2006.  A working capital deficit is common in the restaurant industry, since restaurant companies do not typically require a significant investment in either accounts receivable or inventory.

Our principal capital requirements are the funding of routine capital expenditures, new restaurant development or acquisitions and remodeling of older units.  During fiscal year 2008, total cash used for capital requirements was approximately $5.3 million, which included approximately $1.8 million spent for routine capital expenditures, approximately $2.2 million for new restaurant development, approximately $0.9 million spent to reconstruct two restaurants damaged by fires, approximately $0.3 million to reconstruct from hurricane damage, and approximately $0.1 million spent  on remodels.  We opened four Mission Burrito restaurants during fiscal year 2008, for a total of six Mission Burrito restaurants. We closed one Mission Burrito restaurant on January 24, 2009 after seven months of operations.  We attribute the closure to a poor real estate location.  We expect to begin construction on our seventh Mission Burrito restaurant in the second quarter of fiscal year 2009.  Due to the recent economic downturn and the impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, we do not expect to enter into any further lease obligations to develop Mission Burrito restaurants for fiscal year 2009.  We plan to resume our development of Mission Burrito in fiscal year 2010 and beyond.

In June 2007, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Wells Fargo Agreement”) with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (“Wells Fargo”) in order to increase the revolving loan amount available to us from $7.5 million under our then-existing credit facility with Bank of America to $10 million.   In connection with the execution of the Wells Fargo Agreement, we prepaid and terminated our then-existing credit facility with Bank of America.  The Wells Fargo Agreement provides for a revolving loan of up to $10 million, with an option to increase the revolving loan by an additional $5 million, for a total of $15 million.  The Wells Fargo Agreement terminates on June 29, 2010.  At our option, the revolving loan bears an interest rate equal to the Wells Fargo Base Rate plus a stipulated percentage or LIBOR plus a stipulated percentage.  Accordingly, the Company is impacted by changes in the Base Rate and LIBOR.  We are subject to a non-use fee of 0.50% on the unused portion of the revolver from the date of the Wells Fargo Agreement.  The Wells Fargo Agreement also allows up to $2.0 million in annual stock repurchases.  We have pledged the stock of our subsidiaries, our leasehold interests, our patents and trademarks and our furniture, fixtures and equipment as collateral for our credit facility with Wells Fargo.  As of December 28, 2008, total debt outstanding under the Wells Fargo Agreement was $7.5 million.

Under the Wells Fargo Agreement, we are required to maintain certain minimum EBITDA levels, leverage ratios and fixed charge coverage ratios.  Due to the impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in the third quarter of fiscal year 2008, which resulted in approximately $1.15 million in lost sales, we increased our debt by $1.0 million to $7.5 million.  As a result of the lost sales, we failed to satisfy our minimum EBITDA covenant under the Wells Fargo agreement for the twelve month period as of the third quarter of fiscal year 2008.  We requested and received from Wells Fargo a waiver to this covenant.  We received an amendment to the agreement effective as of December 28, 2008, eliminating the minimum EBITDA requirement and adding limits on our growth capital expenditures.

Although the Wells Fargo Agreement permits us to implement a share repurchase program under certain conditions, we currently have no repurchase program in effect.  Shares previously acquired are being held for general corporate purposes, including the offset of the dilutive effect on shareholders from the exercise of stock options.

Our management believes that with our operating cash flow and our revolving line of credit under the Wells Fargo Agreement, funds will be sufficient to meet operating requirements and to finance routine capital expenditures and new restaurant growth through the next 12 months.  Unless we violate a debt covenant, our credit facility with Wells Fargo, as amended, is not subject to triggering events that would cause the credit facility to become due sooner than the maturity dates described in the previous paragraphs.  Our future cash requirements and the adequacy of available funds will depend on many factors, including the pace of expansion, real estate markets, site locations and the nature of the arrangements negotiated with landlords. We believe that our current cash balances, together with anticipated cash flows from operations and funds anticipated to be available from our credit facility, will be sufficient to satisfy our working capital and capital expenditure requirements on a short-term and long-term basis. Changes in our operating plans, acceleration of our expansion plans, lower than anticipated sales, increased expenses, failure to maintain financial covenants under our credit facility, financial and non-financial covenant requirements or other events may cause us to seek additional financing sooner than anticipated. Additional financing may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all. Failure to obtain additional financing as needed could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

23

Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments.

