Chili’s Grill and Bar®  Fifth Annual 'Create A Pepper'

TO FIGHT CHILDHOOD CANCER

All Profits on Monday, September 29, 2008, to
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® for Research

Athens, GA, September 24, 2008 – In support of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Chili's Grill and Bar announced its fifth annual "Create-A-Pepper" campaign during September by inviting people to get creative and raise funds to help St. Jude find cures and save children with cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases.

On Monday, September 29, 2008 all Chili's restaurants will donate 100 percent of their profits from lunch and dinner sales to reach the nationwide goal of $5 million to help fight childhood cancers. To date, Chili's has raised $18.7 million as part of a $50 million commitment to St. Jude over a 10-year period. Once completed, the donation will be the largest donation from a single partner campaign in St. Jude's history.

"Our 'Create-A-Pepper' campaign allows for us all to lend support for children's cancer research," says Greg Cyrier President and CEO, Bonnaroo Restaurant Group. “September is the time for us to share the Chilihead spirit with our St. Jude friends and their families as well as our guests. Our Team Members truly look forward to the opportunity to give back.”

Last November, Chili's and St. Jude celebrated a significant milestone in their partnership, the opening of the Chili's Care Center. The seven-floor, 340,000-square foot facility combines 21st century imaging and treatment technology with St. Jude’s almost half-century approach to medical research: put patients and scientists in the same building to fast-track the translation of new knowledge into better care for children around the nation. It is the first medical building on the St. Jude campus to bear the name of a corporate partner.

Editor's note: Electronic press kit containing downloadable, high-res images of guests coloring peppers, patients' stories, Chili's employee stories and soft copies of all press materials can be found at www.createapepperpresskit.com

About the Chili's Care Center

The Chili's Care Center will house the Department of Radiological Sciences, The Pediatric Brian Tumor Consortium (PBTC), space for inpatient activities and new research laboratories. St. Jude is the operations and scientific center of the PBTC, formed by the National Cancer Institute. St. Jude currently has one of the largest pediatric brain tumor programs in the country. The St. Jude brain tumor team is committed to finding cures as well as preserving the quality of life.
The PBTC brings together St. Jude and nine other premier research institutions to collaborate in the design and implementation of clinical trials and laboratory studies to identify therapeutic approaches for children with brain tumors, and further understand the biology of central nervous system tumors. Larry Kun, MD, chair of St. Jude Radiological Sciences, chairs the PBTC Steering and Scientific Committees.

About Bonnaroo Restaurant Group:
Established in 2004, Bonnaroo Restaurant Group currently has 20 Chili’s Grill and Bar Restaurants in South Carolina and Georgia. The Group has development rights for up to 33 Chili’s Grill and Bar Restaurants. For more information, visit www.bonnaroogroup.com or call 678-753-1535.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital(R)
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fund-raising organization. For more information, please visit http://www.stjude.org .