FREDERICK, Md., Jan. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cafe Rio Mexican Grill starts the New Year with continued expansion in the DC area. On Wednesday, January 16^th, the smell of fresh made tortillas and traditional Mexican food will fill the air at 5100 Buckeystown Pike in Frederick, MD, marking the restaurant's 7th east coast location and 58^th overall. As is customary with each Cafe Rio grand opening, the company will be making a charitable contribution in the form of a $2,500 donation to the Frederick County Public School. Over the course of 2012, more than $75,000 was donated to public schools and various charities in conjunction with Cafe Rio restaurant openings.

Guests, residents and media are invited to attend the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on opening day at 10:30AM. Note: Cafe Rio Mexican Grill is offering all media members with proper media credentials a free meal all day on January 16th.

Cafe Rio is a big proponent of giving back to the communities where it has locations. The restaurant will offer "Military Mondays," granting a 25% discount to all active military and their families. In the future, they will also set up 50% off days, customized free meal days and fundraising events at the restaurant.

The company's determination and commitment to excellence is most evident in the freshness of the ingredients it uses for its traditional Mexican food, and its friendly employees. The restaurant's strict 'no microwaves and no freezers' policy has been a part of what sets it apart from the competition. Each location starts the day early hand-squeezing over 1,000 limes, hand-scooping fresh avocados and making its award-winning authentic Mexican recipes from scratch. Every tortilla is handmade to order in front of each customer. The hard work and dedication demonstrated by each team member has paid off, winning over 60 national awards for Cafe Rio's made-from-scratch traditional Mexican food.

"We strongly believe in being a part of our local community, and we are grateful that our first six east coast locations have been welcomed so openly in Virginia and Maryland," states Ben Craner, Chief Marketing Officer. "We are very excited to be moving into Frederick and sharing our freshly-made meals, while embracing the community and giving back."

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill has being voted #1 Restaurant in the nation for the second straight year by Sandelman and Associates' 2011 Quick-Track Award for overall customer satisfaction. They edged out 200 of the nation's largest restaurants, including Chipotle and In-n-Out Burger.

The company's restaurants span Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming. The Cafe Rio team is proud to add Frederick, MD to its list of locations (5100 Buckeystown Pike, Frederick, MD 21704).  

Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, Inc.:
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been serving its loyal customers traditional Mexican food since 1997, when the Mexican restaurant's first location opened in St. George, Utah. Cafe Rio's menu is inspired by the traditional cooking found in the Rio Grande region of Northern Mexico, Southern Texas, and New Mexico. The company specializes in serving its customers the highest-quality traditional Mexican food with the freshest ingredients.

For more information or to schedule an interview or appearance with a Cafe Rio executive, please contact Cafe Rio Mexican Grill Media Representative Jennifer Burns at 801-358-1858 or jburns@caferio.com.

For video footage and stock photos, visit: www.caferio.com/press (Password: c@ferio).

SOURCE Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, Inc.