GARDEN FRESH RESTAURANT CORP /DE/
S-8, 1998-06-24
EATING PLACES
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<PAGE>

                                                   Registration No.__________
                                       
               UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                          
                            Washington, D.C. 20549
                                          
                                   FORM S-8
                                          
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                    UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                          
                        GARDEN FRESH RESTAURANT CORP.
           (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              Delaware                                  33-0028786
  ---------------------------------        ------------------------------------
    (State or other jurisdiction           (I.R.S. employer identification no.)
  of incorporation or organization)

                         17180 Bernardo Center Drive
                             San Diego, CA 92128
             ----------------------------------------------------
             (Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip code)
                                          
                        GARDEN FRESH RESTAURANT CORP.
                           1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                        -----------------------------
                          (Full title of the plan)
                                          
                              David W. Qualls
             Executive Vice President-Finance and Real Estate,
                   Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
                       Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp.
                        17180 Bernardo Center Drive
                             San Diego, CA 92128
                       -----------------------------
                  (Name and address of agent for service)
                                          
Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service:   (619) 675-1600

This registration statement shall hereafter become effective in accordance with
Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act").

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           PROPOSED
      TITLE OF                              MAXIMUM      PROPOSED
     SECURITIES                            OFFERING       MAXIMUM        AMOUNT OF
       TO BE              AMOUNT TO BE     PRICE PER     AGGREGATE      REGISTRATION
    REGISTERED (1)         REGISTERED      SHARE (2)   OFFERING PRICE        FEE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                       <C>              <C>         <C>              <C>
1998 Stock Option Plan
- ----------------------
Common Stock                  87,310        $15.84      $ 1,313,142.40
Par Value $0.01              993,008        $18.28125   $18,153,427.50
                           ---------        ---------   --------------
TOTAL                      1,080,318                    $19,466,569.90     $5,742.64
                           ---------                    --------------
                           ---------                    --------------
</TABLE>


                                   PART II

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. (the "Company") hereby incorporates by 
reference in this registration statement the following documents:

     (a)  The Company's latest prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under 
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), containing 
audited financial statements for the Company's fiscal year ended September 
30, 1997, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

     (b)  All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the "Exchange Act") since the 
end of the fiscal year covered by the registrant document referred to in (a) 
above.

- ------------------
     (1) Includes options to acquire such Common Stock. 

     (2) The offering price is estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for 
purposes of calculating the registration fee.  As to the shares subject to 
outstanding but unexercised options, the price is computed on the basis of 
the average exercise price for the options outstanding.  As to the shares 
available for grant under the 1998 Stock Option Plan, the price is based upon 
the average of the high and low prices of the Common Stock on June 23, 1998 
as reported on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated 
Quotations System.

<PAGE>

     (c)  The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the
Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on April 19, 1995 under the
Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a 
post-effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that 
all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all 
securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference 
in this registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of 
filing of such documents.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

        Inapplicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

        Inapplicable.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Delaware law authorizes corporations to eliminate the personal liability 
of directors to corporations and their stockholders for monetary damages for 
breach or alleged breach of the directors' "duty of care."  While the 
relevant statute does not change directors' duty of care, it enables 
corporations to limit available relief to equitable remedies such as 
injunction or rescission.  The statute has no effect on directors' duty of 
loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional 
misconduct or knowing violations of law, illegal payment of dividends and 
approval of any transaction from which a director derives an improper 
personal benefit.

     The Company has adopted provisions in its Certificate of Incorporation 
which eliminate the personal liability of its directors to the Company and 
its stockholders for monetary damages for breach or alleged breach of their 
duty of care.  The Bylaws of the Company provide for indemnification of its 
directors, officers, employees and agents to the full extent permitted by the 
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Company's state of 
incorporation, including those circumstances in which indemnification would 
otherwise be discretionary under Delaware Law.  Section 145 of the General 
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides for indemnification in 
terms sufficiently broad to indemnify such individuals, under certain 
circumstances, for liabilities (including reimbursement of expenses incurred) 
arising under the Securities Act.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

        Inapplicable.


ITEM 8. EXHIBITS

        See Exhibit Index.

<PAGE>

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS

        (a)  RULE 415 OFFERING

        The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

             (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
the Securities Act;

             (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising 
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent 
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, 
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the 
registration statement;

             (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the 
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement 
or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if 
the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information 
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is 
contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 
or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in 
the registration statement.

        (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a 
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and 
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the 
initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective 
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the 
termination of the offering.

