Friday, December 4, 2009

Broadstone Ranch Apartments in San Antonio, TX Trades Hands


SAN ANTONIO, TX – Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, the nation’s largest real estate investment services firm, has brokered the sale of Broadstone Ranch, (top left photo) a 252-unit, 212,472-square foot apartment property in San Antonio. The sales price was not disclosed.

Will Balthrope, a vice president investments and a senior director of the firm’s National Multi Housing Group in Dallas, and Ryan Epstein, a multifamily investment specialist in Marcus & Millichap’s San Antonio office, represented the seller, McMorgan & Co. of San Francisco. The buyer was Brass Real Estate Funds.

“Broadstone Ranch is a luxury Class A asset located next to one of the fastest-growing universities in Texas,” says Balthrope. “The property will provide upscale student living for this captured tenant base.”


“The property is centrally located between Interstate 10 and the University of Texas at San Antonio at 5803 UTSA Blvd. and is within minutes of several of San Antonio’s largest employers, including USAA, Valero and the South Texas Medical Center,” adds Epstein.

Broadstone Ranch was built in 2005 on 13.63 acres and features 132 one-bedroom/one-bath units, 84 two-bedroom/two-bath apartments and 36 three-bedroom/three-bath units. Amenities include modern gourmet kitchens, resort-style swimming pool, detached garage and covered parking.

San Antonio is the second-largest city in Texas and the seventh-largest city in the United States.

Contact:  Stacey Corso, Communications Department, (925) 953-1716, stacey.corso@marcusmillichap.com

Marcus & Millichap Capital Corp. Arranges $7.3M Loan for Georgia Walgreens


RIVERDALE, Ga., Dec. 4, 2009 – Marcus & Millichap Capital Corporation (MMCC) has arranged a $7.3 million loan for the acquisition of a 14,820-square foot Walgreens drugstore in Riverdale.

Tim Kinney, senior director in the firm’s Atlanta office, arranged the financing for the retail property.

“We were able to take advantage of the high leverage and long-term fixed rates available in the credit-tenant lease, private placement market,” says Kinney. “It was a great team effort.”

The nonrecourse loan has a 25-year fixed rate with a 25-year amortization, a loan-to-value of 92 percent and a 6.9 percent interest rate.

Press Contact: Stacey Corso, Marcus & Millichap Capital Corporation, (925) 953-1716

Tremont Structures $14.5M Financing for MHC in Riverhead, NY

ANNAPOLIS, MD--The Annapolis office of Tremont Realty Capital structured financing for the refinance of MacLeod’s MHC, (centered photo below) a 376-unit manufactured housing community located in Riverhead, NY.



John Chase, (bottom right photo)  a Senior Director with Tremont, arranged the $14,500,000 loan, which was funded through one of Tremont’s correspondent relationships.

The 10 year loan provided for roughly 65% loan-to-value with a 5.95% interest rate. According to Chase, “The sponsor and Tremont’s correspondent were able to work through issues related to 346 buried heating oil tanks and still able to provide a timely funding that provided a non-recourse loan with equity recapture.”


Tremont Realty Capital, LLC is a national real estate investment and advisory firm, which makes direct debt and equity investments and provides institutional advisory services. Direct programs include high leverage bridge loans, short and long term mezzanine loans and equity capital.

 The Annapolis office of Tremont Realty Capital is located at 101 Log Canoe Circle, Suite F, Stevensville, MD 21666. The phone number is 410.604.1744 and the fax number is 410.604.1742. You can visit Tremont on the Internet at http://www.tremontcapital.com/.

Contacts:
 John Chase, 410.604.1744, jchase@tremontcapital.com

Aimee Munsey, Senior Associate, Marketing & Communications, Tremont Realty Capital, 200 State Street
Boston, MA 02109, p: 617.867.0700 x784, f: 617.867.0077, amunsey@tremontcapital.com, http://www.tremontcapital.com/

Rental Lifestyles Division at Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Focuses on Distressed Sales

ORLANDO, FL--- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty’s Rental Lifestyles division serves a growing segment of the housing market – the thousands of homeowners in the Central Florida region who have been forced into a rental status.

“The wave of distressed housing properties has yet to peak,” said Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty. “In October, 65 percent of all homes sold in the Central Florida region were classified as distressed, which indicates short sales or foreclosure sales,” he said. “Most of those sellers need to become renters and we are focused on assisting them.”

Soderstrom said the Rental Lifestyles division has been working with families to find suitable and sustainable rental opportunities that offer them some of the same conveniences they had in their former home that may be found in a smaller single-family home, a townhome or condominium for lease.


