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Smokey Bones Celebrates Opening of 100th Restaurant
"ORLANDO, Fla. -- If you're one of the first 100 guests at the Smokey Bones restaurant in Boardman next Tuesday, you'll get a free pulled-pork sandwich. That day, the company will celebrate the opening of its 100th restaurant by serving the free sandwiches at each of its restaurants in 26 states.The restaurants open at 11 a.m."This is just one small way to share our appreciation and celebrate a milestone in our national expansion," said JJ Buettgen, president of Smokey Bones. "When a restaurant grows to 100 locations in five years, it quickly goes from being a small regional company to one with a growing national presence."The first Smokey Bones opened in Florida in 1999, and in 2003, the company won Nation's Restaurant News' "Hot Concept!" award for emerging restaurants, Buettgen said, adding that Smokey Bones expects to open 30 to 40 new restaurants this year.Smokey Bones' pulled-pork sandwich is one of the most popular items on the menu. The pork is hand rubbed with a signature barbeque seasoning and smoked for 11 hours on premises. Smokey Bones is owned by Darden Restaurants, which also owns Red Lobster and Olive Garden.Visit Smokey Bones: www.smokeybones.com"