The following table summarizes our total contractual cash obligations and commercial commitments as of December 28, 2008, including leases (in excess of one year) signed that are effective in 2009:
 
         
Payments Due By Period
 
 
Contractual Obligation
 
Total
   
Less than
1 Year
   
1 to 3
Years
   
3 to 5
Years
   
More Than
5 Years
 
                               
Long-Term Debt (principal only)
  $ 7,500,000     $ --     $ 7,500,000     $ --     $ --  
Operating Leases
    43,686,115        5,849,011       10,835,971       9,157,555       17,843,578  
Total Contractual Cash Obligations
  $ 51,186,115     $ 5,849,011     $ 18,335,971     $ 9,157,555     $ 17,843,578  

The contractual obligation table does not include interest payments on our long-term debt with Wells Fargo Bank due to the variable interest rates under our credit facility and the varying debt balance during the year.  The contractual interest rate for our credit facility is either the prime rate or LIBOR base rate plus a stipulated margin.  See “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, ‘Footnote (3) Long-Term Debt’” for balances and terms of our credit facility at December 28, 2008.

Related Parties.

 We provide accounting and administrative services for the Casa Olé Media and Production Funds.  The Casa Olé Media and Production Funds are not-for-profit, unconsolidated entities used to collect money from company-owned and franchise-owned restaurants to pay for the marketing of Casa Olé restaurants.  Each restaurant contributes an agreed upon percentage of sales to the funds.

Critical Accounting Policies.

Our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations discusses our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.

Critical accounting policies are those that we believe are most important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and also require our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments. Judgments or uncertainties regarding the application of these policies may result in materially different amounts being reported under various conditions or using different assumptions. We consider the following policies to be the most critical in understanding the judgment that is involved in preparing the consolidated financial statements.

Property and Equipment.
 
We record all property and equipment at cost less accumulated depreciation and we select useful lives that reflect the actual economic lives of the underlying assets.  We amortize leasehold improvements over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the related lease term. We calculate depreciation using the straight-line method for consolidated financial statement purposes. We capitalize improvements and expense repairs and maintenance costs as incurred. We are often required to exercise judgment in our decision whether to capitalize an asset or expense an expenditure that is for maintenance and repairs. Our judgments may produce materially different amounts of repair and maintenance or depreciation expense if different assumptions were used.
 
24

We periodically perform asset impairment analysis of property and equipment related to our restaurant locations. We perform these tests when we experience a "triggering" event such as a major change in a location's operating environment, or other event that might impact our ability to recover our asset investment. This process requires the use of estimates and assumptions which are subject to a high degree of judgment. If these assumptions change in the future, we may be required to record impairment charges for these assets. Also, we have a policy of reviewing the financial operations of our restaurant locations on at least a quarterly basis. Locations that do not meet expectations are identified and monitored closely throughout the year.  Primarily in the fourth quarter, we review actual results and analyze budgets for the ensuing year.  If we deem that a location's results will continue to be below expectations, we will evaluate alternatives for its continued operation.  At that time, we will perform an asset impairment test. If we determine that the asset's carrying value exceeds the future undiscounted cash flows, we will record an impairment charge to reduce the asset to its fair value. Calculation of fair value requires significant estimates and judgments which could vary significantly based on our assumptions. Upon an event such as a formal decision for abandonment (restaurant closure), we may record additional impairment charges. Any carryover basis of assets will be depreciated over the respective remaining useful lives.

Goodwill.

Goodwill and other indefinite lived assets resulted from our acquisition of franchisee-owned and third-party owned restaurants.  Our most significant acquisitions were completed in 1997, 1999, 2004 and 2006.  Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives are not subject to amortization.  However, such assets must be tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable and at least annually.  We completed the most recent impairment test as of December 2008, and determined that there were impairment losses related to goodwill.  In assessing the recoverability of goodwill and other indefinite lived assets, market values and projections regarding estimated future cash flows and other factors are used to determine the fair value of the respective assets.  The estimated future cash flows were projected using significant assumptions, including future revenues and expenses.  If these estimates or related projections change in the future, we may be required to record additional impairment charges for these assets.

Leasing Activities.

