content: September 25, 1997
     
     
     
     Securities and Exchange Commission
     450 Fifth Street, N.W.
     Room 1004
     Judiciary Plaza
     Washington, D.C.  20549
     
     
     RE:    El Chico Restaurants, Inc. 8-K for the agreement and plan of
            merger dated September 23, 1997 by and between El Chico
            Holding Company, L.P. and El Chico Acquisition, Inc. and 
            El Chico Restaurants, Inc. and related escrow agreement
     
     
     Gentlemen:
     
     We are transmitting electronically the Form 8-K for the agreement and
     plan of merger dated September 23, 1997 by and between El Chico Holding
     Company, L.P. and El Chico Acquisition, Inc. and El Chico Restaurants,
     Inc. and related escrow agreement.
     
     
     Sincerely,
     
     
     
     Susan R. Holland
     Vice President, Treasurer &
     Controller
     
     
     /ktc
     
     
     
     cc:   National Assoc. of Securities Dealers, Inc. (electronic EDGAR
           submission)
           Lawrence E. White
           Ron Frappier
           Darl Hatfield
           Britt Langford<PAGE>
            
  ==========================================================================
                   
  
  
                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                          Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                               FORM 8 - K
  
                              CURRENT REPORT
  
  Pursuant to Section 13 Of 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                              Date of Report
                            September 23, 1997
  
  
                        EL CHICO RESTAURANTS, INC.
           --------------------------------------------------    
         (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
                                 Texas 
                 ----------------------------------------
            (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
  
        0-12802                                   75-0982250 
   -----------------------           ----------------------------------
  (Commission File Number)           (I.R.S Employer Identification No.)
  
  
        12200 Stemmons Freeway, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas 75234
        -------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices)
                              (Zip Code)
  
  
                           (972) 241-5500
          ---------------------------------------------------                 
         (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  
  
        -----------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name, former address, if changed since last report)
  
  
  
  
                 
  ===========================================================================<PAGE>
  
  PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION
  
  
  Item 5.   Other Events
        
            This Form 8-K is being filed hereby to effect the filing of the
            exhibits attached hereto.
  
  
  Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
        (a) Financial Statements.  None required.
        (c) Exhibits
            Exhibit 2.1  - Agreement and Plan of Merger dated September
                           23, 1997 by and between El Chico Holding
                           Company, L.P. and El Chico Acquisition, Inc.
                           and El Chico Restaurants, Inc.
            Exhibit 10.1 - Escrow Agreement dated September 23, 1997 by
                           and between El Chico Holding Company, L.P.
                           and El Chico Restaurants, Inc. and Texas
                           Bank.
  
  
  
                              SIGNATURES
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
  
                                     EL CHICO RESTAURANTS, INC.
  
  
  Date: September 25, 1997           By: /s/Susan R. Holland
                                         ------------------- 
                                         Vice President, Treasurer &
                                         Controller
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3972}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "EL CHICO RESTAURANTS INC", "cik": "0000719961", "assigned-sic": "5812", "irs-number": "750982250", "state-of-incorporation": "TX", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-12802", "film-number": "97685708"}, "business-address": {"street1": "12200 STEMMONS FREEWAY", "street2": "STE 100", "city": "DALLAS", "state": "TX", "zip": "75234", "phone": "2142415500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "12200 STEMMONS FREEWAY", "street2": "STE 100", "city": "DALLAS", "state": "TX", "zip": "75234"}, "former-company": [{"former-conformed-name": "SOUTHWEST CAFES INC", "date-changed": "19920703"}, {"former-conformed-name": "EL CHICO CORP/TX", "date-changed": "19910109"}]}
text: September 25, 1997
     
     
     
     Securities and Exchange Commission
     450 Fifth Street, N.W.
     Room 1004
     Judiciary Plaza
     Washington, D.C.  20549
     
     
     RE:    El Chico Restaurants, Inc. 8-K for the agreement and plan of
            merger dated September 23, 1997 by and between El Chico
            Holding Company, L.P. and El Chico Acquisition, Inc. and 
            El Chico Restaurants, Inc. and related escrow agreement
     
     
     Gentlemen:
     
     We are transmitting electronically the Form 8-K for the agreement and
     plan of merger dated September 23, 1997 by and between El Chico Holding
     Company, L.P. and El Chico Acquisition, Inc. and El Chico Restaurants,
     Inc. and related escrow agreement.
     
     
     Sincerely,
     
     
     
     Susan R. Holland
     Vice President, Treasurer &
     Controller
     
     
     /ktc
     
     
     
     cc:   National Assoc. of Securities Dealers, Inc. (electronic EDGAR
           submission)
           Lawrence E. White
           Ron Frappier
           Darl Hatfield
           Britt Langford
  ==========================================================================
                   
  
                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                          Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                               FORM 8 - K
  
                              CURRENT REPORT
  
  Pursuant to Section 13 Of 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                              Date of Report
                            September 23, 1997
  
                        EL CHICO RESTAURANTS, INC.
           --------------------------------------------------    
         (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                                 Texas 
                 ----------------------------------------
            (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  
        0-12802                                   75-0982250 
   -----------------------           ----------------------------------
  (Commission File Number)           (I.R.S Employer Identification No.)
  
        12200 Stemmons Freeway, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas 75234
        -------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices)
                              (Zip Code)
  
                           (972) 241-5500
          ---------------------------------------------------                 
         (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  
        -----------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name, former address, if changed since last report)
  
                 
  ===========================================================================
  PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION
  
  Item 5.   Other Events
        
            This Form 8-K is being filed hereby to effect the filing of the
            exhibits attached hereto.
  
  Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
        (a) Financial Statements.  None required.
        (c) Exhibits
            Exhibit 2.1  - Agreement and Plan of Merger dated September
                           23, 1997 by and between El Chico Holding
                           Company, L.P. and El Chico Acquisition, Inc.
                           and El Chico Restaurants, Inc.
            Exhibit 10.1 - Escrow Agreement dated September 23, 1997 by
                           and between El Chico Holding Company, L.P.
                           and El Chico Restaurants, Inc. and Texas
                           Bank.
  
                              SIGNATURES
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
  
                                     EL CHICO RESTAURANTS, INC.
  
  Date: September 25, 1997           By: /s/Susan R. Holland
                                         ------------------- 
                                         Vice President, Treasurer &
                                         Controller