Press Releases 38th Farmer Boys Fastaurant Opens In Indio Monday, May 03 @ 16:48:09 EDT April 7, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ken Lay, Marketing Manager – 909/275-9900 RIVERSIDE, CA – After twenty-three years of operation in the Inland Empire, Farmer Boys has made its first appearance in the Coachella Valley with the April 7 opening of its newest “fastaurant” on Highway 111 at Monroe in Indio. This is the company’s 38th unit and is operated by franchisees Andy Torres and Robert Saucedo. “Farmer Boys originated the concept of the fastaurant over twenty years ago,” says Don Tucker, Director of Franchising for the company. “By combining the most appealing elements of traditional restaurants with the most appealing elements of fast food restaurants, we offer a unique combination that has proven to be extremely popular.” “Fastaurants provide much of the service, variety, and ambiance one would expect to find in a traditional restaurant with the convenience of a fast food restaurant,” according to Pat Rea, Farmer Boys’ Director of Operations. When guests enter a Farmer Boys fastaurant, he explains, they step up to the counter and place their order before seating themselves. The food is then served directly to their table, usually in 5-7 minutes. “Sometimes it takes a little longer, sometimes it’s a little faster, but we do our best to serve our guests within that timeframe.” Farmer Boys fastaurants offer over 75 menu items, a variety usually associated with traditional restaurants. Popular menu offerings include award-winning burgers, gourmet salads, freshly-prepared sandwiches, and signature side items such as monster-sized onion rings and deep-fried zucchini. Made-to-order breakfasts include three-egg omelets, French toast, pancakes, egg dishes, and breakfast burritos. Although the new fastaurant in Indio features a drive-thru, company president Demetris Havadjias is quick to warn that the company will not sacrifice quality for speed, even at the drive-thru. “Our food is cooked and prepared after our guest places the order,” he explains. “To ensure the quality of our food, we insist on following this procedure even at the drive-thru.” As a result, first-time users of the Farmer Boys drive-thru may see it as a little on the slow side if they compare it to fast food restaurants. “Our food is not fast food.” Havadjias counters. “Our drive-thru offers a way to get restaurant quality food more conveniently and more quickly than you could at a traditional restaurant.” In addition, he adds, all Farmer Boys fastaurants also offer guests the option of phoning in orders for pickup and takeout. Franchisees Saucedo and Torres are excited to introduce Farmer Boys to the Coachella Valley. “We believe the people here will appreciate the fastaurant concept,” Saucedo says. “We became interested in Farmer Boys because there is nothing else out there like it. We love the quality of the food and the variety of the menu.” Both men are impressed with the possibilities the Valley holds. “There is a tremendous amount of growth here,” says Torres. “We are proud to be a part of that growth and look forward to becoming a contributing member of the community.”