We lease all of our restaurant properties. At the inception of the lease, we evaluate each property and classify the lease as an operating or capital lease in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 13, “Accounting for Leases”.  We exercise significant judgment in determining the estimated fair value of the restaurant as well as the discount rate used to discount the minimum future lease payments. The term used for this evaluation includes renewal option periods only in instances in which the exercise of the renewal option can reasonably be assured and failure to exercise such option would result in an economic penalty. All of our restaurant leases are classified as operating leases.

Our lease term used for straight-line rent expense is calculated from the date we take possession of the leased premises through the lease termination date. There is potential for variability in the "rent holiday" period which begins on the possession date and ends on the store opening date. Factors that may affect the length of the rent holiday period generally include construction related delays. Extension of the rent holiday period due to delays in restaurant opening will result in greater rent expense during the rent holiday period.

We record contingent rent expense based on a percentage of restaurant sales, which exceeds minimum base rent, over the periods the liability is incurred. The contingent rent expense is recorded prior to achievement of specified sales levels if achievement of such amounts is considered probable and estimable.

Income Taxes.

We provide for income taxes based on our estimate of federal and state tax liabilities. These estimates consider, among other items, effective rates for state and local income taxes, allowable tax credits for items such as taxes paid on reported tip income, estimates related to depreciation and amortization expense allowable for tax purposes, and the tax deductibility of certain other items.  Our estimates are based on the information available to us at the time we prepare the income tax provisions. We generally file our annual income tax returns several months after our fiscal year end. Income tax returns are subject to audit by federal, state, and local governments, generally years after the returns are filed. These returns could be subject to material adjustments or differing interpretations of the tax laws.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future income tax consequences of carryforwards and temporary differences between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities. Valuation allowances are established for deferred tax assets that are deemed more likely than not to be realized in the near term. We must assess the likelihood that we will be able to recover our deferred tax assets. If recovery is not likely, we establish valuation allowances to offset any deferred tax asset recorded. The valuation allowance is based on our estimates of future taxable income in each jurisdiction in which we operate, tax planning strategies, and the period over which our deferred tax assets will be recoverable. In the event that actual results differ from these estimates, we may be unable to implement certain tax planning strategies or adjust these estimates in future periods. As we update our estimates, we may need to establish an additional valuation allowance, which could have a material negative impact on our results of operations or financial position, or we could reduce our valuation allowances, which would have a favorable impact on our results of operations or financial position.

25

Effective January 1, 2007, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Interpretation Number 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes” (“FIN 48”), which is intended to clarify the accounting for income taxes prescribing a minimum recognition threshold for a tax position before being recognized in the consolidated financial statements. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition, measurement, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition.  In accordance with the requirements of FIN 48, we evaluated all tax years still subject to potential audit under state and federal income tax law in reaching our accounting conclusions. As a result, we concluded we did not have any unrecognized tax benefits or any additional tax liabilities after applying FIN 48 as of the January 1, 2007 adoption date or for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2007.  The adoption of FIN 48 therefore had no impact on our consolidated financial statements.  See Note (4) to our consolidated financial statements for further discussion.

Stock-Based Compensation.

We account for stock-based compensation in accordance with the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS 123 (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment” ("SFAS 123R"). The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and is affected by assumptions regarding a number of highly complex and subjective variables. These variables include, but are not limited to the actual and projected employee and director stock option exercise behavior. The use of an option pricing model also requires the use of a number of complex assumptions including expected volatility, risk-free interest rate, expected dividends and expected term. Expected volatility is based on our historical volatility.  We utilize historical data to estimate option exercise and employee termination behavior within the valuation model. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for the expected term of the option. SFAS 123R also requires us to estimate forfeitures at the time of grant and revise these estimates, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. We estimate forfeitures based on our expectation of future experience while considering our historical experience. Changes in the subjective assumptions can materially affect the estimate of fair value of stock-based compensation and consequently, the related amount recognized on the consolidated statements of operations.  We are also required to establish deferred tax assets for expense relating to options that would be expected to generate a tax deduction under their original terms. The recoverability of such assets are dependent upon the actual deduction that may be available at exercise and can further be impaired by either the expiration of the option or an overall valuation reserve on deferred tax assets.

We believe the estimates and assumptions related to these critical accounting policies are appropriate under the circumstances; however, should future events or occurrences result in unanticipated consequences, there could be a material impact on our future financial condition or results of operations.

Impact of Recently Issued Standards.

