BERTUCCIS INC
8-K, 1998-02-27
EATING PLACES
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549





                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) February 13, 1998




                                Bertucci's, Inc.

               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



 Massachusetts             0-19315                            04-2947209

(State of Other        (Commission File                      (IRS Employer
Jurisdiction               Number)                            Identification
Incorporation)                                                No.)

                 14 Audubon Road, Wakefield, Massachusetts 01880
               (Address of Principal Executive Officer) (Zip Code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (781) 246-6700

                                 Not applicable

         (Former Name or Former Address, if changed since Last Report)

<PAGE>
Item 5   Other Events

         Bertucci's,  Inc. ("Bertucci's") entered into an Agreement, dated as of
February 13, 1998, (the "Agreement") with Ten Ideas, Inc. ("Ten Ideas"), and Ten
Ideas Acquisition Corp. ("Acquisition") with respect to, among other things, the
proposed merger  transaction  (the "Merger") among  Bertucci's and  Acquisition,
pursuant to which Ten Ideas would acquire, through the Merger, all of Bertucci's
outstanding shares (other than shares held by Bertucci's founder,  President and
Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Crugnale) for $8.00 in cash per share.

                                     2 of 5

<PAGE>

Item 7 Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

         (a)      Not applicable

         (b)      Not applicable

         (c)      Exhibits.
                  10.10    Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 13, 
                           1998, by and among Bertucci's, Inc. Ten Ideas, Inc. 
                           and Ten Ideas Acquisition Corp.

                                     3 of 5

<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,  the  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                  BERTUCCI'S, INC.
                                  (Registrant)


                                  By:  /s/ Joseph Crugnale
                                  Name:    Joseph Crugnale
                                  Title:   President, Chairman, and Chief
                                           Executive Officer

                                     4 of 5
<PAGE>
                                 EXHIBITS INDEX


Exhibit
Number                                      Description                  Page

10.10             Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 13, 1988,  6
                  by and among Bertucci's, Inc., Ten Ideas, Inc. and Ten
                  Ideas Acquisition Corp.

                                     5 of 5
<PAGE>












                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

                          DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 13, 1998
                                      AMONG
                                BERTUCCI'S, INC.,

                                TEN IDEAS, INC.,

                                       AND
                           TEN IDEAS ACQUISITION CORP.



<PAGE>



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


         ARTICLE I             THE MERGER................................-1-

         SECTION 1.1.  The Merger........................................-1-
         SECTION 1.2.  Closing...........................................-1-
         SECTION 1.3.  Effective Time....................................-2-
         SECTION 1.4.  Effects of the Merger.............................-2-
         SECTION 1.5.  Articles of Organization; By-laws.................-2-
         SECTION 1.6.  Directors.........................................-2-
         SECTION 1.7.  Officers..........................................-2-
         SECTION 1.8.  Transfer of Shares to Parent......................-2-

         ARTICLE II        EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON THE SECURITIES OF THE
                               CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS..................-3-

         SECTION 2.1.  Effect on Capital Stock...........................-3-
         SECTION 2.2.   Stock Options....................................-4-
         SECTION 2.3.  Exchange of Certificates..........................-5-

         ARTICLE III           REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES............-7-

         SECTION 3.1.  Representations and Warranties of the Company.....-7-
         SECTION 3.2.  Representations and Warranties of Parent and Sub.-12-

         ARTICLE IV            COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
                               PRIOR TO MERGER..........................-14-

         SECTION 4.1.  Conduct of Business of the Company...............-14-
         SECTION 4.2.  Other Actions....................................-15-

         ARTICLE V             ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS....................-15-

         SECTION 5.1.  Meeting of Stockholders..........................-15-
         SECTION 5.2.  Proxy Statement; Schedule 13E-3..................-15-
         SECTION 5.3.  Access to Information; Confidentiality...........-17-
         SECTION 5.4.  Commercially Reasonable Efforts..................-17-
         SECTION 5.5.  Financing........................................-17-
         SECTION 5.6.  Indemnification; Directors' and Officers' 
                        Insurance.......................................-17-
         SECTION 5.7.  Public Announcements.............................-19-
         SECTION 5.8.  Acquisition Proposals............................-19-

                                       (i)

<PAGE>

         SECTION 5.9.  Stockholder Litigation..........................-20-
         SECTION 5.10.  Board Action Relating to Stock Option Plans....-20-
         SECTION 5.11.  Consents and Approvals.........................-20-
         SECTION 5.12.  1997 Financial Statements......................-20-
         SECTION 5.13.  Repayment of Indebtedness......................-21-

         ARTICLE VI            CONDITIONS PRECEDENT....................-21-

         SECTION 6.1.  Conditions to Each Party's Obligation to 
                        Effect the Merger..............................-21-
         SECTION 6.2.  Conditions to Obligations of Parent and Sub.....-21-
         SECTION 6.3.  Conditions to Obligations of the Company........-23-

         ARTICLE VII           TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER.......-23-

         SECTION 7.1.  Termination.....................................-23-
         SECTION 7.2.  Effect of Termination...........................-24-
         SECTION 7.3.  Amendment.......................................-26-
         SECTION 7.4.  Extension; Waiver...............................-26-
         SECTION 7.5.  Procedure for Termination, Amendment, Extension
                         or Waiver.....................................-26-

         ARTICLE VIII          GENERAL PROVISIONS......................-27-

         SECTION 8.1.  Nonsurvival of Representations and Warranties...-27-
         SECTION 8.2.  Fees and Expenses...............................-27-
         SECTION 8.3.  Definitions.....................................-27-
         SECTION 8.4.  Notices.........................................-27-
         SECTION 8.5.  Interpretation..................................-28-
         SECTION 8.6.  Counterparts....................................-28-
         SECTION 8.7.  Entire Agreement; Third-Party Beneficiaries.....-28-
         SECTION 8.8.  Governing Law...................................-28-
         SECTION 8.9.  Assignment......................................-28-
         SECTION 8.10.  Enforcement....................................-29-
         SECTION 8.11.  Severability...................................-29-


                                      (ii)

<PAGE>


                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
                          DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 13, 1998
                                      AMONG
                                BERTUCCI'S, INC.,
                  A MASSACHUSETTS CORPORATION (THE "COMPANY"),
                                TEN IDEAS, INC.,
                       A DELAWARE CORPORATION ("PARENT"),
                                       AND
                          TEN IDEAS ACQUISITION CORP.,
                 A MASSACHUSETTS CORPORATION AND A WHOLLY OWNED
                                  SUBSIDIARY OF
                                 PARENT ("SUB")



W I T N E S S E T H :

         WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of each of the Company,  Parent and Sub
has adopted resolutions  approving Parent's  acquisition of the Company upon the
terms set forth in this Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Agreement");

         WHEREAS,  pursuant to this Agreement, Sub shall be merged with and into
the  Company  and  the  Company  shall  thereby  become  a  wholly-owned  direct
subsidiary of Parent (the "Merger");

         WHEREAS,   the   Company,   Parent  and  Sub  desire  to  make  certain
representations,  warranties,  covenants and  agreements in connection  with the
Merger and also to prescribe various conditions to the Merger;

         WHEREAS,  in accordance  with  applicable  law, the Company's  Restated
Articles of Organization  and the terms of this Agreement,  the affirmative vote
of the holders of at least  two-thirds  of the  outstanding  common stock of the
Company is required to consummate the Merger;

         NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the  representations,  warranties,
covenants  and  agreements  contained in this  Agreement,  the parties  agree as
follows:


                                    ARTICLE I
                                   THE MERGER

         SECTION 1.1.  The Merger.  Upon the terms and subject to the 
conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in accordance with the 
Massachusetts Business Corporation Law (the

                                       -1-

<PAGE>



"MBCL"), Sub shall be merged with and into the Company at the Effective Time (as
hereinafter  defined).  Upon the Effective  Time, the separate  existence of Sub
shall cease,  and the Company shall continue as the surviving  corporation  (the
"Surviving Corporation").

         SECTION 1.2. Closing.  Unless this Agreement shall have been terminated
and the transactions  herein  contemplated shall have been abandoned pursuant to
Section 7.1, and subject to the  satisfaction  or waiver of the  conditions  set
forth in Article VI, the closing of the Merger (the  "Closing")  will take place
at 10:00 a.m.  Boston time not later than the second  business day following the
date on which the last to be fulfilled or waived of the  conditions set forth in
Article VI shall be fulfilled or waived in accordance  with this  Agreement (the
"Closing Date"),  at the offices of Posternak,  Blankstein & Lund,  L.L.P.,  100
Charles River Plaza, Boston,  Massachusetts,  unless another date, time or place
is agreed to in writing by the parties hereto.

         SECTION  1.3.  Effective  Time.  The parties  hereto will file with the
Secretary of State of the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  (the  "Massachusetts
Secretary of State") on the date of the Closing (or on such other date as Parent
and the Company may agree)  articles of merger or other  appropriate  documents,
executed in accordance  with the relevant  provisions of the MBCL,  and make all
other  filings or  recordings  required  under the MBCL in  connection  with the
Merger.  The Merger  shall become  effective  upon the filing of the articles of
merger with the  Massachusetts  Secretary of State,  or at such later time as is
specified in the articles of merger (the "Effective Time").

         SECTION 1.4.  Effects of the Merger.  The Merger shall have the effects
set forth in Section 80 of the MBCL.  Without  limiting  the  generality  of the
foregoing,  and subject  thereto,  at the Effective  Time,  all the  properties,
rights,  privileges,  powers and franchises of the Company and Sub shall vest in
the Surviving Corporation,  and all debts, liabilities and duties of the Company
and Sub  shall  become  the  debts,  liabilities  and  duties  of the  Surviving
Corporation.

         SECTION 1.5.  Articles of Organization; By-laws.

         (a) The Company's  Restated  Articles of Organization,  as in effect at
the Effective Time, shall be, from and after the Effective Time, the Articles of
Organization of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter changed or amended as
provided therein or by applicable law.

         (b) The Company's Restated By-laws, as in effect at the Effective Time,
shall be,  from and after the  Effective  Time,  the  By-laws  of the  Surviving
Corporation  until  thereafter  changed  or amended  as  provided  therein or by
applicable law.

         SECTION 1.6.  Directors.  The  directors of Sub at the  Effective  Time
shall become,  from and after the Effective Time, the directors of the Surviving
Corporation,  until the earlier of their  resignation  or removal or until their
respective successors are duly elected and qualified, as the case may be.

                                       -2-

<PAGE>



         SECTION 1.7. Officers.  The officers of Sub at the Effective Time shall
become,  from and  after the  Effective  Time,  the  officers  of the  Surviving
Corporation,  until the earlier of their  resignation  or removal or until their
respective successors are duly elected and qualified, as the case may be.

         SECTION 1.8. Transfer of Shares to Parent. At or prior to the Effective
Time,  Joseph  Crugnale  and  the  trusts  established  for the  benefit  of Mr.
Crugnale's  children  (collectively,  the "Crugnale  Group")  shall  transfer to
Parent all of the  shares of  capital  stock of the  Company  held by them.  Any
transferees of shares of capital stock held by the Crugnale Group on the date of
this Agreement shall agree to be bound by the provisions of this Section 1.8.


