Taco Cabana® founder dies at 87

Felix Stehling founded the original Mexican patio cafe in 1978 in San Antonio, Texas

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Dec 11, 2012, 05:50 ET

SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Taco Cabana^® founder Felix Stehling died Monday. He was 87.

Stehling opened the first Taco Cabana at the corner of San Pedro and Hildebrand Streets in San Antonio in 1978.

"All of us at Taco Cabana are saddened with the passing of our founder Felix Stehling and wish to express our sincere condolences to the Stehling family," said Todd Coerver, interim chief operating officer at Taco Cabana. "Felix ignited what would soon become a Texas icon when he opened a small taco stand at the corner of San Pedro and Hildebrand in San Antonio. Felix has given generations a comfortable place for family and friends to gather and his legacy lives on through the 162 locations and over 4,300 people that make up the Taco Cabana family. We are forever thankful for the man that started it all."

"As we enter our 35th year, our guests will experience our commitment to the original recipes and service values that were the unique vision of Felix," said Tim Taft, President and CEO of Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc.^®

About Taco Cabana
Taco Cabana restaurants serve fresh, handmade Mexican food, including sizzling fajitas, quesadillas, hand rolled flautas, enchiladas, burritos, tacos, fresh-made flour tortillas, a selection of "made from scratch" salsas and sauces, frozen margaritas and beer. Most menu items are handmade daily in each restaurant, which feature open display cooking, including fajitas cooking on an open-flame grill and a machine making fresh tortillas. Taco Cabana restaurants feature interior, semi-enclosed and patio dining areas, which provide a vibrant decor and relaxing atmosphere. Additionally, Taco Cabana restaurants provide its guests the option of take-out, as well as the convenience of drive-thru windows. Taco Cabana operates 160 restaurants as of October 1, 2012.

About Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc.
Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. owns and operates the Pollo Tropical® and Taco Cabana® restaurant brands with 250 company-owned and operated restaurants and 41 franchised restaurants in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Trinidad and Venezuela. The brands specialize in the operation of fast-casual, ethnic restaurant brands that offer distinct and unique flavors with a broad appeal at a compelling value. Both brands feature made-from-scratch cooking, fresh salsa bars, and drive-thru service and catering. Fiesta common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol FRGI. For more information about Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc., visit the company's website at www.frgi.com.

SOURCE Taco Cabana