In October 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (“FSP”) No. 157-3, “Determining the Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset Is Not Active”  This FSP clarifies the application of FASB Statement No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements”, when the market for a financial asset is inactive.  Specifically, FSP 157-3 clarifies how (1) management’s internal assumptions should be considered in measuring fair value when observable data are not present, (2) observable market information from an inactive market should be taken into account, and (3) the use of broker quotes or pricing services should be considered in assessing the relevance of observable and unobservable data to measure fair value.  FSP 157-3 shall be effective upon issuance, including prior periods for which financial statements have not been issued.  The implementation of FSP 157-3 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statement of financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In June 2008, the FASB issued FASB FSP Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) No. 03-6-1, “Determining Whether Instruments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transactions Are Participating Securities.” Under the FSP, unvested share-based payment awards that contain rights to receive nonforfeitable dividends (whether paid or unpaid) are participating securities, and should be included in the two-class method of computing EPS. The FSP is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and interim periods within those years, and is not expected to have a material impact on our earnings per share.

26

In May 2008, the FASB issued Statements of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS No. 162, “The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles” (“SFAS 162”).  SFAS No. 162 identifies the sources of accounting principles and the framework for selecting the principles used in the preparation of financial statements of nongovernmental entities that are presented in conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) in the United States.  This statement became effective on November 15, 2008 which was 60 days following the SEC’s approval of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board amendments to AU Section 411, “The Meaning of Present Fairly in Conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles” in September 2008.  We believe SFAS No. 162 will not have a material impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

In April 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 142-3, “Determination of the Useful Life of Intangible Assets” (“FSP 142-3”).  FSP 142-3 amends the factors that should be considered in developing renewal or extension assumptions used to determine the useful life of a recognized intangible asset under SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (“SFAS 142”).  This change is intended to improve the consistency between the useful life of a recognized intangible asset under SFAS 142 and the period of expected cash flows used to measure the fair value of the asset under SFAS 141(R) and other GAAP.  The requirement for determining the useful lives must be applied prospectively to intangible assets acquired after the effective date and the disclosure requirements must be applied prospectively to all intangible assets recognized as of, and subsequent to, the effective date.  FSP 142-3 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008.  We believe FSP FAS 142-3 will not have a material impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R), “Business Combinations” (“SFAS No. 141(R)”), which is a revision of SFAS 141 “Business Combinations”. SFAS No. 141(R) significantly changes the accounting for business combinations. Under this statement, an acquiring entity will be required to recognize all the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a transaction at the acquisition-date fair value with limited exceptions. Additionally, SFAS No. 141(R) includes a substantial number of new disclosure requirements. SFAS No. 141(R) applies prospectively to business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2008. Earlier adoption is prohibited.  The adoption of this statement may have an impact on the accounting for any acquisition the Company may make after December 28, 2008.

              In December 2007, the FASB issued FASB Statement No. 160, “Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements — An Amendment of ARB No. 51” (“SFAS No. 160”), which is an amendment to ARB No. 51 “Consolidated Financial Statements”. SFAS No. 160 establishes new accounting and reporting standards for the noncontrolling interest in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary. Specifically, this statement requires the recognition of a noncontrolling interest (minority interest) as equity in the consolidated financial statements and separate from the parent’s equity. The amount of net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest will be included in consolidated net income on the face of the income statement. SFAS No. 160 clarifies that changes in a parent’s ownership interest in a subsidiary that do not result in deconsolidation are equity transactions if the parent retains a controlling financial interest. In addition, this statement requires that a parent recognize a gain or loss in net income when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. Such gain or loss will be measured using the fair value of the noncontrolling equity investment on the deconsolidation date. SFAS No. 160 also includes expanded disclosure requirements regarding the interests of the parent and its noncontrolling interest. SFAS No. 160 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning on or after December 15, 2008. Earlier adoption is prohibited. We are in the process of evaluating the impact the adoption of SFAS No. 160 will have on our results of operations and financial condition. Presently, there are no significant noncontrolling interests in any of our consolidated subsidiaries.  Therefore, we currently believe the impact of SFAS No. 160, if any, will primarily depend on the materiality of noncontrolling interests arising in future transactions to which the consolidated financial statement presentation and disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 160 will apply.

ITEM 7A.                      QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
 
Effects of Inflation
 
Components of our operations subject to inflation include food, beverage, lease and labor costs. Our leases require us to pay taxes, maintenance, repairs, insurance and utilities, all of which are subject to inflationary increases. We believe inflation has had a material impact on our results of operations in recent years.
 