                                   ARTICLE II
                     EFFECT OF THE MERGER ON THE SECURITIES
                         OF THE CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS

         SECTION 2.1.  Effect on Capital Stock.  As of the Effective Time, by
virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of any holder:

         (a) Common Stock of Sub.  Each share of the capital stock of Sub issued
and outstanding  immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into
and become one  validly  issued,  fully paid and  nonassessable  share of Common
Stock, par value $.005 per share, of the Surviving Corporation.

         (b) Cancellation of Treasury Stock and Parent-Owned  Stock.  Each share
of the capital stock of the Company issued or outstanding  immediately  prior to
the  Effective  Time that is owned by the  Company  or by Parent or Sub shall be
canceled  automatically  and  shall  cease  to  exist,  and  no  cash  or  other
consideration shall be delivered or deliverable in exchange therefor.

         (c) Conversion of Company Shares.  At the Effective Time, each share of
the Common Stock, par value $.005 per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock")
that is then  issued and  outstanding  (all such  shares of Common  Stock  being
hereinafter  referred to collectively as the "Company  Shares"),  other than (i)
shares to be canceled  pursuant to subsection  2.1(b) above and (ii) shares held
by Dissenting  Shareholders (as hereinafter  defined) (which shares, in the case
of clauses (i) and (ii) above, will not constitute  "Company Shares" hereunder),
shall be converted  into and become the right to receive,  upon surrender of the
certificate  representing  such Company Share in accordance  with Section 2.3, a
payment of $8.00 in cash, without interest thereon (the "Merger Consideration").

         (d)      Dissenting Shares. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement 
to the contrary, shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior
to the Effective Time and held by a holder (a "Dissenting Shareholder"), if any,
who has the right to demand, and who

                                       -3-

<PAGE>



properly  demands,  an appraisal of such shares in accordance with Section 85 of
the MBCL or any successor provision ("Dissenting Shares") shall not be converted
into a  right  to  receive  the  Merger  Consideration  unless  such  Dissenting
Shareholder  fails to perfect or otherwise  loses or withdraws  such  Dissenting
Shareholder's  right to such  appraisal,  if any.  Provided  the  holder  of any
Dissenting  Shares  complies with the provisions of the MBCL,  such holder shall
have with respect  thereto solely the rights  provided under Sections 86 through
98,  inclusive,  of the MBCL.  If, after the  Effective  Time,  such  Dissenting
Shareholder  fails to perfect or otherwise  loses or withdraws any such right to
appraisal,  each such share of such Dissenting Shareholder shall be treated as a
share that had been converted as of the Effective Time into the right to receive
the Merger  Consideration in accordance with this Section 2.1. The Company shall
give  prompt  notice  to Parent  of any  demands  received  by the  Company  for
appraisal  of any  Dissenting  Shares,  and  Parent  shall  have  the  right  to
participate in and direct all  negotiations and proceedings with respect to such
demands. The Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld,  make any payment with respect
to, or settle or offer to settle, any such demands.

         (e)  Cancellation  and Retirement of Common Stock.  As of the Effective
Time,  all  certificates   representing  shares  of  Common  Stock,  other  than
certificates  representing  shares to be canceled  in  accordance  with  Section
2.1(b) or Dissenting  Shares,  issued and outstanding  immediately  prior to the
Effective  Time,  shall no longer be  outstanding  and  shall  automatically  be
canceled and shall cease to exist, and each holder of a certificate representing
any such shares of Common  Stock  shall  cease to have any rights  with  respect
thereto,  except the right to receive the Merger Consideration upon surrender of
such certificate in accordance with Section 2.3.

         SECTION 2.2.   Stock Options.

         (a) As of the  Effective  Time,  each  outstanding,  unexercised  stock
option to purchase  shares of Common  Stock (a "Company  Stock  Option")  issued
under the  Company's  Amended  and  Restated  1987 Stock  Option Plan (the "1987
Plan"),  the 1989 Time Accelerated  Restricted Stock Option Plan (the "TARSOP"),
the 1993 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee  Directors (the "Director Plan") and
the 1997 Stock Option Plan (the "1997 Plan")  (collectively,  the "Company Stock
Option  Plans")  shall  terminate  and be canceled  and each holder of a Company
Stock Option shall be entitled to receive,  in  consideration  therefor,  a cash
payment from the Company  (which  payment  shall be made as soon as  practicable
after the Effective Time) equal to the product of (a) the excess, if any, of (x)
the Merger  Consideration  over (y) the per share exercise price of such Company
Stock Option, times (b) the number of Eligible Shares (as defined below) subject
to such Company  Stock  Option.  Such cash payment  shall be net of any required
withholding  taxes.  The term "Eligible  Shares" shall mean, (i) with respect to
any  Company  Stock  Option  granted  under the 1987 Plan,  the number of shares
subject  to such  option  as to which  such  option  shall  then be  vested  and
exercisable as of the Effective Date, and (ii) with respect to any Company Stock
Option  granted  under the  TARSOP,  the  Director  Plan or the 1997  Plan,  the
aggregate number of shares that shall then be subject to such option. The

                                       -4-

<PAGE>



Company's  obligation  to make any such cash payment (1) shall be subject to the
obtaining of any  necessary  consents of optionees to the  cancellation  of such
Company Stock Options,  in form and substance  satisfactory  to Parent,  and (2)
shall not require any action  which  violates  any of the Company  Stock  Option
Plans.  As of the Effective Time, each of the Company Stock Option Plans and the
Company's 1992 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP") shall  terminate and be
of no further  force or effect,  and the Company shall take such action as shall
be necessary to ensure, to Parent's reasonable satisfaction, that no holder of a
Company Stock Option or  participant  in the ESPP will have any right to acquire
any interest in the Surviving  Corporation  under the Company Stock Option Plans
or the ESPP.

         (b)  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of Section  2.2(a),  at Parent's
option,  in lieu of canceling  the unvested  portion of any Company Stock Option
granted under the 1987 Plan, Parent may offer to assume such unvested portion or
to grant as of the Effective Time a substitute or replacement option to purchase
shares of the capital stock of Parent.

         (c) The Company's  obligation  to make the cash  payments  specified in
Section  2.2(a) with respect to any Company Stock Option shall be reduced to the
extent  that  Parent  and the holder of such  Company  Stock  Option  shall have
mutually  agreed,  at or prior to the Effective  Time, to the assumption of such
Company  Stock  Option by Parent  or the  grant by  Parent  of a  substitute  or
replacement stock option, shares of capital stock, stock purchase right or other
equity interest issued by Parent.

         SECTION 2.3.  Exchange of Certificates.

         (a) Paying Agent. As of the Effective Time, Sub (or the Company, as the
Surviving  Corporation) shall deposit,  or shall cause to be deposited,  with or
for the account of a bank, trust company or other agent designated by Sub, which
shall be reasonably  satisfactory to the Company (the "Paying  Agent"),  for the
benefit of the holders of shares of Common  Stock,  cash in an aggregate  amount
equal to the product of (x) the number of Company  Shares,  times (y) the Merger
Consideration (such amount being hereinafter referred to as the "Payment Fund").
The Paying  Agent  shall  invest the Payment  Fund as directed by the  Surviving
Corporation.

         (b) Exchange  Procedures.  As soon as  practicable  after the Effective
Time,  each holder of an  outstanding  certificate or  certificates  which prior
thereto  represented Company Shares shall, upon surrender to the Paying Agent of
such certificate or certificates and acceptance  thereof by the Paying Agent, be
entitled  to the amount of cash  which the  aggregate  number of Company  Shares
previously  represented by such  certificate or certificates  surrendered  shall
have been converted into the right to receive pursuant to subsection 2.1(c). The
Paying Agent shall accept such certificates upon compliance with such reasonable
terms  and  conditions  as the  Paying  Agent may  impose  to effect an  orderly
exchange  thereof  in  accordance  with  normal  exchange   practices.   If  the
consideration  to be  paid  in the  Merger  (or any  portion  thereof)  is to be
delivered  to any person  other  than the  person in whose name the  certificate
representing

                                       -5-

<PAGE>



Company  Shares  surrendered in exchange  therefor is registered,  it shall be a
condition to such exchange that the certificate so surrendered shall be properly
endorsed  with the  signature  guaranteed  or  otherwise  be in proper  form for
transfer and that the person  requesting  such exchange  shall pay to the Paying
Agent any  transfer  or other tax  required  by  reason of the  payment  of such
consideration  to a person other than the registered  holder of the  certificate
surrendered,  or shall  establish to the  satisfaction  of the Paying Agent that
such tax has been paid or is not  applicable.  After the Effective  Time,  there
shall be no further transfer on the records of the Company or its transfer agent
of  certificates  representing  Common  Stock,  and  if  such  certificates  are
presented to the Company for transfer,  they shall be canceled  against delivery
of the Merger  Consideration  as  hereinabove  provided.  Until  surrendered  as
contemplated by this subsection 2.3(b),  each certificate  representing  Company
Shares shall be deemed at any time after the  Effective  Time to represent  only
the right to receive upon such surrender the Merger  Consideration,  without any
interest  thereon,  as  contemplated by Section 2.1. No interest will be paid or
will accrue on any cash payable as Merger Consideration to any holder of Company
Shares.

         (c) Letter of Transmittal. Promptly after the Effective Time (but in no
event more than five business days thereafter),  the Surviving Corporation shall
require the Paying  Agent to mail to each  record  holder of  certificates  that
immediately  prior to the Effective Time  represented  Company Shares which have
been  converted  pursuant to Section  2.1, a form of letter of  transmittal  and
instructions  for  use in  surrendering  such  certificates  and  receiving  the
consideration  to which such  holder  shall be  entitled  therefor  pursuant  to
Section 2.1.

         (d)  No  Further   Ownership   Rights  in  Common  Stock.   The  Merger
Consideration paid upon the surrender for exchange of certificates  representing
Company  Shares in accordance  with the terms of this Article II shall be deemed
to have been issued and paid in full  satisfaction  of all rights  pertaining to
the Company Shares theretofore  represented by such certificates,  and no holder
of Company  Shares  shall  thereby  have any equity  interest  in the  Surviving
Corporation.

         (e)  Termination of Payment Fund. Any portion of the Payment Fund which
remains  undistributed to the holders of the certificates  representing  Company
Shares for one year after the Effective Time shall be delivered to the Surviving
Corporation,  upon  demand,  and any  holders  of  Company  Shares  who have not
theretofore  complied  with this  Article II shall  thereafter  look only to the
Surviving Corporation and only as general creditors thereof for payment of their
claim for the Merger Consideration.

         (f) No Liability. None of Parent, Sub, the Surviving Corporation or the
Paying  Agent  shall be liable to any  person in  respect  of any cash,  shares,
dividends or  distributions  payable from the Payment Fund delivered to a public
official pursuant to any applicable abandoned property,  escheat or similar law.
If any certificates  representing Company Shares shall not have been surrendered
prior to five  years  after the  Effective  Time (or  immediately  prior to such
earlier date on which the Merger  Consideration  in respect of such  certificate
would otherwise escheat to

                                       -6-

<PAGE>



or become  the  property  of any  Governmental  Entity  (as  defined  in Section
3.1(c)), any such cash, shares, dividends or distributions payable in respect of
such  certificate  shall, to the extent  permitted by applicable law, become the
property of the Surviving Corporation,  free and clear of all claims or interest
of any person previously entitled thereto.

