Press Release

New Area Development Deals Commit Restaurant to 53 Upcoming Locations

LINCOLNSHIRE, IL--(Marketwired - Apr 11, 2016) - The Simple Greek and Entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis announced today that they are bringing their new, fast casual restaurant concept, The Simple Greek, to 20 major metro markets with multiple locations in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin. The Simple Greek chain currently consists of four locations; three locations throughout the greater Pittsburgh, PA area and its newest facility in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, IL. There are 53 franchises slated to open within the next few months in conjunction with the 20 market expansion.

"Coming from a Greek family, I am particularly excited to expand The Simple Greek dining experience across the country and give our customers convenient access to delicious and healthy food with reasonable prices," said Lemonis. "We look forward to meeting customers when we open our doors for the first time in each new city, and to have them sample our wonderful authentic food."

Lemonis' relationship with the restaurant began when the My Big Fat Greek Gyro  Pittsburgh chain was featured on his hit CNBC reality series, The Profit, where Lemonis turns around struggling businesses and buys an ownership stake in the companies. As a result of the new partnership, the owners became more hands-on with their franchises, and together they rebranded the chain as The Simple Greek featuring an open assembly line model for gyros, salads and plentiful sides. All locations underwent extensive renovations to refresh the storefronts and interior while developing a new friendly and modernized sit down eating area for customers. In addition, the restaurant is home to a new revolutionary sweet and savory Greek yogurt bar, where consumers can select their own toppings such as honey, figs, walnuts and other options.

The 20 markets that are under development for The Simple Greek restaurants include:

"We are actively reviewing franchise applications, identifying growth opportunities and seeking out future markets for expansion," says Samuel Lundy, Vice President of Food & Hospitality. "We have received an overwhelming amount of inquiries over the past year in regards to bringing The Simple Greek brand to new communities. We have hired a management team to work on specific roles within the organization to help bring these locations to life, and we are all truly excited to build something special."

For more information on The Simple Greek, or if you are interested in franchising, please visit www.thesimplegreek.com.

The Simple Greek

The Simple Greek is redefining the traditional Greek restaurant with an interactive concept that combines premium ingredients, open kitchens and Greek atmosphere in a fast casual setting. Proudly featuring the authentic flavors and spices of Greece and the Mediterranean seaboard, the menu features a variety of dishes such as build your own bowls, salads, pitas and Greek yogurt with a variety of proteins, toppings and sides to choose from at an affordable price. The Simple Greek prepares all meats and ingredients daily to ensure the highest level of quality and freshness. Our interactive ordering process allows the customer to ask questions about the food while being able to see the fresh, handmade dishes being prepared right in front of them.

The Simple Greek chain currently consists of four locations; three locations throughout the greater Pittsburg, PA area and a new store with a training kitchen in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, IL. For more information, and to inquire about franchising opportunities, visit www.thesimplegreek.com.

About Marcus Lemonis

Marcus Lemonis is an entrepreneur, investor, television personality, and chairman and CEO of Marcus Lemonis LLC as well as Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises. Camping World is the nation's largest RV and outdoor retailer, and Good Sam is the world's largest RV owner's organization. Visit www.campingworld.com for more information.

Lemonis is known as the "business turnaround king" and host of CNBC's prime time reality series, The Profit, in which he lends his expertise to struggling small businesses around the country and judges businesses based on a "Three P" principle: People, Process, and Product.The Profit returns on Tuesday, August 23rd at 10pm ET/PT on CNBC.

More about Marcus Lemonis can be found at http://www.marcuslemonis.com, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marcus.lemonis and Twitter @MarcusLemonis.