 
27

 

 
Commodity Price Risk
 
We are exposed to market price fluctuations in beef, chicken, pork, dairy products, produce, tortillas and other food product prices. Given the historical volatility of these product prices, this exposure can impact our food and beverage costs. Because we typically set our menu prices in advance of these product purchases, we cannot quickly take into account changing costs.  To the extent that we are unable to pass the increased costs on to our guests through price increases, our results of operations would be adversely affected. We currently do not use financial instruments to hedge our risk to market price fluctuations in food product prices.

Interest Rates

We do not have or participate in any transactions involving derivative, financial and commodity instruments.  Our long-term debt bears interest at floating market rates, based upon either the prime rate or LIBOR plus a stipulated percentage, and therefore we experience changes in interest expense when market interest rates change.  Based on amounts outstanding at 2008 fiscal year-end, a 1% change in interest rates would change annual interest expense by approximately $75,000.

ITEM 8.

The Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data are set forth herein commencing on page F-1 of this Annual Report.

ITEM 9.                 CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING ANDFINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.

ITEM 9A(T).        CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures.  We have established and maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that material information relating to us and our subsidiaries required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and in reaching a reasonable level of assurance, management was required to apply judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, the chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the date of such evaluation to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the SEC's rules and forms.

   Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.  Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, our chief executive and chief financial officers and effected by our board of directors, management and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and includes those policies and procedures that:

·  
pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets;
 
·  
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with the authorizations of our management and directors; and

·  
provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

28

     Because of inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with policies or procedures may deteriorate. However, these inherent limitations are known features of the financial reporting process. It is possible to implement into the process safeguards to reduce, though not eliminate, the risk that misstatements are not prevented or detected on a timely basis.  Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company.

Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 28, 2008. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control-Integrated Framework. Based on this assessment, our management concluded that, as of December 28, 2008, our internal control over financial reporting was effective to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation and presentation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

Change in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.  There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during our last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B.               OTHER INFORMATION

None.
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                 PART III

ITEM 10.

The information called for by this Item 10 is incorporated herein by reference to our definitive proxy statement with respect to our Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 27, 2009, to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

ITEM 11.               EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The information called for by this Item 11 is incorporated herein by reference to our definitive proxy statement with respect to our Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 27, 2009, to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

ITEM 12.

The information called for by this Item 12 is incorporated herein by reference to our definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.


29




ITEM 13.

The information called for by this Item 13 is incorporated herein by reference to our definitive proxy statement with respect to our Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 27, 2009, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.

ITEM 14.               PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

The information called for by this Item 14 is incorporated herein by reference to our definitive proxy statement with respect to our Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 27, 2009, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this report.


PART IV

ITEM 15.

(a)  
The following documents are filed as part of this Report:

1.  
Consolidated Financial Statements:

The Consolidated Financial Statements are listed in the index to Consolidated Financial Statements on page F-1 of this Report.

2.   Consolidated Financial Statement Schedules are omitted because they are either not applicable or not
material.

 
    3.
The following exhibits are filed, furnished or incorporated by reference as exhibits to this Report as    required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K. The exhibits designated with a cross are management contracts and compensatory plans and arrangements required to be filed as exhibits to this report.

               Exhibits:

3.1
Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended (incorporated by reference to the corresponding Exhibit number of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on May 25, 1999 with the Securities and Exchange Commission).
 
‡3.2
Bylaws of the Company.
 
‡4.1
Specimen of Certificate of Common Stock of the Company.
 
4.2
Articles of Incorporation of the Company (see 3.1 above).
 
‡4.3
Bylaws of the Company (see 3.2 above).
 

10.2
Indemnity Agreement by and between the Company and Louis P. Neeb dated as of April 10, 1996 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the Company’s Form S-1 Registration Statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933, dated April 24, 1996, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Registration Number 333-1678) (the “1996 Form S-1”)).




30

10.3
Indemnity Agreement by and between the Company and Larry N. Forehand dated as of April 10, 1996 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of the 1996 Form S-1).
 
10.4
Indemnity Agreement by and between the Company and Michael D. Domec dated as of April 10, 1996 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 of the 1996 Form S-1).
   
