SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Flynn Restaurant Group LLC announced the acquisition on August 21, 2013, of 62 Taco Bell and related Yum! Brands restaurants in Missouri and Illinois, primarily in the St. Louis market. The restaurants have been added to Bell American Group, a division of Flynn Restaurant Group. The seller was Gateway Bells, LLC, an entity controlled by long-standing Taco Bell franchisee Don Ghareeb.

“We are excited to add the St. Louis market to Bell American Group”

The Gateway Bells acquisition expands Bell American’s restaurant foothold and further strengthens Flynn Restaurant Group’s position as the largest restaurant franchisee in the country. Bell American now operates 138 locations, making it Taco Bell’s third largest operator. Sister division Apple American Group, with 441 restaurants, continues to be the largest Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar franchisee in the world.

Flynn was recently featured on the cover of the Franchise Times magazine for creating the first billion dollar franchise group in the United States.

“We are excited to add the St. Louis market to Bell American Group,” said Greg Flynn, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Flynn Restaurant Group. “Taco Bell enjoys a very strong position there, and we hope to make it even stronger through aggressive facility upgrades and operational improvements.”

Bell American Group will continue to operate as an autonomous business unit under Flynn Restaurant Group. Charlie Brown, president of Bell American Group, and Sarat Koneru, director of operations, operate with substantial autonomy while receiving administrative and financial support from the central organization.

Flynn Restaurant Group LLC owns and operates 579 restaurants in 26 states, employing approximately 30,000 employees and generating $1.3 billion in annual revenues. Its two divisions, Apple American Group and Bell American Group, represent 441 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bars and 138 Yum! Brands restaurants (mostly Taco Bells) respectively. Flynn Restaurant Group is the largest U.S. franchisee in the restaurant industry. More information is available at www.appleamerican.com.