California Pizza Kitchen Opens in Gaithersburg, MD, on May 10, 2005; Opening Will Benefit YMCA Upper Montgomery County.

GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (Nasdaq:CPKI), home to the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, creative salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and desserts, opened its newest location in Gaithersburg, MD, on May 10, 2005 at Washingtonian Center.

Along with the popular BBQ Chicken Pizza, the menu features a wide variety of California-style items including everything from the California Club Pizza and Jamaican Jerk Pizza to Kung Pao Spaghetti, Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya and Thai Linguine. Menu items just recently introduced include Bangkok Calamari, served with a sweet Thai dipping sauce and homemade remoulade, and the new Chipotle Chicken Ravioli in a spicy chipotle cream sauce. The new restaurant also features an extensive beverage menu with more than 40 specialty drinks, including CPK's original California Cosmo, and extensive lists of martinis, margueritas and cocktails.

Following a long-standing tradition of giving back to the communities in which it operates, California Pizza Kitchen will host a fundraising event to benefit the YMCA Upper Montgomery County. On Monday, May 16, 2005, California Pizza Kitchen will donate 100 percent of pizza sales to the YMCA. YMCA Upper Montgomery County provides a wide range of family, camp and exercise programs that "build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities."

"The YMCA Upper Montgomery County Pizza Day was designed to celebrate our new Gaithersburg location and is just one of the many ways that California Pizza Kitchen is focused on giving back to the communities and customers we serve," said Larry Flax, co-founder and co-CEO of California Pizza Kitchen. "We are excited to be in such a great community and in a beautiful location within the Washingtonian Center. We invite everyone to come visit our new restaurant on the waterfront, especially on May 16 to help raise funds for the YMCA," added Rick Rosenfield, co-founder and co-CEO of California Pizza Kitchen.

The new 5,900 square foot California Pizza Kitchen is located at Washingtonian Center, 136 Boardwalk Place, next to the Rio Entertainment Center, in Gaithersburg, MD. The hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Guests can dine-in, take-out or use CPK's Curbside Service and have the restaurant's curbside server deliver their order right to their car.

California Pizza Kitchen is the leader in California-style cuisine and is widely known for its innovative menu items. The chain operates, licenses or franchises 177 restaurants as of May 11, 2005 of which 147 are company-owned and 30 operate under franchise or license agreements. California Pizza Kitchen provides a range of creative California dishes, from the signature California-style, hearth-baked pizzas to creative salads, appetizers, pastas, soups and sandwiches. Children who dine at California Pizza Kitchen choose from an extensive menu, recently named "The Best Kids Menu in America" by Restaurant Hospitality Magazine.

California Pizza Kitchen can be found on the internet at www.cpk.com.