         (g) Withholding Rights. The Surviving Corporation,  Parent or Sub shall
be entitled to deduct and  withhold  from the  consideration  otherwise  payable
pursuant to this  Agreement to any holder of Company  Shares such amounts as the
Surviving  Corporation,  Parent or Sub is required to deduct and  withhold  with
respect to the making of such payment under the Code, or any provision of state,
local or foreign tax law, including,  without limitation,  withholdings required
in connection with payments with respect to Company Stock Options. To the extent
that amounts are so withheld by the Surviving  Corporation,  Parent or Sub, such
withheld  amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this  Agreement as having
been paid to the holder in respect of which such deduction and  withholding  was
made.


                                   ARTICLE III
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

         SECTION 3.1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to Parent and Sub as follows:

         (a)  Organization,  Standing  and  Corporate  Power.  The  Company is a
corporation  duly  organized,  validly  existing and in corporate  good standing
under  the  laws of the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  and has the  requisite
corporate power and authority and any necessary  governmental authority to carry
on its  business  as now  being  conducted  and to own,  operate  and  lease its
properties.  The Company is duly  qualified or licensed to do business and is in
good  standing in each  jurisdiction  in which the nature of its business or the
ownership or leasing of its  properties  makes such  qualification  or licensing
necessary, other than in such jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified
or licensed (individually or in the aggregate) would not have a material adverse
effect  upon (i) the  business,  assets,  properties,  condition  (financial  or
otherwise)  or results of  operations  of the Company and the  Subsidiaries  (as
defined in subsection  3.1(b) hereof) taken as a whole, or (ii) the transactions
contemplated  hereby or the legality or validity of this  Agreement (a "Material
Adverse  Effect").  The Company has  delivered  to Parent  complete  and correct
copies of its Restated Articles of Organization and Restated By-laws, as amended
to the date of this Agreement.

         (b)  Subsidiaries.  Section 3.1(b) of the disclosure  schedule attached
hereto  (the  "Disclosure  Schedule")  sets  forth  the  name,  jurisdiction  of
incorporation,  capitalization and number of shares of outstanding capital stock
of each  corporation  of which the  Company  owns,  directly  or  indirectly,  a
majority of the outstanding  capital stock  (individually,  a "Subsidiary"  and,
collectively,  the  "Subsidiaries").  All the issued and  outstanding  shares of
capital stock of each

                                       -7-

<PAGE>



Subsidiary  are  validly  issued,  fully paid and  nonassessable  and are owned,
directly or indirectly,  by the Company,  beneficially  and of record,  free and
clear of all  liens,  pledges,  encumbrances  or  restrictions  of any kind.  No
Subsidiary has  outstanding any securities  convertible  into or exchangeable or
exercisable  for any  shares of its  capital  stock,  there  are no  outstanding
options,  warrants or other  rights to purchase or acquire any capital  stock of
any  Subsidiary,  there are no irrevocable  proxies with respect to such shares,
and  there  are  no  contracts,  commitments,  understandings,  arrangements  or
restrictions by which any Subsidiary or the Company is bound to issue additional
shares of the capital stock of a Subsidiary. Except for the Subsidiaries, and as
otherwise  disclosed in Section 3.1(b) of the Disclosure  Schedule,  the Company
does not  own,  directly  or  indirectly,  any  capital  stock  or other  equity
securities of any  corporation or have any direct or indirect equity interest in
any business.  Each  Subsidiary  (a) is a corporation  duly  organized,  validly
existing  and  in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of  its   jurisdiction   of
incorporation;  (b) has all  requisite  corporate  power and  authority  and any
necessary  governmental  authority  to carry on its  business as it is now being
conducted and to own, operate and lease its properties, except where the failure
to have such  governmental  authority would not have a Material  Adverse Effect;
and (c) is qualified or licensed to do business as a foreign  corporation and is
in good  standing in each of the  jurisdictions  in which (i) the  ownership  or
leasing  of  real  property  or  the  conduct  of  its  business  requires  such
qualification  or licensing and (ii) the failure to be so qualified or licensed,
either singly or in the aggregate,  would have a Material  Adverse  Effect.  The
Company has delivered to Parent  complete and correct  copies of the Articles of
Organization or other charter documents and By-laws of each Subsidiary,  each as
amended to date.

         (c) Capitalization. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock
of the Company consists of 200,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $.01 par value per
share ("Preferred Stock"), and 15,000,000 shares of Common Stock. As of the date
hereof, there are no shares of Preferred Stock issued or outstanding.  As of the
date  hereof,  8,905,121  shares of Common  Stock are  issued  and  outstanding,
566,550 shares of Common Stock are reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding
Company Stock Options,  and no shares of Common Stock are held by the Company in
its  treasury.  Except as set forth above,  no shares of capital  stock or other
equity  securities  of  the  Company  are  issued,   reserved  for  issuance  or
outstanding. All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and all
shares which may be issued  pursuant to the Company  Stock Option Plans will be,
when issued, duly authorized,  validly issued,  fully paid and nonassessable and
not subject to preemptive  rights.  Section  3.1(c) of the  Disclosure  Schedule
accurately  sets forth the number of Company  Shares  issuable  upon exercise of
each outstanding  Company Stock Option,  the vesting schedule  thereof,  and the
applicable exercise price with respect to each such Company Stock Option. Except
as set forth in Section  3.1(c) of the Disclosure  Schedule,  the Company has no
outstanding  option,   warrant,   subscription  or  other  right,  agreement  or
commitment  which either (i) obligates  the Company to issue,  sell or transfer,
repurchase,  redeem or otherwise acquire or vote any shares of the capital stock
of the Company or (ii)  restricts  the transfer of Common  Stock.  Except as set
forth  in  Section  3.1(c)  of  the  Disclosure  Schedule,  the  Company  has no
outstanding stock appreciation rights, phantom stock or stock equivalents.

                                       -8-

<PAGE>



         (d) Authority;  Enforceability;  Noncontravention.  The Company has the
requisite  corporate  power and  authority  to enter  into this  Agreement  and,
subject to the approval of its  stockholders as set forth in Section 6.1(a) with
respect to the  consummation  of the Merger,  to  consummate  the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The execution and delivery of
this  Agreement  by the  Company  and the  consummation  by the  Company  of the
transactions  contemplated  hereby have been duly  authorized  by all  necessary
corporate  action on the part of the  Company,  subject to the  approval  of its
stockholders  as set  forth in  Section  6.1(a).  This  Agreement  has been duly
executed  and  delivered  by the  Company  and  constitutes  a valid and binding
obligation of the Company,  enforceable  against the Company in accordance  with
its terms,  except that the enforceability  hereof may be subject to bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in
effect relating to creditors'  rights  generally and that the remedy of specific
performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to
equitable  defenses  and to  the  discretion  of  the  court  before  which  any
proceeding therefor may be brought. The execution and delivery of this Agreement
do not, and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement
and  compliance  with the  provisions  hereof  will not,  (i) violate any of the
provisions of the Restated  Articles of Organization or Restated  By-laws of the
Company, or (ii) subject to the governmental  filings and other matters referred
to in the  following  sentence,  contravene  any law,  rule or regulation of any
state or of the United States or any political  subdivision  thereof or therein,
including  any  licensing  board  or  agency,  or  any  order,  writ,  judgment,
injunction,  decree,  determination or award currently in effect,  which, in the
case of clause (ii)  above,  singly or in the  aggregate,  would have a Material
Adverse Effect or prevent consummation of the transactions  contemplated hereby.
No consent,  approval or  authorization  of, or  declaration  or filing with, or
notice  to,  any  governmental   agency,   board  or  regulatory   authority  (a
"Governmental  Entity"),  which has not been received or made, is required by or
with respect to the Company or any  Subsidiary in connection  with the execution
and delivery of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation by the Company
of the transactions  contemplated hereby, except for (i) the requirements of the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  (ii) the
filing of  articles  of merger  with the  Massachusetts  Secretary  of State and
appropriate documents with the relevant authorities of other states in which the
Company is qualified to do business,  and (iii) such other consents,  approvals,
authorizations,  filings or  notices  as are set forth in Section  3.1(d) of the
Disclosure Schedule.

         (e)  Financial  Statements;  SEC  Reports.  The Company has  previously
furnished  Parent and Sub with true and complete copies of (i) its Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  December 28, 1996 (the "Annual  Report")
filed by the Company with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the "SEC"),
(ii) its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended April 19, July 12
and October 4, 1997  (collectively,  the "Quarterly  Reports" and, together with
the Annual Report, the "Reports") filed by the Company with the SEC, (iii) proxy
statements  relating to all of the Company's  meetings of shareholders  (whether
annual or special) held or scheduled to be held since December 28, 1996 and (iv)
each other  registration  statement,  proxy or information  statement or current
report on Form 8-K filed since December

                                       -9-

<PAGE>



28, 1996 by the Company with the SEC.  Since  December 24, 1992, the Company has
complied in all  material  respects  with its SEC filing  obligations  under the
Exchange Act and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities  Act").
The financial  statements and related schedules and notes thereto of the Company
contained in the Reports (or incorporated therein by reference) were prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (except, in the case of
unaudited quarterly financial statements,  as permitted by Form 10-Q) applied on
a consistent  basis except as noted therein,  and fairly present in all material
respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its consolidated
Subsidiaries  as of the dates  thereof  and the  consolidated  results  of their
operations  and cash flows for the periods  then ended,  subject (in the case of
interim unaudited  financial  statements) to normal year-end audit  adjustments,
and such financial  statements  complied as to form as of their respective dates
in all material  respects with applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. Each
such  registration  statement,  proxy  statement  and  Report  was  prepared  in
accordance  with the  requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and
did  not,  on the  date  of  effectiveness  in the  case  of  such  registration
statements,  on the date of mailing in the case of such proxy  statements and on
the date of filing in the case of such Reports,  contain any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material  fact required to be stated  therein
or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading.

         (f) Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Except as may be disclosed in
the  Reports  or as  otherwise  disclosed  in Section  3.1(f) of the  Disclosure
Schedule, since October 4, 1997 there has not been (1) any declaration,  setting
aside or payment of any dividend or other distribution in respect of the capital
stock of the Company or any  redemption or other  acquisition  by the Company of
any of its capital  stock;  (2) any  issuance by the  Company,  or  agreement or
commitment of the Company to issue, any shares of its Common Stock or securities
convertible  into or  exchangeable  for shares of its Common  Stock,  except for
stock  options  and stock  purchase  rights set forth in  Section  3.1(c) of the
Disclosure  Schedule;  (3) any  change by the  Company  in  accounting  methods,
principles  or  practices  except as required by generally  accepted  accounting
principles; or (4) any agreement or commitment, whether in writing or otherwise,
to take any action described in this subsection  3.1(f).  Since October 4, 1997,
the Company and the Subsidiaries  have conducted their respective  businesses in
all material  respects only in the ordinary course,  consistent with past custom
and practice, except as contemplated by this Agreement.

