Good position in casual dining; Good historical track record as a restaurant operator; and Consistently satisfactory cash flow. Participation in the highly competitive restaurant industry. The ratings on Dallas-based Brinker International Inc. reflect Standard&Poor's Ratings Services' expectations that the company's revenue and operating performance will improve modestly in fiscal 2011 as demand in the casual-dining industry continues to stabilize. We also believe that credit metrics will gradually improve in the next few quarters, including debt to EBITDA approaching 2.6x. Brinker's satisfactory business profile reflects its participation in the competitive restaurant industry, its good position in the casual-dining industry, and its good track record as a restaurant operator. Much of the casual-dining industry experienced sales declines in recent years