The Rental Lifestyles division also works with property owners, lenders and banks to find suitable renters. “We offer a wide array of services from discreetly qualifying tenants to negotiating and servicing leases,” said Peter Voigt,  (top right photo) performance director for Rental Lifestyles.

Voigt joined Stirling Sotheby’s and helped launch the Rental Lifestyles division earlier this year after six years working for major rental and property management firms in Central Florida. That hands-on experience along with the marketing scope of the Sotheby’s International affiliation provides an enormous market base to meet the demands of renters and owners impacted by the current recession.

CONTACTS:
Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, 407-581-7890
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407.644.4142

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty Named Exclusive U.S. Sales and Marketing Representatives for Cacao Pearl Island Resort in South Pacific

ORLANDO, FL --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty has been named exclusive U.S. sales and marketing representatives for Cacao Pearl, (photo centered below)  a unique luxury eco-resort community of 100 residences located on a private island at the Calamianes archipelago, at the northernmost tip of Palawan in the Philippines.




Roger Soderstrom, founder and principal of Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, said the Cacao Pearl island resort ranks as the world’s first non-profit luxury eco resort.

Designed by former film director Antonio Calvo ( “Alexander,” “Pride & Prejudice,” “Love Actually”), Cacao Pearl offers 125 acres of lush rainforest and towering coconut trees with more than a mile of pristine beaches, Soderstrom said.


Private residences are available with investment-grade security and with options to buy, re-sell or rent. One and two bedroom beachfront, beach access, rainforest garden, resort and crèche residences are priced from an average of $280,000 to $487,000.

“Cacao Pearl is within sailing distance of two UNESCO World heritage sites and four marine reserves,” Soderstrom said.

The eco-chic, low-density boutique resort offers designer homes with zero carbon cost, five-star service, an infinity pool, wreck and reef diving, a secluded destination spa, organic gardens and bar, restaurant, and private media rooms.

“Cacao Pearl claims one of the world’s most unique lifestyles,” Soderstrom said. The first phase of Cacao Pearl – with 35 residences – has already sold out and a second phase is under way now, Soderstrom added.


CONTACTS:

John Kurtz GRI, Director of Global Sales, Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty 407-581-7890; JKurtz@stirlingSIR.com

Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner, Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty 407-581-7890; rsoderstrom@stirlingSIR.com

Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142; lvershelco@aol.com

California Wyndham in Costa Mesa Sold for $21M at foreclosure sale


LOS ANGELES, CA---Rosanna Inc. purchased the 238-room Wyndham Orange County (top right photo)  at the foreclosure sale on November 24th for $21,000,000.

The property is located at 3350 Avenue of the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA, and includes a full service hotel and parking garage on approximately three acres of land.

Bob Kaplan  (top left photo) and Rod Apodaca (bottom right photo) of the Los Angeles office of PKF Capital advised the buyers on the transaction.


The property was previously owned by Makar Baynorth Costa Mesa, an affiliate of Newport Beach based Makar Properties.

Makar purchased the property in 2006 for $42,000,000 and secured a CMBS loan of $31,000,000.

Makar purchased the property with the intention of remodeling the hotel and developing a 23 story residential condominium tower on the property before that market evaporated.

Since the property went into default in June, the hotel has attracted much attention from the hospitality investment community due to its premium location and potential for renovation and re-branding.

The much anticipated foreclosure sale was attended by several hotel companies including representatives from hotel REITs, hotel investment funds, as well as several major local hotel investors.

Purchasing a property of this size and complexity through the foreclosure sale process is rare and difficult, however Rosanna Inc. saw the sale as an opportunity to acquire a hotel with great potential prior to it being marketed through the traditional sales process.

Rosanna Inc. is an international real estate company that owns and operates hotel, office, residential, and retail properties in the US, Japan, Europe, and Hong Kong.

PKF Capital is the hospitality brokerage practice formerly known as Colliers International Hotels.


PKF Capital was formed in early 2007 as a result of the merger of PKF Consulting and PKF Hospitality Research, one of the premiere hospitality consulting firms in the U.S., with Colliers International Hotels.

 This union, along with the name change to PKF Capital, combines the strengths of two industry leaders and greatly expands the service capability to the hospitality industry. PKF Capital is headquartered in San Francisco and includes current operations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Indianapolis and Miami.