         (g) 1997  Financial  Information.  The financial and other  information
relating  to the  Company's  1997 fiscal year and fourth  fiscal  quarter  ended
December  27, 1997 set forth in Section  3.1(g) of the  Disclosure  Schedule was
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting  principles applied on
a basis consistent with the financial  information set forth in the Reports, and
fairly presents in all material respects the consolidated  financial position of
the Company and its  consolidated  Subsidiaries  as of December 27, 1997 and the
consolidated  results of their operations for the fiscal year and fiscal quarter
then ended.


                                      -10-

<PAGE>



         (h) No Undisclosed  Liabilities.  Except as set forth in the Reports or
on Section 3.1(g) of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has any liabilities (absolute,  accrued,  contingent or otherwise),
except liabilities (1) in the aggregate adequately provided for in the Company's
audited balance sheet  (including any related notes thereto) for the fiscal year
ended  December  28,  1996  included  in the Annual  Report  (the "1996  Balance
Sheet"),  (2) incurred in the ordinary course of business and not required under
generally  accepted  accounting  principles  to be reflected on the 1996 Balance
Sheet,  (3) incurred since December 28, 1996 in the ordinary  course of business
consistent with past practice, (4) incurred in connection with this Agreement or
(5) which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

         (i)  Compliance  With Laws. The business of the Company and each of the
Subsidiaries  has been  operated  at all times in material  compliance  with all
applicable  statutes,  laws,  rules,  regulations,  permits,  licenses,  orders,
injunctions and judgments (collectively, "Laws"), including, without limitation,
any applicable Laws regulating  environmental  matters,  immigration,  wages and
hours,  working  conditions or health and safety,  except for such violations or
failures to comply that, individually or in the aggregate,  would not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect nor have a material adverse effect
on the Financing (as defined herein).

         (j) Litigation.  Except as disclosed in the Reports,  there is no suit,
action or  proceeding  pending or, to the  knowledge of the Company,  threatened
against the Company or any of the  Subsidiaries  which,  individually  or in the
aggregate,  could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect,  nor
is there any judgment,  decree,  injunction,  rule or order of any  Governmental
Entity  outstanding  against  the  Company  or any of  its  Subsidiaries  which,
individually  or in the  aggregate,  could  reasonably  be  expected  to  have a
Material Adverse Effect.

         (k) Company Schedule 13E-3 and Proxy Materials.  All of the information
supplied by the Company for inclusion in the Rule 13e-3 Transaction Statement on
Schedule  13E-3 (the  "Schedule  13E-3")  referred to in Section 5.2 hereof will
not, on the date the Schedule  13E-3 is first filed with the SEC, and all of the
information  supplied by the  Company  for  inclusion  in the  definitive  proxy
statement (the "Definitive Proxy  Statement")  referred to in Section 5.2 hereof
will not, on the date when the Definitive Proxy Statement is first mailed to the
Company's  shareholders,  and  the  Schedule  13E-3  and  the  Definitive  Proxy
Statement,  as then  amended  or  supplemented,  will  not,  on the  date of the
Company's  stockholders'  meeting  referred  to in Section  5.1 hereof or on the
Closing Date, contain any untrue statement of any material fact or omit to state
any material  fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in order to make
the  statements  therein,  in light of the  circumstances  under which they were
made,  not  misleading.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  the Company  makes no
representation or warranty regarding  information furnished by Parent or Sub for
inclusion  in the  Schedule  13E-3 or the  Definitive  Proxy  Statement  (or any
amendment or supplement  thereto).  The Schedule 13E-3 and the Definitive  Proxy
Statement will comply as to form and, with respect to information supplied or

                                      -11-

<PAGE>



to be supplied in writing by or on behalf of the  Company for  inclusion  in the
Definitive  Proxy  Statement,  substance  in  all  material  respects  with  the
requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the
SEC thereunder.

         (l) Board  Recommendation.  The  Company's  Board of Directors  has (i)
recommended  that the stockholders of the Company vote for approval and adoption
of this  Agreement and the Merger,  and (ii) taken such other action as shall be
necessary to exempt this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby from
the provisions set forth in (x) Article 6 of the Company's  Restated Articles of
Organization   under  the  captions   "Vote   Required   for  Certain   Business
Combinations"  and  "Redemption  of Shares" and (y) Article 11 of the  Company's
Restated By-laws.

         (m) Fairness  Opinion.  The  Company's  Board of Directors has received
from  its  financial  advisor,  NationsBanc  Montgomery  Securities,  Inc.  (the
"Financial Advisor"),  a written opinion, or a verbal opinion to be confirmed in
writing prior to the filing with the SEC of the Preliminary  Proxy Statement (as
defined  herein),  addressed to it for  inclusion in the Schedule  13E-3 and the
Definitive  Proxy Statement to the effect that the  consideration to be received
by the  stockholders  of the  Company  pursuant  to the  Merger  is fair to such
stockholders from a financial point of view.

         (n) Brokers. No broker,  investment banker,  financial advisor or other
person, the fees and expenses of which will be paid by the Company,  is entitled
to  any  broker's,  finder's,  financial  advisor's  or  other  similar  fee  or
commission in connection with the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,
other than pursuant to an  engagement  letter with the  Financial  Advisor,  the
terms of which have been disclosed to Parent.

         SECTION 3.2.  Representations and Warranties of Parent and Sub. Parent
and Sub represent and warrant to the Company as follows:

         (a) Organization, Standing and Corporate Power. Parent is a corporation
duly organized,  validly  existing and in corporate good standing under the laws
of the State of Delaware. Sub is a corporation duly organized,  validly existing
and  in  corporate  good  standing  under  the  laws  of  the   Commonwealth  of
Massachusetts.  Each of Parent  and Sub has the  requisite  corporate  power and
authority  to carry on its business as now being  conducted.  Each of Parent and
Sub is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction  in which the nature of its business or the ownership or leasing of
its properties makes such  qualification or licensing  necessary,  other than in
such   jurisdictions   where  the  failure  to  be  so   qualified  or  licensed
(individually or in the aggregate) would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

         (b)  Capitalization.  As of the date of this Agreement,  the authorized
capital stock of Parent consists of 1,000,000  shares of Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share, 100 shares of which are presently  issued and  outstanding,  and
1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value

                                      -12-

<PAGE>



$.01 per share, no shares of which are presently issued and  outstanding.  As of
the date of this  Agreement,  the  authorized  capital  stock of Sub consists of
200,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share,  1,000 shares of which
are presently  issued and outstanding,  which  constitutes all of the issued and
outstanding  capital stock of Sub. All of the issued and  outstanding  shares of
capital   stock  of  Parent  and  Sub  are  validly   issued,   fully  paid  and
nonassessable.

         (c) Authority;  Enforceability;  Noncontravention.  Parent and Sub have
all requisite  corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to
consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
The  execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  by  Parent  and  Sub and the
consummation  by  Parent  and  Sub  of the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
Agreement  have been duly  authorized by all necessary  corporate  action on the
part of Parent and Sub.  This  Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by
and  constitutes  a valid and  binding  obligation  of each of  Parent  and Sub,
enforceable  against such party in  accordance  with its terms,  except that the
enforceability hereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,  reorganization,
moratorium  or other  similar  laws  now or  hereafter  in  effect  relating  to
creditors'  rights  generally  and that the remedy of specific  performance  and
injunctive  and other  forms of  equitable  relief may be  subject to  equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor
may be brought.  The  execution  and delivery of this  Agreement do not, and the
consummation of the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement and compliance
with the provisions of this Agreement will not (i) violate any of the provisions
of the charter  documents  or By-laws of Parent or Sub,  or (ii)  subject to the
governmental  filings and other matters  referred to in the following  sentence,
contravene  any law,  rule or regulation of any state or of the United States or
any political  subdivision  thereof or therein,  or any order,  writ,  judgment,
injunction,  decree,  determination or award currently in effect,  which, in the
case of clause (ii)  above,  singly or in the  aggregate,  would have a material
adverse effect on the business,  financial condition or results of operations of
Parent  and Sub taken as a whole or  prevent  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated hereby. No consent, approval or authorization of, or declaration or
filing with, or notice to, any  Governmental  Entity which has not been received
or made is required by or with respect to Parent or Sub in  connection  with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent or Sub or the consummation by
Parent or Sub, as the case may be, of any of the  transactions  contemplated  by
this  Agreement,  except for (i) the  requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) the
filing of the articles of merger with the  Massachusetts  Secretary of State and
appropriate documents with the relevant authorities of other states in which the
Company is qualified to do business,  and (iii) such other consents,  approvals,
authorizations,  filings or  notices  as are set forth in Section  3.1(d) of the
Disclosure Schedule.

         (d)  Financing.  Parent and Sub have  received  and  accepted a written
commitment or commitments  (the  "Commitments")  from  BankBoston,  N.A.,  Fleet
National Bank and BancBoston  Securities  Inc. dated as of February 13, 1998, to
provide financing for the transactions  contemplated  hereby, on or prior to the
Closing Date, in an aggregate amount of not

                                      -13-

<PAGE>



less than  $77,500,000  (the  "Financing"),  which  Financing is  sufficient  to
consummate the transactions  currently  contemplated by Section 6.2(c). True and
correct copies of the Commitments have been provided to the Company prior to the
date hereof.

         (e) Schedule 13E-3 and Proxy  Materials.  All of the  information to be
furnished  by  Parent  or Sub  for  inclusion  in the  Schedule  13E-3  and  the
Definitive Proxy Statement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) will not, in
the case of the Schedule 13E-3,  on the date it is first filed,  and in the case
of the  Definitive  Proxy  Statement,  on the  date it is  first  mailed  to the
Company's shareholders, and in the case of the Schedule 13E-3 and the Definitive
Proxy Statement,  as then amended or supplemented,  on the date of the Company's
stockholders'  meeting referred to in Section 5.1 hereof or on the Closing Date,
contain any statement  which is false or misleading with respect to any material
fact or omit to state  any  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under  which they were made,  not  misleading.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,
Parent  and  Sub  make  no  representation  or  warranty  regarding  information
furnished by the Company for inclusion in the Schedule  13E-3 or the  Definitive
Proxy  Statement (or any amendment or supplement  thereto).  The Schedule  13E-3
will  comply as to form and,  with  respect  to  information  supplied  or to be
supplied  in  writing  by or on behalf of  Parent  or Sub for  inclusion  in the
Schedule 13E-3,  substance in all material respects with the requirements of the
Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.

         (f) Brokers. No broker,  investment banker,  financial advisor or other
person,  the fees  and  expenses  of which  will be paid by  Parent  or Sub,  is
entitled to any broker's,  finder's, financial advisor's or other similar fee or
commission in connection with the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement,
except for fees and expenses payable to BancBoston Securities Inc.


