Posted January 2004

Krystal is offering customers in Chattanooga something new and hot - WiFi Internet access. The restaurant located at 6119 Lee Highway is the first Krystal in Chattanooga to offer free a WiFi access point. Known as "hot spots," these locations allow customers with an 802.11b wireless Internet card in a laptop or other wireless device to access the Internet at no charge.

"There is a growing interest and demand for the added convenience of remote Internet access in various locations across the country," said Fred Exum, chief executive officer, The Krystal Company. "By offering our customers wireless Internet connections, we are encouraging them to spend more time in our restaurants and enhancing their overall Krystal experience."

The restaurant is utilizing a DSL broadband Internet connection that allows up to 32 users at one time to access the hot spot. Users can access the hot spot by searching for "Krystal Hotspot" in the Service Set Identifier (SSID). Currently, the range of the 802.11b system is approximately 150 feet allowing customers to even access the hot spot in the restaurant parking lot. The Internet service is filtered to protect the interests of the restaurant’s guests.

"We have been studying the possibility of offering WiFi access points in our restaurants for over two years," said David Reid, Chief Information Officer, The Krystal Company. "After seeing the success and growth in WiFi, we worked to create a wireless access service in the Lee Highway restaurant to offer our customers an additional access point at no charge. We expect to rollout WiFi access in many of our restaurants in the next 12 months."

Krystal also currently has WiFi access available at its restaurant located on Cumberland Avenue, in Knoxville, Tenn., near the University of Tennessee campus. The company is researching potential locations to expand the WiFi access to other system restaurants throughout 2004.

With 24-hour operations, Krystal restaurants offer their customers unique products for breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night or snack options. Founded in 1932, The Krystal Company is the oldest quick service restaurant chain in the Southeast and the second oldest in the United States. Famous for its small, square, burgers with steamed-in onions that have become synonymous with Southern fast food, Krystal has emerged as one of the most successful quick service restaurants in the industry. The Chattanooga-based chain currently has more than 425 restaurants in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. For more information, visit www.krystal.com.

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The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is the leading business and economic development organization for the Chattanooga region. For over 100 years, the Chattanooga Chamber has provided community engagement and opportunities for businesses, large and small, including networking, business promotion, business discounts, and public policy advocacy, as well as leadership development and training opportunities.

In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber is a one-stop-shop for site selectors and business decision-makers considering investments and job creation projects in the Chattanooga region. The Chattanooga Chamber is also responsible for marketing Enterprise South Industrial Park, a top-tier industrial park that offers significant strategic business advantages. In addition, the Chattanooga Chamber administers the Chattanooga Hamilton County Business Development Center, the largest business incubator in the U.S. in terms of the number of start up companies it houses, and the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth, an innovative effort to nurture technology-based start-up companies.

As the first stop for people interested in moving to the Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Chamber provides a range of relocation information including demographics, informational videos, connections to Chattanooga Area jobs, and frequently asked questions.