For Further information, please contact:

Bob Kaplan Sr., Managing Director, (213) 532-3237, bob.kaplan@pkfc.com, DRE #00776019
Rod Apodaca, Managing Director, (213) 532-3236, rod.apodaca@pkfc.com, DRE #01254293

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Foster Conant selected to design landscape for senior housing project in Hillsborough County, FL


ORLANDO, FL— Foster Conant & Associates has been selected to provide site-specific landscape architectural services for a new senior housing project in Hillsborough County, Fla. Dubbed the Fountains at Falkenburg, the 10-acre site is designed for 152-units in four buildings supported by associated infrastructure and senior amenities.

Under contract with the project’s owner, Winter Park, Fla.-based Fountains at Falkenburg LLLP, Foster Conant is designing landscape planting, irrigation, pool layout, water feature, signage, lighting fixtures, aesthetic berming, and hardscape for pedestrian walks, patios, terraces and vehicular paving.

Additionally, Foster Conant is designing senior focused amenities into the project such as a putting green, passive seating areas with freestanding shade structures, a raised community garden that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, outdoor fireplace, and outdoor tabletop board games.

Slocum Platts Architects of Winter Park, Fla., is the architect. The civil engineer is Charlotte Engineering & Surveying Inc. of Tampa, Fla. Clear Engineering LLC of Orlando, Fla., is the lighting designer. CPG of Winter Park, Fla., is the general contractor.

PR Contact: Elaine Ingra, 407-384-1344, elainei@pr-works.com

Anthony W. 'Tony' Thompson and Harold A. Dawson, Jr. Announce New Joint Venture


IRVINE, CA and ATLANTA, GA-- /PRNewswire/ -- Thompson National Properties and The Dawson Company  have formed Thompson Dawson Real Estate Services (TDRE). The company is committed to helping governmental and institutional clients navigate the current challenging real estate market.

TDRE will offer an array of real estate management and consulting services to domestic and foreign clients by leveraging the combined expertise and capacity of the parent companies. The complementary lines of business, national scale and global reach signified by this partnership uniquely combine to create and support a truly world class real estate advisory services firm.


Developed under the vision of founding partners Anthony W. "Tony" Thompson (bottom left)  and Harold A. Dawson, Jr. (top right photo), the new venture will offer asset management and receivership services, real estate investment management, consulting and development services.

The firm will have a strong government and public-private partnership (P3) focus, with a suite of services tailored specifically for public sector clients. The services will include build-to-suit capabilities, asset management, business planning/consulting, P3s, and development management with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and "green" construction.

The Dawson Company is a second generation African-American real estate firm with expertise and proficiency in environmentally sustainable mixed-use development. It also boasts a long history of working with governments at the municipal, state and federal level in a myriad of activities from P3s to asset management and advisory/consulting assignments.

 The Dawson Company honed its asset management skills working with the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) as the only 100% African-American owned SAMDA contractor with a portfolio of approximately $400 million of real estate assets and performing/non-performing loans.

Thompson Dawson Real Estate Services is headquartered in Irvine, CA and Atlanta, GA with regional offices nationwide. The firm will initially focus on expanding the portfolio of assets already managed, marketing its government and public-private partnership expertise and showcasing its experience in asset management, build-to-suit and development.

Thompson Dawson Real Estate Services' affiliates currently manage 97 properties located in 30 states consisting of approximately 15.7 million square feet and with projected 2009 gross rental revenue of $200 million.

Contact:  Tony Wilbert, twilbert@wilbertnewsstrategies.com, http://www.wilbertnewsstrategies.co/, 404-888-3091 office, 404-405-3656 cell

North Fulton CID Approves $2.5 Million to Construct North Fulton Gateways, Improve Roads


ATLANTA, GA – The North Fulton Community Improvement District (CID) will spend nearly $2.5 million on three new infrastructure projects in the North Fulton market.

The North Fulton CID will fund roadway enhancements along Georgia 400 at Windward Parkway, and will fund “gateway” landscaping projects at Windward Parkway and Haynes Bridge Road.

The North Fulton CID is made up of commercial properties stretching along Georgia 400 from Mansell Road north to Windward Parkway.

“These three projects are part of the CID’s Blueprint North Fulton master plan,” said Kerry Armstrong, (top left photo) chairman of the North Fulton CID Board of Directors and senior vice president of Duke Realty. “The Blueprint plan is designed to create an even more vibrant and sustainable community by improving the commercial district and accelerating infrastructure improvements. Equally important right now, we are putting people to work.”

