Ruby Tuesday Launches Latest Menu with 18 New Items and a Television C

    Restaurant Writers/Business Editors

    MARYVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 2005--Ruby Tuesday, Inc. (NYSE: RI), one of the nation's leading casual dining restaurant companies with more than 700 restaurants across America, introduced a new and redesigned menu today with additions in nearly every section and the continuation of its classic favorites. The chain also launched a Classic Seafood Catches promotion that is supported with television commercials that start today.
    Ruby Tuesday(R) guests can now enjoy new appetizers that include Jumb'O'Rings--thick-cut onions in a crunchy coating, deep-fried and served with remoulade sauce--and the Super Sampler with fried zucchini, classic chicken tenders, fried cheese, and Jumb'O'Rings. A new section, called Ruby's Stackers, has been added, with chicken, turkey and steak selections that are served over Ruby's mashed potatoes and topped with the new Jumb'O'Rings. The Colossal Burger section has been upgraded to include half-pound patties and a double-patty Ultimate Colossal Burger(TM). Other additions include Savannah Chicken Salad, Baked Sonora Pasta, and two deluxe chicken sandwiches.
    The menu continues to feature signature items like Loaded Cheese Fries--piping-hot French fries topped with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, chopped bacon, and sour cream, with ranch dressing on the side; Ruby's Premium Baby Back Ribs--slow-cooked and smothered in tangy barbecue sauce; New Orleans Seafood--broiled tilapia topped with broiled shrimp and creamy Alfredo sauce; and many other guest favorites for which the chain has become famous.
    The Classic Seafood Catches promotion features six of Ruby Tuesday's popular seafood dishes, including Shrimp Alfredo Pasta, Asian Peppercorn Salmon, and a new Sirloin & Coconut Shrimp entree. These items will be featured in television commercials that star real-life Ruby Tuesday employees and start today in areas where 75% of Company-owned restaurants are located.
    Ruby Tuesday is the only casual dining chain with a salad bar for adults and kids, too. It offers an array of lower-fat, lower-calorie, and lower-carbohydrate choices. It is also the only major chain that fries its food in canola oil, which contains no trans fats and is low in saturated fat. A "Delicious Truth Guide" on every table contains more than 30 low-carb, low-fat, and low-calorie choices, in addition to nutrition information for every food item on the menu.
    Ruby Tuesday, Inc. owns, operates, and franchises Ruby Tuesday restaurants in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 12 foreign countries. As of November 30, 2004, the Company owned and operated 544 Ruby Tuesday restaurants, while domestic and international franchisees operated 186 and 36 (including Hawaii) locations, respectively. Ruby Tuesday, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RI).

--30--JC/na*

CONTACT: Ruby Tuesday, Inc., Maryville Perrin Anderson, 865-379-6751 or Angie Heig, 865-379-5641 www.rubytuesday.com

KEYWORD: TENNESSEE HAWAII DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL LATIN AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING FOODS/BEVERAGES RETAIL PRODUCT SOURCE: Ruby Tuesday, Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2005