Moe's Southwest Grill Announces Push for an Official ''National Day off to Do Nothing'' to Be Observed Each Year on May 5.

ATLANTA -- (CEHO) Citizens for Eight Hours Off Poll American People - Approximately 200 Million Advocate for a National Day Off in May; 82 Million Say Best Thing Congress Can Do in 2005

Throughout the industrialized nations of the world, employers and employees are recognizing the importance of more time off. Some of the most developed nations - Japan, France, the U.K. and the Netherlands - are prospering despite trends towards reduced work hours. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average Americans work more than 175 hours or four plus weeks more than the average French worker. And while many nations are looking for ways to reduce the numbers of hours their citizens work--the American worker appears to be working even harder.

On May 5, Cinco de Mayo, Moe's Southwest Grill is encouraging the American worker to take "eight hours off" to do nothing. To show its support, Moe's will give away more than 20,000 burritos at its stores across the country, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Moe's is also planning to arm its customers with two letters they can pick up beginning May 3 -- a letter to their employer requesting the day off and a letter they can send to Congress requesting a bill be passed acknowledging May 5 as an official day to do nothing.

"It's true we are a hardworking society whose days off are few and far between not to mention usually aligned with some level of commitment or observance," explains Brian Curin, VP of Marketing, Moe's Southwest Grill. "We asked the American people what they thought of a day off and how they felt about it being in May and specifically on May 5 and they seem to support that notion in great numbers."

According to Kelton Research Group, the American population acknowledges their need for a day off, particularly as you drill down to Generation Y and X who work some of the longest hours. "The numbers climb some 13 percent to 82 percent among 18-34 year-olds who support a day off in May," explains Tom Bernthal, Kelton Research Group.

Moe's formed CEHO, "Citizens for Eight Hours Off," after recognizing that Americans are working longer and longer hours, taking shorter lunches and coming into its restaurants later and later. To raise the importance of the cause which Moe's acknowledges is a long-term effort; CEHO can work towards educating employers and state governments about the importance of giving the American worker a day of doing nothing.

"It's amazing to me that so many Americans support eight hours off given their propensity to work," explains Don Wetmore of the Productivity Institute and an expert on workaholics. "We are on a downhill spiral if we don't take the time off to do, as Moe's is suggesting, nothing. Such a day does not exist in our culture and I for one am planning to do nothing on May 5 to show my support."

"Moe's is the kind of brand that represents the American spirit - entrepreneurial and independent, wishful irreverence, big dreamer of what things can be," explains Martin Sprock, founder and chief. "Generation X and Generation Y are on the verge of leading this country into this new century and a lousy eight hours of downtime to collect their thoughts won't hurt anybody. We're giving all of our partners Eight Hours Off on any day they want beyond the day we are affectionately calling Cinco de Moe's."

About Moe's Southwest Grill

Moe's Southwest Grill offers fun, fresh Tex-Mex cuisine with a healthy twist. The Atlanta-based company was founded by Martin Sprock in December 2000 and currently has more than 200 restaurants open and 800 franchise agreements signed for 38 states.