North Fulton CID to Spend Nearly $2 Million at Windward Parkway


The largest project will install more than $1 million in landscaping and stone walls on the north, south, east and west sides of the Windward Parkway interchange at Georgia 400. The CID also is spending $500,000 to expedite the construction of a right turn-lane from the Georgia Highway 400 north-bound exit ramp, along Windward Parkway to North Point Parkway.

The North Fulton CID will partner with the Windward Business Association on the landscaping.

“The Windward Business Association has agreed to partner with the CID on the long-term maintenance of the landscaping at the Windward Parkway interchange,” said CID Board Member Moses Brown, vice president of Reed Elsevier/LexisNexis. “This is very helpful to the CID in terms of knowing our initial investment will continue to literally grow.”

“We’re going to make a significant impact on the North Fulton market, in terms of mobility and enhancing the District’s brand and identity,” said Ann Hanlon, chief operating officer of the North Fulton CID. “By installing memorable entryways at all our interchanges, we are creating gateways to our market. It’s really a greeting card for the nearly half-a-million drivers who travel these interchanges daily.”

Haynes Bridge Interchange to Receive $600,000 Makeover


The CID also will create an entryway to the District at Haynes Bridge Road, spending nearly $600,000 on landscape and hardscape design, installation and maintenance.

“The North Fulton CID is investing its money to make North Fulton an even better and more competitive market,” said Brandon Beach, (middle right photo)  executive director of the North Fulton CID.

Beach concluded, “We intend to emerge from this recession as a strong and vibrant community, ready to do business in this new era. The CID is a differentiator for North Fulton.”

Media Contacts:

Hadley Hickman, Jackson Spalding, (404) 419-9346
Patrick Hill, Jackson Spalding, (404) 724-2506

HFF secures $13.9M refinancing for Corpus Christi, TX Class A multi-housing community

 
HOUSTON, TX – The Houston office of HFF (Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, L.P.) has secured a $13.9 million refinancing for Alta Bayside, (top left photo) a 270-unit, Class A multi-housing community in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Working exclusively on behalf of Wood Partners, LLC, HFF director Matt Kafka (bottom right photo)  placed the seven-year, adjustable-rate loan with Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation).

The financing is retiring the property’s construction loan and will be serviced by HFF.

Situated on nearly 15 acres, Alta Bayside is located at 1701 Ennis Joslin Road east of South Padre Island Drive in Corpus Christi. The 96% leased property was completed in 2007 and consists of 10, three-story buildings with units averaging 1,088 square feet each.

Community amenities include a clubhouse, fitness center, pool, sand volleyball court, game room with billiards, reserved boat parking and storage units.

Wood Partners, LLC is a national multifamily development, acquisition and property management company that has 12 offices across the country. The company was founded in 1998 and since then has developed and/or built more than 38,000 multifamily apartment homes and condominiums with a total value exceeding $5.3 billion.

Contacts:

Matthew Kafka, HFF Director, (713) 852-3500, mkafka@hfflp.com
Kristen Murphy, HFF Associate Director, Marketing , (713) 852-3500, krmurphy@hfflp.com

Hodges Ward Elliott Represents Ashford Hospitality Trust in Placement of $145 M in Non-recourse Financing On Five Hotels

ATLANTA, GA—Officials of Hodges Ward Elliott, Inc. (HWE), the nation’s premier hotel brokerage and investment banking firm, announced that it represented Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc., in the placement of $145 million in non-recourse financing on five of the REIT’s hotels.

The six-year financing includes a first mortgage from Prudential and a mezzanine loan from Wheelock Street LLC.

The five hotels, aggregating 1,460 rooms, include four Embassy Suites and one Hilton Hotel, are strategically located in four states: Embassy Suites Santa Clara, Silicon Valley, Calif (middle right photo),  Embassy Suites Crystal City (bottom left photo), National Airport, Va.; Embassy Suites Orlando Airport, Fla., (top left photo)  Embassy Suites, Portland Downtown, Ore. (bottom right photo) , and Hilton Orange County, Costa Mesa, Calif.

Two additional properties that were included in the maturing loans, the Hilton Rye Town, Rye Brook, N.Y. and Hilton Suites, Auburn Hills, Mich., are now unencumbered.

“Even though the credit markets remain quite constrained due to liquidity and price impairments, there is capital available to finance large, sophisticated transactions such as this,” said Mark Elliott (top right photo),  principal of Hodges Ward Elliott.


 “Our brokerage expertise allowed us to credibly establish the highest values in the underwriting process, thus maximizing proceeds for our client.