     (b)  FILING INCORPORATING SUBSEQUENT EXCHANGE ACT DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

          The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of 
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the 
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the 
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit 
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is 
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be 
a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and 
the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the 
initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (h)  REQUEST FOR ACCELERATION OF EFFECTIVE DATE OR FILING OF REGISTRATION
STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities 
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the 
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant 
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange 
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 
Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for 
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the 
registrant 


<PAGE>

of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of 
the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) 
is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection 
with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the 
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, 
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such 
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and 
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant 
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the 
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration 
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly 
authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on June 24, 1998.

                                      GARDEN FRESH RESTAURANT CORP.


                                      By:   /s/ David W. Qualls
                                         -------------------------------------
                                         David W. Qualls, Executive Vice 
                                         President-Finance and Real Estate, 
                                         Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     The officers and directors of Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. whose 
signatures appear below, hereby constitute and appoint Michael P. Mack and 
David W. Qualls, and each of them, their true and lawful attorneys and 
agents, with full power of substitution, each with power to act alone, to 
sign and execute on behalf of the undersigned any amendment or amendments to 
this registration statement on Form S-8, and each of the undersigned does 
hereby ratify and confirm all that each of said attorney and agent, or their 
or his substitutes, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  Pursuant 
to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has 
been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on June 24, 
1998.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE                          TITLE
<S>                                <C>

/s/ Michael P. Mack
- --------------------------------
Michael P. Mack                    Chairman of the Board, President, Chief
                                   Executive Officer and Director 
                                   (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ David W. Qualls
- --------------------------------
David W. Qualls                    Executive Vice President-Finance and Real
                                   Estate, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
                                   (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/ Edgar F. Berner
- --------------------------------
Edgar F. Berner                    Director

/s/ Robert A. Gunst
- --------------------------------
Robert A. Gunst                    Director

/s/ Michael M. Minchin, Jr.
- --------------------------------
Michael M. Minchin, Jr.            Director

/s/ John M. Robbins, Jr.
- --------------------------------
John M. Robbins, Jr.               Director
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                                EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<S>  <C>
4.1  Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company
     is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the
     Company's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File
     No. 33-95368) filed with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission on June 16, 1995

4.2  Bylaws of the Company are incorporated by reference
     to Exhibit 3.4 and 3.4A to the Company's Registration
     Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and
     Exchange Commission on March 17, 1995 (File No. 33-
     90404)

5    Opinion regarding Legality

23.1 Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5)

23.2 Consent of Independent Accountants

24   Power of Attorney (included in signature pages to
     this registration statement)
</TABLE>


<PAGE>
                                          
                                  EXHIBIT 5

ATTORNEYS AT LAW
400 HAMILTON AVENUE 
PALO ALTO, CA 94301-1825
TEL (650) 328-6561
FAX (650) 327-3699


                                          
                                June 24, 1998

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     As legal counsel for Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp., a Delaware 
corporation (the "Company"), we are rendering this opinion in connection with 
the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to 
1,080,318 shares of the Common Stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company 
which may be issued pursuant to the exercise of options granted under the 
Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. 1998 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

     We have examined all instruments, documents and records which we deemed 
relevant and necessary for the basis of our opinion hereinafter expressed.  
In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and 
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the 
conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies.  We 
are admitted to practice only in the State of California and we express no 
opinion concerning any law other than the law of the State of California, the 
corporation laws of the State of Delaware and the federal law of the United 
States.  As to matters of Delaware corporation law, we have based our opinion 
solely upon our examination of such laws and the rules and regulations of the 
authorities administering such laws, all as reported in standard, unofficial 
compilations. We have not obtained opinions of counsel licensed to practice 
in jurisdictions other than the State of California.  

     Based on such examination, we are of the opinion that the 1,080,318 
shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon exercise of options granted 
under the Plan are duly authorized shares of the Company's Common Stock, and, 
when issued against receipt of the consideration therefor in accordance with 
the provisions of the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and 
nonassessable.  We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit 
to the Registration Statement referred to above and the use of our name 
wherever it appears in said Registration Statement.

                                            Respectfully submitted,

     
                                            GRAY CARY WARE & FREIDENRICH LLP

<PAGE>


                                 EXHIBIT 23.2
                                          
                      CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration 
Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated November 7, 1997, except as to net 
income (loss) per share information as reflected in the Statement of 
Operations and Notes 1 and 5 which is as of April 27, 1998, which appears on 
page F-2 of the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-51267) of Garden 
Fresh Restaurant Corp.


Price Waterhouse LLP
San Diego, California
June 23, 1998



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