                                   ARTICLE IV
                          COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT
                           OF BUSINESS PRIOR TO MERGER

         SECTION 4.1. Conduct of Business of the Company. Except as contemplated
by this  Agreement,  during the period  from the date of this  Agreement  to the
Effective  Time, the Company shall operate,  and shall cause each  Subsidiary to
operate,  its business in the ordinary course of business.  Without limiting the
generality of the  foregoing,  during the period from the date of this Agreement
to the Effective Time, except as expressly  contemplated by this Agreement,  the
Company and the  Subsidiaries  shall not,  without the prior written  consent of
Parent:

         (i) (x) declare,  set aside or pay any  dividends on, or make any other
distributions  (whether in cash,  stock or  property)  in respect of, any of the
Company's outstanding capital stock, (y) split, combine or reclassify any of its
outstanding capital stock or issue or authorize the

                                      -14-

<PAGE>



issuance of any other  securities  in respect of, in lieu of or in  substitution
for  shares  of its  outstanding  capital  stock,  or (z)  purchase,  redeem  or
otherwise  acquire  any  shares  of  outstanding  capital  stock or any  rights,
warrants or options to acquire any such shares;

         (ii) issue, sell, grant, pledge or otherwise encumber any shares of its
capital stock, any other voting  securities or any securities  convertible into,
or any  rights,  warrants  or  options  to  acquire,  any  such  shares,  voting
securities or convertible  securities,  including under the ESPP, except for the
issuance  of shares of Common  Stock  upon  exercise  of Company  Stock  Options
outstanding prior to the date of this Agreement and disclosed in Section 3.1(c),
or take any action that would make the Company's  representations and warranties
set forth in Section 3.1(c) not true and correct in all material respects;

         (iii)    amend its Restated Articles of Organization or Restated 
By-laws or the comparable charter or organizational documents of any Subsidiary;

         (iv)  acquire  any  business  or any  corporation,  partnership,  joint
venture,  association or other business organization or division thereof (or any
interest therein), or form any subsidiaries;

         (v)      sell or otherwise dispose of any of its substantial assets, 
except in the ordinary course of business;

         (vi) make any capital expenditures, enter into leases or agreements for
new locations,  or make other  commitments with respect thereto,  except capital
expenditures, leases, agreements or commitments (i) set forth on Section 4.1(vi)
of the Disclosure  Schedule,  or (ii) not exceeding $100,000 in the aggregate as
the Company may, in its discretion, deem appropriate;

         (vii) (x) incur any  indebtedness  for  borrowed  money or guaranty any
such  indebtedness of another person,  other than (A) borrowings in the ordinary
course under existing lines of credit (or under any refinancing of such existing
lines),  (B) indebtedness  owing to, or guaranties of indebtedness owing to, the
Company  or (C) in  connection  with the  Financing,  or (y)  make any  loans or
advances to any other person, other than routine advances to employees;

         (viii) grant or agree to grant to any employee any increase in wages or
bonus, severance, profit sharing, retirement,  deferred compensation,  insurance
or other compensation or benefits,  or establish any new compensation or benefit
plans or  arrangements,  or amend or agree to amend any existing  Company Plans,
except as may be required under existing agreements or in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practices;

         (ix) merge,  amalgamate or consolidate  with any other person or entity
in any transaction,  sell all or substantially all of its business or assets, or
acquire all or  substantially  all of the business or assets of any other person
or entity;


                                      -15-

<PAGE>



         (x)      enter into or amend any employment, consulting, severance or 
similar agreement with any person;

         (xi)     change its accounting policies in any material respect, except
as required by generally accepted accounting principles; or

         (xii)    commit or agree to take any of the foregoing actions.

         SECTION 4.2. Other Actions. The Company,  Parent and Sub shall not take
any action that would,  or that could  reasonably  be expected to, result in (i)
any of the  representations  and  warranties  of such  party  set  forth in this
Agreement that are qualified as to materiality becoming untrue, (ii) any of such
representations  and warranties that are not so qualified becoming untrue in any
material  respect  or (iii) any of the  conditions  of the  Merger  set forth in
Article VI not being satisfied.


                                    ARTICLE V
                              ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

         SECTION 5.1.  Meeting of  Stockholders.  The Company will promptly take
all action necessary in accordance with applicable law and its Restated Articles
of Organization and Restated By-laws to duly call, give notice of, and convene a
meeting of its stockholders (the  "Stockholders'  Meeting") to consider and vote
upon the adoption and approval of this  Agreement and the Merger and all actions
contemplated  hereby  which  require  approval  and  adoption  by the  Company's
stockholders;  provided, however, that the obligations contained herein shall be
subject to the provisions of Section 5.8.  Joseph  Crugnale shall agree to cause
all of the shares of capital stock of the Company held by the Crugnale  Group to
be voted, either in person or by proxy, in favor of the adoption and approval of
this Agreement and the Merger at the Stockholders' Meeting.

         SECTION 5.2.  Proxy Statement; Schedule 13E-3.

         (a) The Company will promptly (but in any event within 15 business days
from the date of this Agreement or 5 business days from the Company's receipt of
its  independent  auditor's  report  on  the  Company's  fiscal  1997  financial
statements, whichever is later) prepare and file, and the Company will cooperate
with Parent in the  preparation  and filing of, the Schedule  13E-3 with the SEC
with respect to the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement.  In connection
with the Stockholders'  Meeting  contemplated  hereby, the Company will promptly
(but in any event within 15 business  days from the date of this  Agreement or 5
business days from the Company's receipt of its independent  auditor's report on
the Company's fiscal 1997 financial statements,  whichever is later) prepare and
file, and Parent will cooperate with the Company in the  preparation  and filing
of, a preliminary Proxy Statement relating to the

                                      -16-

<PAGE>



transactions  contemplated by this Agreement (the "Preliminary Proxy Statement")
with the SEC and will use its commercially reasonable best efforts to respond to
the comments of the SEC concerning the Schedule 13E-3 and the Preliminary  Proxy
Statement  and to cause  the  Definitive  Proxy  Statement  to be  mailed to the
Company's  stockholders,  in each case as soon as  reasonably  practicable.  The
Company  shall pay the filing fees for the  Schedule  13E-3 and the  Preliminary
Proxy  Statement.  Each party to this  Agreement  will notify the other  parties
promptly of the receipt of the  comments of the SEC, if any,  and of any request
by the SEC for amendments or supplements to the Schedule 13E-3,  the Preliminary
Proxy Statement or the Definitive Proxy Statement or for additional information,
and will supply the other parties with copies of all correspondence between such
party or its  representatives,  on the one hand,  and the SEC or  members of its
staff, on the other hand,  with respect to the Schedule  13E-3,  the Preliminary
Proxy Statement, the Definitive Proxy Statement or the Merger.

         (b) If at any time prior to the Stockholders' Meeting, any event should
occur  relating to the Company or any of the  Subsidiaries  which  should be set
forth  in an  amendment  of,  or a  supplement  to,  the  Schedule  13E-3 or the
Definitive Proxy Statement,  the Company will promptly inform Parent.  If at any
time prior to the  Stockholders'  Meeting,  any event should  occur  relating to
Parent or Sub or any of their respective  Associates or Affiliates,  or relating
to the  plans  of any such  persons  for the  Surviving  Corporation  after  the
Effective Time of the Merger,  or relating to the Financing,  that should be set
forth  in an  amendment  of,  or a  supplement  to,  the  Schedule  13E-3 or the
Definitive Proxy Statement,  the Company,  with the cooperation of Parent, will,
upon learning of such event, promptly prepare, file and, if required,  mail such
amendment or supplement to the Company's  stockholders;  provided that, prior to
such filing or mailing,  the Company  shall  consult with Parent with respect to
such amendment or supplement and shall afford Parent  reasonable  opportunity to
comment thereon.

         (c) Parent  will  furnish to the Company  the  information  relating to
Parent and Sub, their respective Associates and Affiliates and the plans of such
persons for the Surviving  Corporation  after the Effective  Time of the Merger,
and relating to the Financing, which is required to be set forth in the Schedule
13E-3,  the Preliminary  Proxy Statement or the Definitive Proxy Statement under
the  Exchange  Act and the  rules and  regulations  of the SEC  thereunder.  The
Company shall cause to be included,  (i) as an exhibit to the Preliminary  Proxy
Statement  and the  Definitive  Proxy  Statement,  the  fairness  opinion of the
Financial  Advisor referred to in Section 3.1(m),  and (ii) as an exhibit to the
Schedule 13E-3,  any materials  delivered to the Company's Board of Directors by
the Financial  Advisor in connection with the delivery of such fairness  opinion
which are required under Schedule 13E-3 to be filed as exhibits.

         SECTION 5.3. Access to Information; Confidentiality. From and after the
date hereof, the Company will provide to Parent complete access to the Company's
facilities,  books  and  records  and  shall  cause  the  directors,  employees,
accountants,  attorneys,  financial  advisors,  lenders  and  other  agents  and
representatives  (collectively,  "Representatives")  of the Company to cooperate
fully with Parent and Parent's  Representatives in connection with such persons'
due

                                      -17-

<PAGE>



diligence  investigation  of the Company and the  Company's  assets,  contracts,
liabilities,  operations,  records and other aspects of its business  (including
any environmental investigation of the Company's facilities).  Parent shall, and
shall cause Parent's  Representatives to, keep all information  supplied or made
available to Parent  hereunder in confidence  and shall not disclose the same to
any party other than its  Representatives on a "need to know" basis and only for
purposes of evaluating  the Merger and the  Financing.  Parent will not use such
information  except for evaluating the Merger and in connection with procurement
of the  Financing.  If the  Merger  is not  consummated  and this  Agreement  is
terminated in  accordance  with its terms,  Parent shall return any  information
provided hereunder.

         SECTION  5.4.  Commercially  Reasonable  Efforts.  Upon the  terms  and
subject to the conditions and other agreements set forth in this Agreement, each
of the parties agrees to use commercially  reasonable  efforts to take, or cause
to be taken,  all  actions,  and to do, or cause to be done,  and to assist  and
cooperate  with the other  parties  in doing,  all things  necessary,  proper or
advisable to  consummate  and make  effective,  in the most  expeditious  manner
practicable,  the  Merger  and  the  other  transactions  contemplated  by  this
Agreement,  including the satisfaction of the respective conditions set forth in
Article VI.

         SECTION 5.5.  Financing.  Each of Parent and Sub shall use commercially
reasonable  best  efforts to close the  Financing on terms  consistent  with the
Commitments or such other terms as shall be  satisfactory to them and to execute
and deliver definitive agreements with respect to the Financing (the "Definitive
Financing  Agreements") on or before the Closing Date.  Parent and Sub shall use
commercially  reasonable  best  efforts to satisfy on or before the Closing Date
all requirements of the Definitive  Financing Agreements which are conditions to
closing the  transactions  constituting  the  Financing  and to drawing the cash
proceeds  thereunder.  The obligations  contained  herein are not intended,  nor
shall they be construed,  to benefit or confer any rights upon any person,  firm
or entity other than the Company.

         SECTION 5.6.  Indemnification; Directors' and Officers' Insurance.

