Thomas & King is #1 in Applebee's neighborhood. The company is one the largest franchisees of Applebee's, operating about 90 of its signature restaurants. The casual dining establishments offer a variety of menu items, such as burgers, steaks, and seafood, but are most popular for their selection of appetizers. Thomas & King also operates a half dozen Johnny Carino's Italian-themed restaurants franchised from Austin, Texas-based Fired Up. Co-founded in 1988 by CEO Mike Scanlon, the company operates restaurants in Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Whether you crave bisque on china aside the Seine or a glass of Bordeaux during opera intermission, Groupe Flo is your French connection. The company is one of France's top restaurant groups with more than 165 locations throughout the country. Groupe Flo's operations include brasseries (eateries and breweries) such as La Coupole, Le Boeuf sur le Toit, Petit Bofinger, and Le Vaudeville; the Italian-themed Bistro Romain; the steakhouse chain Hippopotamus; and event catering through its Raynier & Marchetti concessions unit. Chairman and former chef Jean-Paul Bucher and his family control almost 55% of the group.

Eat'n Park began nearly a half century ago as the first Pittsburgh-area drive-in restaurant with carhops. The carhops are gone now, and our look has changed quite a bit since then, but one thing remains the same — our commitment to great food at an exceptional value while providing outstanding service. On June 6, 1949, Eat'n Park began with a revolutionary concept. Led by Larry Hatch, an executive of the Isaly Company of that era, a group of Pittsburghers built a tiny, two-tone yellow, 13-seat restaurant in Pittsburgh's suburban South Hills and, at 2:00 p.m., sent 10 bustling carhops out to serve customers right in their cars. And what a revolution it was. The restaurant was so busy that it caused an enormous traffic jam on Saw Mill Run Boulevard and had to close to regroup a scant six hours after it opened. But the votes were in and the die was cast. Eat'n Park, one of the area's first carhop restaurants, was a smash hit.

This Planet serves a little glitz and glamour with its burgers and fries. Planet Hollywood International operates and franchises a chain of about 15 showbiz-themed restaurants offering casual-dining fare (burgers, steaks, seafood) along with a collection of movie memorabilia and celebrity merchandise. The eateries are found mostly in tourist hotspots such as Las Vegas, London, and New York City's Times Square. The Planet Hollywood name also graces a Las Vegas resort casino (operated by Harrah's Entertainment) and the company owns the Buca di Beppo chain through subsidiary BUCA. Chairman Robert Earl, who founded Planet Hollywood in 1991, controls the company in partnership with Bay Harbour Management.

Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority engages in the ownership, operation, and development of gaming facilities in the United States. As of September 30, 2009, it operated a gaming and entertainment complex, Casino of the Earth with approximately 3,700 slot machines and 190 table games, including blackjack, roulette, craps, and baccarat; food and beverage amenities comprising a full-service restaurant and bar, and 3 full-service themed fine dining restaurants; a 410-seat lounge; a simulcasting race book facility; 4 retail shops; and an Asian-themed gaming area offering 46 table games. The company also operates the Casino of the Sky with approximately 2,300 slot machines and 110 table games; food and beverage amenities, including 5 full-service restaurants, 3 quick-service restaurants, a coffee shop, a 330-seat buffet, and 5 lounges and bars; Mohegan After Dark consisting a nightclub, a lounge, and a pub; the Mohegan Sun Arena; 32 retail shops; a 1,200-room Sky Hotel Tower; a spa; convention space; and a child care facility and an arcade style entertainment area. In addition, Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority engages in the operation of Casino of the Wind with 700 slot machines, 30 table games, and a 42-table themed poker room; and dining and retail amenities.

Burnley Football Club might have been a side-switcher at first, but has been true blue (or, rather, true claret and blue) ever since. Originally formed as a rugby club, the team in 1882 switched sports to become the Burnley Football Club and moved to its Turf Moor stadium grounds shortly thereafter. Burnley FC is nicknamed the Clarets, and also known as the Claret and Blue. It currently plays football (soccer) in the English Football League Championship (formerly known as Division 1). Turf Moor has a capacity of about 22,600. Burnley FC sells a variety of team merchandise through its official Web site store.

Shari's restaurants began in Hermiston, Oregon, in 1978. Positive public reaction to Shari's 24-hour family dining concept led to the establishment of a second restaurant in Sherwood, Oregon, within one year. Shari's has continued to open new restaurants, now operating 104 restaurants throughout the Western U.S., primarily in Oregon and Washington. Food revenues are in excess of $175 million; making it the largest privately held restaurant chain in Oregon. Shari's is operated out of Beaverton, OR. The original owners, Ron and Sharon Bergquist, operated the company for seven years. Sharon went by the name "Shari," which explains how the restaurant got its name.

Carlson Restaurants Worldwide (CRW) has a lot of Friday's for which to be thankful. A leader in full-service restaurants, the company operates and franchises more than 900 T.G.I. Friday's casual dining locations across the US and in about 60 other countries. The restaurant chain offers a menu featuring beef, chicken, and seafood entrees along with a selection of popular appetizers. About 300 T.G.I. Friday's units are company-owned while the rest are franchised. The company also operates Pick Up Stix, an Asian-themed fast-casual chain with more than 90 locations in California, Nevada, and Arizona. CRW is a subsidiary of travel and leisure conglomerate Carlson Companies.

Associated Hotels, LLC is an organization with its roots based in hotel ownership. Chicago based Associated was formed in 2006 as the successor company to Seymour N. Logan Associates, a long standing private hotel and real estate company. Managing assets on behalf of individual investors provided the principals of Associated Hotels with entrepreneurial attitude that inspires vision, innovation and creativity and at the same time demands fiscal discipline and measures results. It is this operational philosophy that Associated believes is the formula for a successful hotel investment and Associated Hotels, LLC has the track record and relationships that prove it. Associated possesses all the capabilities expected from a first-class hospitality company – an experienced staff, comprehensive operations, up-to-date information systems, effective marketing, food and beverage services and aggressive renovation and construction skills. The difference, however, is Associated Hotels’ outstanding ability to recognize where, when, and how these “tools” can be used to yield the greatest short and long-term benefits.

You might say this company wants to bring back the Happy Days of dining. 5 & Diner of North America operates a chain of 1950s-themed restaurants with about 15 company-owned and franchised locations in Arizona and about five other states. The family-dining units sport checkered and chrome exteriors, vintage jukeboxes, and waitresses dressed in poodle skirts. The 150-item menu is also true to the retro motif, with meals named Big Bopper Burger, Blue Moon Burger, Hound Dog, La Bamba Melt, and Surf City, among others. 5 & Diner also serves egg creams, malts, and shakes for dessert. Started in 1987, the chain is controlled by chairman Robert Watson.

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