Restaurant Chain Is Back In The Fold

Houston Chronicle:

Schiller Del Grande expanded its pioneering fast-casual concept Cafe Express into a 16-store chain and then sold a major share of it to corporate giant Wendy’s.

Now the Houston company’s got it back and is returning it to its roots.

Why take it back?

‘It’s like kids,’ said Robert Del Grande, a Schiller Del Grande partner. ‘You raise them, and then they want to come back home.’

Besides, CEO Lonnie Schiller said, they know Cafe Express inside and out.

And they still love the concept, a casual restaurant that serves salads, soups, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, and grilled and roasted entrees quickly.

‘I have such affection for everyday food,’ said Del Grande, the culinary force behind the company, which also owns Cafe Annie, Taco Milagro, the Grove and the soon-to-open Lake House.

He said the challenge of Cafe Express is to ‘make something fresh by hand, serve it quickly and have it be wonderful.’

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