         (a) From and after the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Surviving
Corporation  to indemnify  and hold harmless each person who is now, at any time
has been or who becomes prior to the Effective Time a "Director/officer"  of the
Company (as defined in Article 7 of the  Company's  Restated  By-laws  ("Article
7")), and their heirs and personal  representatives (the "Indemnified Parties"),
against any and all  "Expenses" (as defined in Article 7) incurred in connection
with any  "Proceeding" (as defined in Article 7) arising out of or pertaining to
any action or omission occurring prior to the Effective Time (including, without
limitation,  any Proceeding  which arises out of or relates to the  transactions
contemplated   by  this   Agreement),   to  the  full  extent   permitted  under
Massachusetts law and the Surviving  Corporation's Restated By-laws in effect as
of the Effective Date or under any indemnification agreement in effect as of the
date of this Agreement.


                                      -18-

<PAGE>



         (b) The  Surviving  Corporation  shall  control the defense of any such
Proceeding  with counsel  selected by the Surviving  Corporation,  which counsel
shall be  reasonably  acceptable  to the  Indemnified  Party,  provided that the
Indemnified  Party  shall be  permitted  to  participate  in the defense of such
Proceeding at its own expense;  except that the Surviving  Corporation shall pay
as  incurred  the  reasonable  fees  and  expenses  of  counsel  retained  by an
Indemnified  Party in the  event  that  (i) the  Surviving  Corporation  and the
Indemnified Party shall have mutually agreed on the retention of such counsel or
(ii) the named parties to any Proceeding include both the Surviving  Corporation
and the Indemnified Party and representation of both parties by the same counsel
would be inappropriate,  in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Indemnified
Party,  due to  actual  or  potential  differing  interests  between  them;  and
provided,  further,  that if any D&O  Insurance  (as defined in paragraph (c) of
this Section 5.6) in effect at the time shall require the  insurance  company to
control such defense in order to obtain the full benefits of such  insurance and
such provision is consistent  with the provisions of the Company's D&O Insurance
existing as of the date of this  Agreement,  then the  provisions of such policy
shall govern. Neither Parent nor the Surviving Corporation shall in any event be
liable for any settlement  effected without its written  consent,  which consent
shall not be withheld unreasonably.

         (c) For a period of not less than six years after the  Effective  Time,
Parent or the Surviving  Corporation  shall  maintain  officers' and  directors'
liability  insurance ("D&O  Insurance")  covering each Indemnified  Party who is
presently covered by the Company's officers' and directors'  liability insurance
or will be so covered at the Effective Time with respect to actions or omissions
occurring  prior to the  Effective  Time, on terms no less  favorable  than such
insurance  maintained in effect by the Company as of the date hereof in terms of
coverage and amounts,  provided that Parent and the Surviving  Corporation shall
not be required to pay in the  aggregate an annual  premium for D&O Insurance in
excess of 125% of the last annual premium paid prior to the date hereof,  but in
such case shall purchase as much coverage as may be obtained for such amount.

         (d) The Restated  Articles of Organization  and Restated By-laws of the
Surviving   Corporation   shall   contain  the   provisions   with   respect  to
indemnification  set forth in the Restated Articles of Organization and Restated
By-laws of the Surviving  Corporation as of the Effective Date, which provisions
shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified after the Effective Time in
any manner that would adversely affect the rights  thereunder of the Indemnified
Parties  in  respect  of  actions  or  omissions  occurring  at or  prior to the
Effective Time (including,  without limitation, the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement),  unless such  modification is required by law. Parent,  Sub and
the Company  agree that all rights  existing in favor of any  Indemnified  Party
under  any  indemnification  agreement  in effect  as of the date  hereof  shall
survive  the Merger and shall  continue  in full force and  effect,  without any
amendment thereto.

         (e) The  provisions  of this  Section  5.6 are  intended  to be for the
benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each of the Indemnified Parties, his or
her heirs and his or her  personal  representatives  and shall be binding on all
successors and assigns of Parent, Sub, the Company

                                      -19-

<PAGE>



and the Surviving Corporation.

         SECTION 5.7. Public Announcements. Parent and Sub, on the one hand, and
the Company, on the other hand, will consult with each other before issuing, and
provide each other the opportunity to review and comment upon, any press release
or other public  statements  with respect to the  existence of and  transactions
contemplated  by this  Agreement,  and shall not issue any such press release or
make any such public statement  without the consent of the other party following
such  consultation,  except as may be required by applicable law,  regulation or
judicial  process,  and in such case only after  reasonable  notice to the other
party.

         SECTION 5.8. Acquisition Proposals. The Company shall not, nor shall it
authorize or permit any of its Representatives  to, directly or indirectly,  (i)
solicit,  initiate or knowingly  encourage  the  submission  of any  Acquisition
Proposal (as  hereinafter  defined) or (ii)  participate  in any  discussions or
negotiations regarding, or furnish to any person any non-public information with
respect to, or take any other action to  facilitate  any inquiries or the making
of any proposal that constitutes,  or may reasonably be expected to lead to, any
Acquisition Proposal;  provided,  however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit
the Board of  Directors of the Company (or, if  applicable,  the duly  appointed
Special Committee thereof) from: (i) furnishing information to, or entering into
discussions or  negotiations  with, any person in connection with an unsolicited
bona fide  Acquisition  Proposal by such person if, and to the extent that,  the
Board of Directors of the Company (or the Special Committee), after consultation
with  independent  legal  counsel (who may be the  Company's  regularly  engaged
independent counsel),  determines in good faith that such action is required for
the Board of Directors of the Company to comply with its  fiduciary  obligations
to  stockholders  under  applicable  law;  (ii)  withdrawing  or  modifying  its
recommendation  referred to in Section 3.1(l)  following  receipt of a bona fide
unsolicited  Acquisition  Proposal if the Board of  Directors of the Company (or
the Special  Committee),  after consultation with independent legal counsel (who
may be the Company's regularly engaged independent counsel),  determines in good
faith that such action is necessary for the Board of Directors of the Company to
comply with its fiduciary duties to stockholders  under applicable law; or (iii)
making to the Company's  stockholders any recommendation and related filing with
the SEC as required by Rule 14e-2 and 14d-9 under the Exchange Act, with respect
to any tender offer,  or taking any other legally  required  action  (including,
without  limitation,  the making of public  disclosures  as may be  necessary or
advisable under  applicable  securities  laws); and provided  further,  however,
that,  in the event of an exercise of the  Company's or its Board of  Director's
(or the Special  Committee's)  rights  under  clause (i),  (ii) or (iii)  above,
notwithstanding  anything  contained  in this  Agreement to the  contrary,  such
failure  shall not  constitute a breach of this  Agreement  by the Company.  The
Company shall provide  immediate  written notice to Parent of the receipt of any
such Acquisition  Proposal and of the Company's intention to furnish information
to, or enter into discussions or negotiations  with, such person or entity.  For
purposes of this  Agreement,  "Acquisition  Proposal"  means any  proposal  with
respect to a merger,  consolidation,  share  exchange,  tender  offer or similar
transaction  involving the Company,  or any purchase or other acquisition of all
or any significant portion of the assets of the Company, or

                                      -20-

<PAGE>



any equity interest in the Company, other than the transactions contemplated
hereby.

         SECTION 5.9. Stockholder Litigation.  The Company shall give Parent the
opportunity  to  participate,  at the  expense  of  Parent,  in the  defense  or
settlement  of  any   stockholder   litigation   against  the  Company  and  its
Representatives  relating to the  transactions  contemplated  by this Agreement;
provided,  however,  that no such settlement shall be agreed to without Parent's
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

         SECTION 5.10.  Board Action  Relating to Stock Option Plans. As soon as
practicable following the date of this Agreement,  the Board of Directors of the
Company (or, if appropriate,  any committee administering a Company Stock Option
Plan) shall adopt such  resolutions  or take such  actions as may be required to
adjust the terms of all  outstanding  Company Stock  Options in accordance  with
Section 2.2 and shall make such other  changes to the Company Stock Option Plans
and the ESPP as Parent deems  appropriate  to give effect to the Merger,  and to
terminate  such  plans  as  of  the  Effective  Time.   Promptly  following  the
termination of the ESPP, the Company or the Surviving  Corporation,  as the case
may be,  shall  refund  to each  participant  in the ESPP in cash the  amount of
payroll  deductions,  if any, then credited to such participant's  account under
the ESPP in accordance with the provisions of Section 19 of the ESPP.

         SECTION 5.11. Consents and Approvals.  As soon as practicable following
the date of this  Agreement,  the  Company  and Parent  shall  make all  filings
required  to be  made  with  and  seek  all  consents,  approvals,  permits  and
authorizations  required to be obtained from, any third parties or  Governmental
Entities in connection  with this  Agreement and the  transactions  contemplated
hereby, including,  without limitation,  the filing of any required notification
under the Hart-Scott-Rodino  Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the
"H-S-R Act"), the consent of any licensing board or agency governing the sale of
alcoholic beverages, the consent of any landlord (or of any other person) at any
location  leased by the Company or any Subsidiary and any other filing,  consent
or approval  listed on Section  3.1(d) of the Disclosure  Schedule.  The Company
shall pay any required  filing fees or other  expense in  connection  therewith;
provided  that the Company and Parent shall each pay one-half of any filing fees
under the H-S-R Act; provided,  further, that Parent shall reimburse the Company
for such  payment in the event that this  Agreement  is  terminated  pursuant to
Section 7.1 hereof in any manner which does not entitle Parent to  reimbursement
from the Company for Expenses as defined in Section 7.2(b)(i).

         SECTION 5.12. 1997 Financial  Statements.  As soon as practicable after
the date hereof,  and in any event on or prior to February 23, 1998, the Company
shall  deliver  to  Parent  a  draft  of the  Company's  consolidated  financial
statements, with footnotes, for its fiscal year ended December 27, 1997. As soon
as practicable  after the date hereof,  and in any event on or prior to March 2,
1998, the Company shall deliver to Parent a final copy of the Company's  audited
consolidated financial statements for such fiscal year, together with the report
of Arthur Andersen LLP thereon,  prepared in accordance with generally  accepted
accounting   principles  applied  on  a  basis  consistent  with  the  financial
statements set forth in the Reports, and fairly

                                      -21-

<PAGE>



presenting in all material respects the consolidated  financial  position of the
Company as of December 27, 1997, and the  consolidated  results of the Company's
operations  and cash  flows for such  fiscal  year.  Parent  shall be  entitled,
subject to the  confidentiality  obligations  of Section 5.3 hereof,  to provide
such draft and final financial statements to its Representatives,  including any
potential financing sources and their agents and representatives.

         SECTION 5.13.  Repayment of Indebtedness.  Parent shall utilize a 
portion of the net proceeds of the Financing to repay, satisfy or otherwise 
discharge, in full, all of the Company's indebtedness to BankBoston, N.A. 
existing on the Closing Date.


