Uno Chicago Grill(R) Simplifies Holiday Gift Giving With New Personalized Gift Cards; Great Last-Minute Gift for the Holidays

BOSTON, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Economy got you down? Get creative this holiday season! Uno Chicago Grill(R), the nation's first casual-dining chain to offer a virtual gift card, is adding a personal touch to its holiday gift card selection by giving people an option to personalize their card with a photo or company logo. When the recipient uses their gift card at a participating UNO(R), they'll remember exactly who the gift was from! Now, through December 31, with the purchase of any $25 gift card, buyers also receive a $5 bonus voucher that's valid from 1/1/10 to 3/31/10.

"With consumers cutting back due to economic pressures, restaurant gift cards will be a popular alternative to retail cards this holiday season because people are more likely to welcome a fun night out," said Rick Hendrie, Uno's senior vice president of marketing. "In this case, you're also rewarded for being generous with a bonus voucher for each $25 purchase."

UNO, recently lauded as America's Healthiest Chain Restaurant(1) and one of the nation's top family-friendly restaurants(2), has almost 200 locations in the United States, making an UNO personalized virtual gift card a convenient, ideal, last-minute gift.

The virtual gift cards are available via the chain's website at www.unos.com and are powered by CashStar, the interactive gift card and incentives company. Consumers order them the same way they order a plastic gift card, only the virtual gift card is delivered via an email. Available in denominations from $10 to $100, there are nine unique designs to choose from in addition to the photo option, and each card can be personalized with a message or holiday greeting. UNO also offers plastic gift cards via its website and its restaurants. Both the UNO plastic and virtual gift cards have no expiration date.

"UNO's personalized, virtual gift card is quick, easy and ideal for people who enjoy shopping online from the convenience of their home or office," notes Hendrie. "For those who love dining out, it's a wonderful last-minute gift idea."

The company that was the first to develop deep-dish pizza in 1943 is still full of innovation. UNO boasts a number of firsts, including being the first casual-dining chain to eliminate artificial trans fats and to increase menu and nutritional transparency via nutrition information centers located in their restaurants. The chain was one of the first to offer a gluten-free menu, which has over 30 items ranging from entrees, salads, soups and desserts. It was also the first national, casual-dining chain to offer a gluten-free pizza. For guest convenience and safety, UNO was among the first to clearly identify - via its nutritional kiosks in restaurant lobbies - menu items with ingredients that are linked to the most common food allergies, such as fish/shellfish, soy, tree nuts/peanuts, egg, milk and wheat/gluten. Diners can also preview the menu and nutritional information online via the company's website at www.unos.com.

Editorial Note: Visuals of gift cards and screen shots of ordering pages are available upon request.

About UNO:

Based in Boston, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes 200 company-owned and franchised full-service Uno Chicago Grill units located in 28 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Honduras, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The company also operates a fast casual concept called Uno Due Go(R), a quick serve concept called Uno Express(R), and a consumer foods division which supplies airlines, movie theaters, hotels, airports, travel plazas, schools and supermarkets with both frozen and refrigerated private-label foods and branded Uno products. For more information, visit www.unos.com.

About CashStar, Inc.:

CashStar is the interactive gift card and incentives company. Its powerful e-gifting, marketing and promotions platform helps leading brands increase online and in-store traffic and improve lift. CashStar makes it possible for businesses and consumers to securely e-mail monetary value such as Interactive Gift Cards, rewards, incentives and rebates. The Company offers the market's strongest dynamic, customizable messaging system, enabling consumers and marketers to give gift cards with a very personal touch. Leveraging its exclusive affiliation with Coupons, Inc., the leading global solutions provider of consumer print-at-home coupons, CashStar offers its partner brands unparalleled online reach for promoting their unique Interactive Gift Card offerings. For more information about CashStar please visit www.cashstar.com.

(1) Health magazine, April 2008 issue.

(2) Parents magazine, July 2008 issue.

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Frank Guidara

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Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation

CONTACT: Anna Brodetsky, Utopia Communications,
anna@utopiacommunications.biz , +1-732-542-9100 Ext. 122

Web site: http://www.unos.com/