10.5
Indemnity Agreement by and between the Company and J. J. Fitzsimmons dated as of April 10, 1996 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of the 1996 Form S-1).
 
10.6
Form of the Company's Multi-Unit Development Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 of the 1996 Form S-1).
 
10.7
Form of the Company's Franchise Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 of the 1996 Form S-1).
 
†10.8
 
1996 Long Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 of the 1996 Form  S-1).
 
†10.9
Mexican Restaurants, Inc. 2005 Long Term Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 of the Company’s Form S-8 filed December 1, 2005 with the Securities and Exchange Commission).
 
†10.10
Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 of the 1996 Form S-1).
 
10.11
Indemnification letter agreement by Larry N. Forehand dated April 10, 1996 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.35 of the 1996 Form S-1).
 
†10.12
1996 Manager’s Stock Option Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 of the Company’s Form S-8 Registration Statement filed on February 24, 1997 with the Securities and Exchange Commission).

†10.13
Employment Agreement by and between the Company and Andrew J. Dennard dated May 20, 1997 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.45 of the Company’s Form 10-K Annual Report filed on March 30, 1998 with the Securities and Exchange Commission).
   
 †10.14
Performance Unit Agreement by and between Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and Andrew Dennard dated August 16, 2005 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.25 to the Company’s Form 10-K Annual Report filed on March 30, 2006 with the Securities and Exchange Commission).
 
†10.15
Performance Unit Agreement by and between Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and Louis P. Neeb dated August 16, 2005 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.27 to the Company’s Form 10-K Annual Report filed on March 30, 2006 with the Securities and Exchange Commission).
 
10.16
Credit Agreement between Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. dated June 29, 2007 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K filed on July 6, 2007 with the Securities and Exchange Commission).
 
10.17
Stock Purchase Agreement between Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and Forehand Family Partnership, Ltd. dated June 13, 2007 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Form 10-Q filed on August 14, 2007 with the Securities and Exchange Commission).
 
 
 
*24.1
Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this Form 10-K).
 
 
 
 
_____
 
*
Filed herewith.
Incorporated by reference to corresponding exhibit number of the Company’s Form S-1 Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, dated April 24, 1996, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Registration Number 333-1678) (the “1996 Form S-1”).
Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
#
Furnished herewith.
   



31

             

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on March 26, 2009.

MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, INC.
 
By:  /s/  Curt Glowacki
Curt Glowacki,
President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN AND WOMEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Louis P. Neeb and Andrew Dennard, and each of them, such individual’s true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such individual and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Form 10-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Report has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signatures
Title
Date
     
/s/ Louis P. Neeb
Chairman of the Board of Directors
March 26, 2009
Louis P. Neeb
   
     
/s/ Larry N. Forehand
Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
March 26, 2009
Larry N. Forehand
   
     
/s/ Curt Glowacki
President and Chief Executive Officer and Director
March 26, 2009
Curt Glowacki
(Principal Executive Officer)
 
     
/s/ Andrew J. Dennard
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
March 26, 2009
Andrew J. Dennard
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
 
     
/s/ Cara Denver
Director
March 26, 2009
Cara Denver
   
     
/s/ Michael D. Domec
Director
March 26, 2009
Michael D. Domec
   
     
/s/ J. J. Fitzsimmons
Director
March 26, 2009
J. J. Fitzsimmons
   
     
/s/ Lloyd Fritzmeier
Director
March 26, 2009
Lloyd Fritzmeier
   
     
/s/ Thomas E. Martin
Director
March 26, 2009
Thomas E. Martin
   

 
32

 


MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, INC.

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 
Page
   
F-2
   
F-3
   
F-4
   
F-5
   
F-6
   
F-7


 




 
F-1

 



REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM



The Board of Directors and Stockholders
Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and Subsidiaries:


We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 28, 2008 and December 30, 2007, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 28, 2008.  These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements.  An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall consolidated financial statement presentation.  We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

We were not engaged to examine management’s assertion about the effectiveness of Mexican Restaurants, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 28, 2008 included in the accompanying Form 10-K and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion thereon.

       In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Mexican Restaurants, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 28, 2008 and December 30, 2007, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 28, 2008, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.