                                   ARTICLE VI
                              CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

         SECTION  6.1.  Conditions  to Each  Party's  Obligation  to Effect  the
Merger. The respective  obligation of each party to effect the Merger is subject
to the  satisfaction  or waiver on or prior to the Closing Date of the following
conditions:

         (a)      Stockholder Approval. This Agreement and the Merger shall
have been adopted and approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of 
two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Common Stock as required under the laws 
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

         (b) Third-Party and Governmental  Consents.  All filings required to be
made prior to the Effective Time with, and all consents,  approvals, permits and
authorizations  required to be obtained  prior to the Effective  Time from,  any
third party or any Governmental Entities,  including,  without limitation, those
set forth in Section 3.1(d) of the Disclosure  Schedule,  in connection with the
execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the   consummation   of  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby by the  Company,  Parent and Sub,  and which,
either  individually or in the aggregate,  if not obtained would have a Material
Adverse Effect or would prevent consummation of the Merger, shall have been made
or obtained (as the case may be).

         (c) No Injunctions,  Restraints or Litigation. No temporary restraining
order,  judgment,  preliminary or permanent  injunction or other order issued by
any court of competent  jurisdiction  or other legal  restraint  or  prohibition
preventing the consummation of the Merger shall be in effect; provided, however,
that the parties  invoking this  condition  shall use their best efforts to have
any such order or injunction vacated.

         SECTION  6.2.   Conditions  to  Obligations  of  Parent  and  Sub.  The
obligations  of Parent and Sub to effect the Merger are  further  subject to the
satisfaction,  or waiver by  Parent,  on or prior to the  Closing  Date,  of the
following conditions:

         (a)      Representations and Warranties. The representations and 
warranties of the

                                      -22-

<PAGE>



Company set forth in Section 3.1 that are qualified by materiality shall be true
and correct and such  representations and warranties of the Company set forth in
Section 3.1 that are not so qualified  shall be true and correct in all material
respects,  in each case as of the date of this  Agreement  and as of the Closing
Date as though  made on and as of the  Closing  Date,  except to the extent such
representations  and  warranties  speak as of an  earlier  date and  except  for
changes  permitted  or  contemplated  by this  Agreement,  and Parent shall have
received an officers'  certificate signed on behalf of the Company to the effect
set forth in this paragraph.

         (b)  Performance of Obligations of the Company.  The Company shall have
performed in all material  respects all obligations  required to be performed by
it under this  Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date,  and Parent shall have
received  an  officers'  certificate  signed on behalf  of the  Company  to such
effect.

         (c)  Financing.  On or prior to the Effective  Time,  Parent and/or Sub
shall have received the cash proceeds of the Financing in amounts  sufficient to
consummate the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  pursuant to the terms of the
Commitments or such other terms as Parent and the Company shall reasonably agree
or as are not materially more onerous than as set forth in the Commitments.

         (d) Dissenting Shares. Parent shall have received evidence, in form and
substance  reasonably  satisfactory to it, that the number of Dissenting  Shares
shall  constitute  no greater  than 10% of the total  number of shares of Common
Stock  outstanding  immediately  prior to the Effective Time, on a fully diluted
basis.

         (e) Consents and Approvals.  On or prior to the Effective Date,  Parent
and/or Sub shall have  received  all of the  necessary  consents or approvals of
Governmental Entities and all third parties in connection with the execution and
delivery  of this  Agreement  and the  consummation  of the Merger and the other
transactions  contemplated hereby,  unless the failure to obtain such consent or
approval would not have a Material  Adverse  Effect nor have a material  adverse
effect on the Financing.

         (f)  Board  Recommendation;  Fairness  Opinion.  At  or  prior  to  the
Effective  Time,  the Company's  Board of Directors  shall not have withdrawn or
modified,  in a manner adverse to Parent or Sub, its recommendation  pursuant to
Section 3.1(l),  and the Financial Advisor shall not have withdrawn or modified,
in a manner  adverse  to Parent or Sub,  its  fairness  opinion  referred  to in
Section 3.1(m).

         (g)  Absence of Certain  Changes or Events.  From and after the date of
this  Agreement,  no  event,  occurrence,   fact,  condition,   change,  damage,
destruction,  loss or other development shall have occurred that has constituted
or resulted in, or would  reasonably  be expected to  constitute or result in, a
Material Adverse Effect.


                                      -23-

<PAGE>



         (h)  Absence  of Certain  Litigation.  There  shall not be  threatened,
instituted or pending any action, proceeding, application or counterclaim by any
Governmental  Entity or third party before any court or governmental  regulatory
or  administrative  agency,   authority  or  tribunal  (i)  which  if  adversely
determined would have a material adverse effect on the Surviving  Corporation or
the  ability  of Parent or Sub to  perform  their  obligations  hereunder  or in
connection with the Financing,  or (ii) which  challenges or seeks to challenge,
restrain or prohibit the consummation of the Merger.

         SECTION 6.3. Conditions to Obligations of the Company.  The obligations
of the Company to effect the Merger are further subject to the satisfaction,  or
waiver  by the  Company,  on or  prior to the  Closing  Date,  of the  following
conditions:

         (a) Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties
of Parent and Sub set forth in Section  3.2 that are  qualified  by  materiality
shall be true and correct and such  representations and warranties of Parent and
Sub set forth in Section 3.2 that are not so qualified shall be true and correct
in all material  respects,  in each case as of the date of this Agreement and as
of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date,  except to the
extent  such  representations  and  warranties  speak as of an earlier  date and
except for changes permitted or contemplated by this Agreement,  and the Company
shall have received an officers'  certificate  signed on behalf of Parent to the
effect set forth in this paragraph.

         (b)  Performance of Obligations of Parent and Sub. Parent and Sub shall
have performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed
by them under this  Agreement at or prior to the Closing  Date,  and the Company
shall have received an officers'  certificate signed on behalf of Parent to such
effect.

         (c)  Absence  of Certain  Litigation.  There  shall not be  threatened,
instituted or pending any action, proceeding, application or counterclaim by any
Governmental   Entity   before   any  court  or   governmental   regulatory   or
administrative  agency,  authority or tribunal (i) which if adversely determined
would have a material  adverse  effect on the  ability of the Company to perform
its  obligations  hereunder,  or (ii) which  challenges  or seeks to  challenge,
restrain or prohibit the consummation of the Merger.

         (d)      Fairness Opinion.  At or prior to the Effective Time, the 
Financial Advisor shall not have withdrawn its fairness opinion referred to in 
Section 3.1(m)


                                   ARTICLE VII
                        TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER

         SECTION 7.1.  Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and 
abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time, whether before or after 
approval of the Merger by the

                                      -24-

<PAGE>



stockholders  of the Company:  (a) by mutual  written  consent of Parent and the
Company;  or (b) by either  Parent or the  Company:  (i) if,  upon a vote at the
Stockholders  Meeting, or any adjournment  thereof, the adoption and approval of
this  Agreement and the Merger by the  stockholders  of the Company  required by
Massachusetts  law, the Company's Restated Articles of Organization or the terms
of this Agreement shall not have been obtained;  or (ii) if the Merger shall not
have been  consummated on or before July 31, 1998,  provided that the failure to
consummate  the Merger is not  attributable  to the  failure of the  terminating
party to fulfill its  obligations  pursuant to this  Agreement;  or (iii) if any
Governmental  Entity  shall have issued an order,  decree or ruling or taken any
other action  permanently  enjoining,  restraining or otherwise  prohibiting the
Merger and such order,  decree,  ruling or other  action shall have become final
and  nonappealable;  or (c) by the  Company,  if the Board of  Directors  of the
Company shall have approved an  Acquisition  Proposal after  determining,  after
consultation with independent legal counsel (who may be the Company's  regularly
engaged independent counsel), that such approval is necessary in the exercise of
its fiduciary  obligations  under applicable law; or (d) by Parent, if the Board
of  Directors  of the Company  shall have  approved an  Acquisition  Proposal or
withdrawn  or  modified,  in a manner  adverse  to Parent  or Sub,  the Board of
Director's  recommendation  pursuant to Section 3.1(l); or (e) by Parent, if any
of the  conditions  set forth in Section  6.2 shall  have  become  incapable  of
fulfillment,  and shall not have been waived by Parent,  or if the Company shall
breach  in  any  material  respect  any of its  representations,  warranties  or
obligations  hereunder and such breach shall not have been cured in all material
respects or waived and the Company shall not have provided reasonable  assurance
that such breach will be cured in all material respects on or before the Closing
Date, but only if such breach,  singly or together with all other such breaches,
constitutes a failure of the conditions  contained in Section 6.2 as of the date
of such termination;  or (f) by the Company,  if any of the conditions set forth
in Section 6.3 shall have become  incapable of  fulfillment,  and shall not have
been waived by the  Company,  or if Parent or Sub shall  breach in any  material
respect  any of their  respective  representations,  warranties  or  obligations
hereunder and such breach shall not have been cured in all material  respects or
waived and Parent or Sub, as the case may be, shall not have provided reasonable
assurance  that such breach will be cured in all material  respects on or before
the Closing  Date,  but only if such breach,  singly or together  with all other
such breaches,  constitutes a failure of the conditions contained in Section 6.3
as of the date of such termination;  provided,  however,  that the party seeking
termination  pursuant to clause (e) or (f) hereof is not in breach of any of its
material representations,  warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this
Agreement.

         SECTION 7.2.  Effect of Termination.

         (a) Agreement  Void. In the event of the termination and abandonment of
this Agreement  pursuant to Section 7.1 hereof,  this Agreement  shall forthwith
become void and have no effect,  without any  liability on the part of any party
hereto or its affiliates, directors, officers or stockholders and all rights and
obligations of any party hereto shall cease except for  agreements  contained in
Sections 5.3, 7.2 and 8.2;  provided,  however,  that nothing  contained in this
Section

                                      -25-

<PAGE>



7.2 shall relieve any party from  liability for any breach of this  Agreement or
shall relieve the Company from any liability under this Article 7.

         (b)      Termination Fee.

         (i) If this  Agreement  is  terminated  pursuant  to Section  7.1(c) or
7.1(d),  pursuant  to  Section  7.1(e) as a result  of a  willful  breach by the
Company,  or pursuant to Section  7.1(e) or 7.1(f) as a result of the withdrawal
or  modification  of the Financial  Advisor's  fairness  opinion  referred to in
Section 3.1(m),  then the Company shall (provided that neither Parent nor Sub is
then in material breach of its obligations under this Agreement) promptly pay to
the  Parent in cash an amount  equal to the  aggregate  out-of-pocket  costs and
reasonable  expenses of Parent and Sub in connection with this Agreement and the
transactions  contemplated  hereby,  up to an  aggregate  amount  not to  exceed
$750,000,  including, without limitation,  commitment,  appraisal and other fees
relating  to  the  Financing  and  the  reasonable  fees  and  disbursements  of
accountants,  attorneys and investment bankers, whether retained by Parent or by
any other person (collectively, "Expenses").

         (ii) In addition to any required payment of Expenses, if this Agreement
is  terminated  pursuant  to Section  7.1(c) or 7.1(d),  or  pursuant to Section
7.1(e) as a result of a willful  breach by the Company,  then the Company  shall
(provided  that  neither  Parent  nor  Sub is  then in  material  breach  of its
obligations  under this Agreement)  promptly pay to Parent the sum of $1,500,000
in cash (the "Termination Fee").

