McDonald's may unload Boston Market

McDonald's has announced that it is reviewing its strategic options for Boston Market, the fast-casual chain it acquired 7 years ago.

Mike Andres, CEO of Golden, Colo.-based Boston Market, said at the company's annual meeting of all employees Thursday that McDonald's is looking at its options involving ownership of the chain.

And from McDonald's: "We are beginning to look at potential options and will explore our alternatives during 2007," McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker said in an e-mailed statement. "No decisions have been made whatsoever and therefore it is absolutely inappropriate to speculate."

Boston Market, originally Boston Chicken, has 620 restaurants in 28 states. McDonald's acquired it in 2000 for $173.5 million.