/s/ UHY LLP


Houston, Texas
March 26, 2009


 



 
F-2

 



 MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
December 30, 2007 and December 28, 2008


   
Fiscal Years
 
ASSETS
 
2007
   
2008
 
Current assets:
           
  Cash
  $ 1,154,629     $ 891,206  
  Royalties receivable
    61,233       144,196  
  Other receivables
    832,790       1,229,907  
  Inventory
    750,516       769,543  
  Income taxes receivable
    372,576       194,856  
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets
    975,195       979,268  
    Total current assets
    4,146,939       4,208,976  
                 
Property and equipment, net
    17,852,936       18,626,554  
                 
Goodwill
    11,403,805       6,273,705  
Deferred tax assets
    439,985       1,976,427  
Other assets
    512,261       417,503  
          Total Assets
  $ 34,355,926     $ 31,503,165  
                 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
               
Current liabilities:
               
 Accounts payable
  $ 2,181,873     $ 2,505,587  
 Accrued sales and liquor taxes
    130,941       145,562  
 Accrued payroll and taxes
    1,135,326       1,032,934  
 Accrued expenses
    1,461,141       1,300,607  
 Current portion of liabilities associated with leasing and exit activities
    148,681       71,191  
    Total current liabilities
    5,057,962       5,055,881  
                 
Long-term debt
    6,400,000       7,500,000  
Liabilities associated with leasing and exit activities, net of current portion
    577,582       533,487  
Deferred gain
    1,144,785       936,642  
Other liabilities
    1,910,270       1,990,879  
Total liabilities
    15,090,599       16,016,889  
                 
Commitments and Contingencies
               
                 
Stockholders' equity:
               
  Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized, none issued
    --       --  
  Common stock, $0.01 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized, 4,732,705 shares issued, 3,247,016 and 3,251,641 shares outstanding at 12/30/07 and 12/28/08, respectively
    47,327       47,327  
  Additional paid-in capital
    19,275,067       19,442,049  
  Retained earnings
    13,107,896       9,120,885  
  Treasury stock at cost, 1,485,689 and 1,481,064 common shares, at 12/30/07 and 12/28/08, respectively
    (13,164,963 )     (13,123,985 )
    Total stockholders’ equity
    19,265,327       15,486,276  
                 
          Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
  $ 34,355,926     $ 31,503,165  

 See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

 
F-3

 

MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006, December 30, 2007
and December 28, 2008


   
Fiscal Years
 
   
2006
   
2007
   
2008
 
Revenues:
  Restaurant sales
  $ 80,804,886     $ 81,379,765     $ 80,914,538  
  Franchise fees, royalties and other
    825,115       710,394       636,773  
  Business interruption
     59,621        --       317,717  
      81,689,622       82,090,159       81,869,028  
                         
Costs and expenses:
                       
  Cost of sales
    22,259,123       23,366,381       23,651,208  
  Labor
    26,133,108       26,428,606       26,482,900  
  Restaurant operating expenses
    19,076,539       20,097,179       20,046,135  
  General and administrative
    7,716,786       7,471,756       7,639,665  
  Depreciation and amortization
    3,101,628       3,417,348       3,567,753  
  Pre-opening costs
    108,847       23,947       166,655  
  Goodwill impairment
    --       --       5,130,100  
  Other impairment and restaurant closure costs
    447,903       99,978       773,789  
  Gain on involuntary disposals
    (366,808 )     --       (685,137 )
  Loss on sale of other property and equipment
     29,591        207,517        206,447  
      78,506,717       81,112,712       86,979,515  
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
         Operating income (loss)
     3,182,905        977,447        (5,110,487 )
                         
Other income (expense):
                       
  Interest income
    6,239       10,715       5,260  
  Interest expense
    (390,539 )     (499,851 )     (427,742 )
  Other, net
     80,986        46,335        34,631  
      (303,314 )     (442,801 )     (387,851 )
                         
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes
    2,879,591       534,646       (5,498,338 )
   Income tax (expense) benefit
     (900,453 )      (79,250 )      1,478,367  
         Income (loss) from continuing operations
    1,979,138       455,396       (4,019,971 )
                         
Discontinued operations:
                       
   Income (loss) from discontinued operations
    (401,603 )     3,090       --  
   Restaurant closure income (expense)
    (928,053 )     (175,796 )     46,226  
   Gain (loss) on sale of assets
    (13,140 )      3,412        --  
        Income (loss) from discontinued operations before income taxes
    (1,342,796 )     (169,294 )     46,226  
   Income tax (expense) benefit
     501,992        62,672        (13,266 )
        Income (loss) from discontinued operations
    (840,804 )     (106,622 )      32,960  
                         