"We utilized our strong financial relationships and market knowledge to create a capital structure that provided the lenders with an appropriate risk/reward. We presented the borrower with a number of investment solution alternatives and then structured the recapitalization. By bringing these financial needs to the market, we were able to negotiate and finalize terms as dictated by the marketplace.

“We believe this transaction will be a bellwether that sets in motion a greater interest in lending and recapitalization of major transactions by institutional investors, which we believe is an early indicator of a stabilizing market,” Elliott noted.


 “With forecasts from hotel industry consultants predicting a recovery in the second half of 2010, confidence is beginning to return to the marketplace.”

Ashford used the proceeds to pay off a $75.0 million loan that matures next year and a $65.2 million loan maturing in 2011 that were secured by the five properties. In addition, the new loan provides $4.0 million for capital improvements at the hotels to be implemented over the next two years.

“We are seeing greater interest and activity in both financing and hotel real estate transactions than at any time in the past 18 months,” Elliott said. “We expect to see the number and size of hotel transactions and financings increase substantially in 2010.”

Contact: Jerry Daly or Chris Daly , (703) 435-6293

Scott J. Waddington Appointed Vice President in Arbor’s Tampa, FL Office

 
Uniondale, NY  - Arbor Commercial Funding, LLC (“Arbor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arbor Commercial Mortgage, LLC and leader in the commercial real estate finance industry, has announced the appointment of Scott J. Waddington to Vice President in Arbor’s Tampa, FL office. Mr. Waddington is responsible for sourcing and structuring multifamily and commercial transactions nationwide. He reports to Ken Fazio, (top right photo)  Vice President, National Sales Manager.

Mr. Waddington has over 12 years of experience in commercial real estate finance, with a specialized expertise in originating multifamily residential debt and equity transactions for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA/HUD and proprietary investment.

Prior to joining Arbor, Mr. Waddington served as the founder and managing member of his own specialty real estate finance consulting and advisory firm, Realty Capital Solutions, LLC. Before founding Realty Capital Solutions, he was the Vice President of MuniMae, LLC, where he was responsible for the placement of proprietary capital and third-party managed funds in nationwide commercial real estate investments, including multifamily, office, retail, industrial, hospitality, land acquisition and development.

Mr. Waddington has also held positions at MuniMae, LLC subsidiaries, MMA Realty Capital, LLC, MMA Financial, LLC and The Midland Companies since 1998. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics. He resides in Tampa.

Contact:  Ingrid Principe, F: 516.542.2555, http://www.arbor.com/, Follow us on Twitter @ arbor1

Monday, November 30, 2009

NASCAR Driver Mike Skinner Reduces asking Price for Luxury Estate Home at Spruce Creek Fly-In


ORLANDO, Fla. --- Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty, which ranks as one of Central Florida’s largest and most active realty companies specializing in luxury homes, has reduced the sale price for a luxury estate home at Spruce Creek Fly-In, the unique Volusia County community developed for affluent airplane owners.

The property, located at 3118 Spruce Creek Blvd., is offered for sale by NASCAR driver Mike Skinner. (top right photo)

Stirling Sotheby’s International recently sold the 11,000 square foot Commercial Aviation Hangar owned by Skinner in the estate, said Roger Soderstrom, founder and owner of the realty firm.

Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty associates Rachel McGrath and Debbie Keilin negotiated the $300,000 price reduction from $2,275,000 to $1,975,000.

For more information, contact:
Roger Soderstrom, Founder/Owner Stirling Sotheby’s International Realty 407-588-1260
Larry Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications 407-644-4142

RealtyTrac Partners with Remax.com for Foreclosure Property Access




DENVER, CO – Homebuyers looking for the right home at a great price will now be able to search through more than a million foreclosed properties and access agents specializing in short sales and foreclosures, all in one location.

RE/MAX International, Inc. is the first national real estate franchise to offer U.S. foreclosure listings on its highly-trafficked web site, www.remax.com.

Remax.com visitors can now access more than 1.3 million Real Estate Owned (REO) properties in the U.S. through RealtyTrac.

“We strive to provide consumers with the most information, properties, videos, articles and resources to help them navigate today’s market,” said Kristi Graning, (top left photo) Senior Vice President, Information Technology and eBusiness for RE/MAX International. “Remax.com is now the perfect combination of resources on one web site, where visitors can search for foreclosures and connect with a uniquely trained RE/MAX agent who specializes in short sales, REOs and foreclosures.”

Homebuyers across the country, including those looking to take advantage of the recently enhanced Homebuyer Tax Credit, can search foreclosures by accessing the foreclosure tab in the featured property search box on remax.com.