         (iii) The sum of the Expenses and the Termination Fee, if any, shall be
referred to herein as the "Termination  Amount." The rights of Parent to receive
the Termination Amount shall be in lieu of any damages remedy or claim by Parent
or Sub against the Company for termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section
7.1(c) or 7.1(d), Section 7.1(e) in the event of a willful breach by the Company
or  pursuant  to Section  7.1(f) as a result of the  Company's  reliance  on the
condition set forth in Section 6.3(d).

         (iv)  Notwithstanding  the provisions of Section  7.2(b)(ii)  above, if
this  Agreement  is  terminated  pursuant  to Section  7.1(f) as a result of the
Company's  reliance on the condition set forth in Section  6.3(d) at a time when
Parent is ready,  willing and able (other  than as a result of an  inability  to
consummate  the  Financing  solely  because of the  withdrawal  of the Financial
Advisor's  fairness  opinion  referred to in Section 3.1(m)) to proceed with the
transactions  contemplated  hereby  but for  the  withdrawal  of  such  fairness
opinion, and within one year after such termination,  the Company enters into an
agreement relating to an Acquisition Proposal with a person other than Parent or
Sub or their  Affiliates  and  Associates,  or the Company's  Board of Directors
recommends or resolves to recommend to the Company's  stockholders  approval and
acceptance  of such an  Acquisition  Proposal,  then,  upon the entry  into such
agreement or the making of such recommendation or resolution,  the Company shall
pay to Parent the Termination Fee.

                                      -26-

<PAGE>



         (c) Acquisition Proposal Following Termination.  At no time prior to or
within one year after termination of this Agreement shall the Company enter into
any  agreement  relating to an  Acquisition  Proposal  with a person  other than
Parent or Sub or their Affiliates and Associates unless such agreement  provides
that  such  person  shall,  upon  the  execution  of  such  agreement,  pay  any
Termination  Amount due Parent under this Section 7.2 which at that time remains
unpaid.

         (d) Reasonable  Inducement.  The parties acknowledge and agree that the
provisions for payment of the Termination Amount are included herein in order to
reasonably  induce Parent to enter into this  Agreement and to reimburse  Parent
for  incurring the costs and expenses  related to entering into this  Agreement,
obtaining the Commitments and the Financing,  and  consummating the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

         (e) Authority to Act.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of this Section
7.2, the Termination  Amount shall not be payable as a result of the termination
of this Agreement  pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.1(e) if the Company's
breach  giving rise to such right of  termination  resulted  from the actions of
Joseph  Crugnale  taken in his capacity as an officer or director of the Company
other than in the  ordinary  course of business  and not at the  direction of or
with the  authorization  or approval of the Company's  Board of Directors or the
Special Committee.

         (f) Costs of Enforcement.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set
forth in this Agreement, in the event Parent and/or Sub is required to file suit
to seek all or a portion of the  Termination  Amount,  it shall be entitled,  in
addition to payment of the Expenses, to payment by the Company of all additional
expenses,  including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses, which it incurs in
enforcing its rights hereunder.

         SECTION 7.3.  Amendment.  Subject to the  applicable  provisions of the
MBCL, at any time prior to the Effective  Time, the parties hereto may modify or
amend this  Agreement,  by written  agreement  executed  and  delivered  by duly
authorized officers of the respective  parties;  provided,  however,  that after
approval of the Merger by the stockholders of the Company, no amendment shall be
made which reduces the consideration  payable in the Merger or adversely affects
the rights of the Company's  stockholders hereunder without the approval of such
stockholders.  This  Agreement  may not be amended  except by an  instrument  in
writing' signed on behalf of each of the parties.

         SECTION  7.4.  Extension;  Waiver.  At any time prior to the  Effective
Time,  the  parties  may (a) extend the time for the  performance  of any of the
obligations or other acts of the other parties,  (b) waive any  inaccuracies  in
the  representations  and  warranties  of the other  parties  contained  in this
Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to this Agreement or (c) subject
to Section 7.2, waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions of the
other parties contained in this Agreement.  Any agreement on the part of a party
to any such extension

                                      -27-

<PAGE>



or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on
behalf of such party.  The failure of any party to this  Agreement to assert any
of its rights under this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a waiver of
such rights.

         SECTION 7.5. Procedure for Termination, Amendment, Extension or Waiver.
A termination  of this  Agreement  pursuant to Section 7.1, an amendment of this
Agreement  pursuant to Section 7.3, an  extension or waiver  pursuant to Section
7.4, or any other approval or consent required or permitted to be given pursuant
to  this  Agreement  shall,  in  order  to  be  effective  and  in  addition  to
requirements  of  applicable  law,  require,  in the case of Parent,  Sub or the
Company,  action by its Board of Directors,  a duly authorized committee thereof
(including,  in the case of the  Company,  the Special  Committee),  or the duly
authorized designee of such Board of Directors or such committee thereof.


                                  ARTICLE VIII
                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

         SECTION 8.1. Nonsurvival of Representations and Warranties. None of the
representations  and warranties set forth in Article III of this Agreement or in
any instrument  delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the Effective
Time.  This Section 8.1 shall not limit any covenant or agreement of the parties
which by its terms contemplates performance after the Effective Time, including,
without limitation, Section 5.7.

         SECTION 8.2.  Fees and Expenses.  Except as provided  otherwise in this
Agreement, including, without limitation, in Sections 5.2, 5.11 and 7.2, whether
or not the Merger  shall be  consummated,  each party  hereto  shall pay its own
expenses  incident  to  preparing  for,  entering  into  and  carrying  out this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

         SECTION 8.3.  Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement:

         (a)  "Affiliate"  and  "Associate"  shall have the respective  meanings
ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations  under
the Exchange Act;

         (b)      "person" means an individual, corporation, partnership, 
limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, unincorporated 
organization or other entity; and

         (c) a "subsidiary" of any person means another person 50% of the equity
securities of which are owned directly or indirectly by such first person.

         SECTION 8.4.  Notices.  All notices, requests, claims, demands and
other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be 
deemed given when

                                      -28-

<PAGE>



delivered  personally or sent by overnight courier (providing proof of delivery)
or telecopy to the parties at the following  addresses (or at such other address
for a party as shall be specified by like notice):

    (a)      if to Parent or Sub, to:      Ten Ideas, Inc.
                                           14 Audubon Road
                                           Wakefield, Massachusetts 01880
                                           Attn:  Joseph Crugnale, President

             with a copy to:               Posternak, Blankstein & Lund, L.L.P.
                                           100 Charles River Plaza
                                           Boston, Massachusetts  02114
                                           Attn:  Donald H. Siegel, P.C.

    (b)      if to the Company, to:        Bertucci's, Inc.
                                           14 Audubon Road
                                           Wakefield, Massachusetts  01880
                                           Attn: Board of Directors

              with a copy to:              Hutchins, Wheeler & Dittmar
                                           101 Federal Street
                                           Boston, Massachusetts 02110
                                           Attn:  James Westra, Esq.

         SECTION 8.5. Interpretation. When a reference is made in this Agreement
to a Section or Schedule, such reference shall be to a Section of, or a Schedule
to,  this  Agreement  unless  otherwise  indicated.  The table of  contents  and
headings  contained in this Agreement are for reference  purposes only and shall
not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.  Whenever
the words "include," "includes" or "including" are used in this Agreement,  they
shall be deemed to be followed by the words "without limitation."

         SECTION 8.6.  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be executed in one or
more  counterparts,  all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement
and shall become  effective  when one or more  counterparts  have been signed by
each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.

         SECTION  8.7.  Entire  Agreement;   Third-Party   Beneficiaries.   This
Agreement  and the other  agreements  referred to herein  constitute  the entire
agreement,  and supersede all prior agreements and understandings,  both written
and  oral,  among  the  parties  with  respect  to the  subject  matter  of this
Agreement.  This Agreement is not intended to confer upon any person, other than
the  parties  hereto  and  the  third  party  beneficiaries  referred  to in the
following sentence,  any rights or remedies. The parties hereto expressly intend
the provisions of Section 5.6

                                      -29-

<PAGE>



to confer a benefit upon and be enforceable by, as third party  beneficiaries of
this  Agreement,  the third persons  referred to in, or intended to be benefited
by, such provisions.

         SECTION 8.8.  Governing Law. This  Agreement  shall be governed by, and
construed in accordance  with, the laws of the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,
regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under  applicable  principles
of conflicts of laws thereof.

         SECTION 8.9. Assignment.  Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights,
interests or obligations under this Agreement shall be assigned,  in whole or in
part,  by operation of law or otherwise by any of the parties  without the prior
written  consent  of the  other  parties,  and any such  assignment  that is not
consented  to shall  be null and  void,  except  that  Parent  may  assign  this
Agreement (i) to any wholly owned subsidiary of Parent or (ii) together with all
of the  outstanding  capital  stock of Sub,  to an  entity  organized  under the
corporate  or  limited  liability  laws of a  jurisdiction  of one of the United
States of America,  the  ownership  interests of which entity are  substantially
identical  to the  ownership  interests  of  Parent  immediately  prior  to such
assignment  and which  entity  specifically  and  expressly  assumes  by written
agreement the obligations of Parent under this Agreement; in either case without
Parent  being  released  from  liability  hereunder.  Subject  to the  preceding
sentence,  this Agreement will be binding upon,  inure to the benefit of, and be
enforceable by, the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

         SECTION 8.10.  Enforcement.  The parties agree that irreparable  damage
would occur in the event that any of the  provisions of this  Agreement were not
performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It
is  accordingly  agreed that the parties  shall be entitled to an  injunction or
injunctions to prevent  breaches of this  Agreement and to enforce  specifically
(without requirement to post a bond) the terms and provisions of this Agreement,
this being in addition to any other  remedy to which they are entitled at law or
in equity.

         SECTION  8.11.  Severability.  Whenever  possible,  each  provision  or
portion of any provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as
to be effective and valid under  applicable  law but if any provision or portion
of  any  provision  of  this  Agreement  is  held  to  be  invalid,  illegal  or
unenforceable   in  any  respect  under  any  applicable  law  or  rule  in  any
jurisdiction,  such invalidity,  illegality or unenforceability  will not affect
any other provision or portion of any provision in such  jurisdiction,  and this
Agreement will be reformed,  construed and enforced in such  jurisdiction  as if
such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision or portion of any provision had
never been contained herein.

                  [Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank.]

                                      -30-

<PAGE>


         IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  Company,  Parent and Sub have  caused  this
Agreement to be executed as an agreement under seal by their respective officers
thereunto duly authorized, all as of the date first written above.

BERTUCCI'S, INC.



By:/s/ Norman S. Mallett
     Norman S. Mallett, Vice President-Finance,
     Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

TEN IDEAS, INC.



By:/s/ Joseph Crugnale
     Joseph Crugnale, President and Treasurer


TEN IDEAS ACQUISITION CORP.



By:/s/ Joseph Crugnale
     Joseph Crugnale, President and Treasurer


Agreed to solely as to the provisions of Sections 1.8 and 5.1 hereof  applicable
to the undersigned:



/s/ Joseph Crugnale
     Joseph Crugnale



272672-1

                                      -31-


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