        Net income (loss)
  $ 1,138,334     $ 348,774     $ (3,987,011 )
                         
Basic income (loss) per share:
                       
    Income (loss) from continuing operations
  $ 0.58     $ 0.13     $ (1.23 )
    Income (loss) from discontinued operations
     (0.25 )      (0.03 )     0.01  
    Net income (loss)
  $ 0.33     $ 0.10     $ (1.22 )
                         
Diluted income (loss) per share:
                       
    Income (loss) from continuing operations
  $ 0.56     $ 0.13     $ (1.23 )
    Income (loss) from discontinued operations
    (0.24 )     (0.03 )     0.01  
    Net income (loss)
  $ 0.32     $ 0.10     $ (1.22 )
                         
Weighted average number of shares (basic)
     3,402,207        3,339,280        3,255,503  
                         
Weighted average number of shares (diluted)
     3,521,587        3,430,276        3,255,503  

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

 
F-4

 


MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY


For the fiscal years ended
December 31, 2006, December 30, 2007
and December 28, 2008

   
Common Stock
   
Additional
Paid-in
Capital
   
Retained
Earnings
   
Treasury
Stock
   
Total
Stockholders’
Equity
 
                               
Balances at January 1, 2006
  $ 47,327     $ 19,406,139     $ 11,620,788     $ (12,190,708 )   $ 18,883,546  
                                         
  Exercise of Stock Options Through Issuance of Treasury Shares
     --       (472,703 )      --        1,177,366        704,663  
                                         
  Repurchase of shares
    --       --       --       (261,730 )     (261,730 )
                                         
  Stock based Compensation Expense
    --       63,508       --       --       63,508  
                                         
  Excess Tax Benefit-Options Exercised
    --       44,923       --       --       44,923  
                                         
  Net income
    --       --       1,138,334       --        1,138,334  
                                         
Balances at December 31, 2006
    47,327       19,041,867       12,759,122       (11,275,072 )     20,573,244  
                                         
  Exercise of Stock Options Through Issuance of Treasury Shares
     --       (65,785 )      --        119,610        53,825  
                                         
  Repurchase of shares
    --       163,296       --       (2,009,501 )     (1,846,205 )
                                         
  Stock based Compensation Expense
    --       141,347       --       --       141,347  
                                         
  Tax Shortfall-Options Exercised
    --       (5,658 )     --       --       (5,658 )
                                         
  Net income
    --       --       348,774       --        348,774  
                                         
Balances at December 30, 2007
    47,327       19,275,067       13,107,896       (13,164,963 )     19,265,327  
                                         
  Exercise of Stock Options Through Issuance of Treasury Shares
     --       (25,223 )      --        40,978        15,755  
                                         
  Stock based Compensation Expense
    --       191,720       --       --       191,720  
                                         
  Excess Tax Benefit-Options Exercised
    --       485       --       --       485  
                                         
  Net loss
    --       --       (3,987,011 )     --        (3,987,011 )
                                         
Balances at December 28, 2008
  $ 47,327     $ 19,442,049     $ 9,120,885     $ (13,123,985 )   $ 15,486,276  
                                         
                                         


See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.







 

 
F-5

 

MEXICAN RESTAURANTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006, December 30, 2007 and December 28, 2008

   
Fiscal Years
 
   
2006
   
2007
   
2008
 
Cash flows from operating activities:
                 
Net income (loss)
  $ 1,138,334     $ 348,774     $ (3,987,011 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
                       
    Depreciation and amortization
    3,101,628       3,417,348       3,567,753  
    Deferred gain amortization
    (208,143 )     (208,142 )     (208,143 )
    Income (loss) from discontinued operations
    840,804       106,622       (32,960 )
    Goodwill impairment
    --       --       5,130,100  
    Other impairment and restaurant closure costs
    447,903       99,978       773,789  
    Gain on involuntary disposals
    (366,808 )     --       (685,137 )
    Loss on sale of other property and equipment
    29,591       207,517       206,447  
    Stock based compensation expense
    63,508       141,347       191,720  
    Excess tax expense (benefit)--stock based compensation expense
    (44,923 )     5,658       (485 )
    Deferred income tax expense (benefit)
    19,931       (233,546 )     (1,445,240 )