Sourced by government agencies and national news media, RealtyTrac is the No. 1 foreclosure listing service. It collects extensive foreclosure data from more than 2,200 counties, covering more than 90 percent of U.S. households.

As part of the partnership, RE/MAX agents also have access to an advanced subscription of RealtyTrac’s service and foreclosure information which allows them to better serve clients. The comprehensive subscription offers agents more detailed information including properties in default and properties scheduled for public foreclosure auction, along with tax assessment information, comprehensive lien and loan history and neighborhood home sale trends.


“We are very pleased to be working with RE/MAX, one of the world’s leading real estate brands, and we’re excited to give consumers another way to access foreclosure data,” said Rick Sharga, (middle right photo)  Senior Vice President for RealtyTrac.

“We believe we can have a positive impact on the national housing market by providing consumers with vital foreclosure information and giving homebuyers an opportunity to find the perfect home with the right agent.”


RE/MAX agents are uniquely qualified to manage foreclosures and distressed property. More RE/MAX Associates have earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) designation than agents from any other national real estate network. The CDPE training, through the Distressed Property Institute, gives RE/MAX agents the expertise to assist buyers and sellers of REO and distressed properties.

For more information on RE/MAX International, or to search for property listings, visit http://www.remax.com/
For more information on RealtyTrac, visit http://www.realtytrac.com/
Contact: Tammy Chan , Atomic PR, Direct: 212-699-3646, Mobile: 408-802-8682, tammy@atomicpr.com

20 Worst Restaurant Foods in America Revealed


Authors of the Bestselling Book Series “Eat This, Not That!” Unveil List of Worst Caloric Offenders at Fast Food and Restaurant Chains

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Eat This, Not That! authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding (top right photo)  revealed the first-ever “Worst Restaurant Foods in America,” as featured in the new book Eat This, Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide, in stores now.

The list ranks the nation’s worst nutritional offenders at major fast food and restaurant chains across the country, while offering healthier alternatives at each establishment. Eat This, Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide is the sixth installment in the popular book series, which currently has five million copies in print.

The authors spent months analyzing menus, nutrition labels, and ingredients lists at the most popular chain and fast food restaurants in order to identify the “Worst Restaurant Foods in America.” Zinczenko and Goulding start by evaluating calorie counts, but also take into consideration a cluster of other nutritional markers: fat, saturated fat, sodium levels and added sugar.

As the authors release more “Worst Foods” lists, caloric offenders have been dropped from menus. Among them: Chili’s Awesome Blossom (2,710 calories) and Baskin-Robbins’ Heath Bar Shake (2,310 calories).

Topping the 2009 Restaurant list is the Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder Down Under, which contains more calories than 44 McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets and an astounding four and a half days’ worth of saturated fat.


Among the list of the Top 20 Worst Restaurant Foods of 2009:

Worst Sit-Down Burger: Applebee’s Quesadilla Burger (1,820 calories, 46 g fat)

Worst Wrap: T.G.I. Friday’s BBQ Chicken Wrap (1,720 calories)

Worst Pizza: Sbarro Stuffed Pepperoni (1 slice, 960 calories, 42 g fat)

Worst Sit-Down Kids’ Meal: Cheesecake Factory Kids’ Pasta with Alfredo Sauce (1,803 calories, 86 g saturated fat)

Worst Omelet: IHOP Colorado Omelet (1,890 calories, 47 g saturated fat)

Worst Restaurant Food in America of 2009: Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under

2,020 calories

88 g saturated fat

161 g carbohydrates

To see the full list of 20 foods by category with nutritional information for each item, visit: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/20-worst-restaurant-foods-america

For more information on this essential guidebook for navigating American fast food and restaurant chains, visit: http://eatthis.com/

DAVID ZINCZENKO, Editor-in-Chief of Men’s Health magazine and the Editorial Director of Women’s Health, as well as the author of New York Times bestsellers The Abs Diet and The Abs Diet for Women.

Once an overweight child, Zinczenko has become one of the nation’s leading experts on health and fitness. He is a regular contributor to the Today show and has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America, Primetime Live, 20/20, The Rachael Ray Show, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

MATT GOULDING is a contributing food editor for Men’s Health. He has cooked and eaten his way around the world, touching down in New York, New York, where he divides most of his time between keyboard and stovetop.

Contacts:  Rodale, Agnes Hansdorfer, 212-257-1505, Asst. Director of Public RelationsAgnes.Hansdorfer@Rodale.com