THE MARCUS CORPORATION AND WELLS FARGO/NORWEST BANK TO OFFER CO-BRANDED MASTERCARDS

Press Release: Marcus Corporation

August 10, 1999
MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)----The Marcus Corporation (NYSE:MCS) and Wells Fargo/Norwest Bank, a unit of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC), said yesterday they are partnering to offer customers four co-branded "Rewards" MasterCards(R). The cards are a Marcus Rewards(TM) MasterCard(R), a Marcus Rewards(TM) Platinum MasterCard(R), a Baymont Rewards(TM) MasterCard(R) and Baymont Rewards(TM) MasterCard(R) BusinessCard. The credit cards are available to the public today.

"The partnership will offer cardholders a program with compelling value -- cardholders can accumulate Reward Points with their credit cards and then redeem them for an exciting range of goods and services," said Bruce J. Olson, group vice president of The Marcus Corporation. "Cardholders will earn one Reward Point for every dollar in purchases made with the co-branded MasterCards(R). One additional Bonus Point is earned for every dollar spent on purchases at Marcus locations and Sun Country Airlines. In addition, cardholders will be able to earn up to 3,500 Bonus Points for opening deposit, credit and investment accounts at Norwest Banks."

Points can be exchanged for Marcus Corporation reward certificates redeemable at any Marcus location including 165 Baymont Inns and Baymont Inns & Suites in 30 states; six Woodfield Suites in Wisconsin, Colorado, Ohio and Illinois; 49 movies theatres in Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota; the Funset Boulevard family entertainment center in Wisconsin; and any of the eight Marcus Hotels and Resorts throughout the United States. Sun Country Airlines, American Airlines and Midwest Express Airlines are Rewards Partners available for the Marcus Rewards(TM) Platinum MasterCard(R). Future plans include adding other bonus partners including a telecommunication company, car rental companies, an oil company and others.

The Marcus/Wells Fargo Rewards MasterCard(R) program is designed to offer cardholders a rebate on every dollar charged. "We are very excited about the opportunity for cardholders to receive goods and services from The Marcus Corporation and other Bonus Partners in exchange for accumulated Reward Points," said Olson. "The card is designed for consumers to redeem their bonus points and to enjoy rewards much more frequently than other types of reward cards. This is a great benefit for the card holder and a great tool for us to strengthen our customer relationships."

For Norwest, the partnership allows them to offer another benefit to customers. "The introduction of the Marcus Rewards(TM) and Baymont Rewards(TM) MasterCards(R) will give us a wonderful opportunity to introduce Norwest Bank to Marcus Corporation customers, while also providing a unique credit card value to our retail bank customers," said J.L. Little, regional president for Norwest Bank Wisconsin/Illinois. "We are also excited to use this co-branded product to begin to introduce the Wells Fargo brand to our Wisconsin and Illinois markets," Little added. Norwest and Wells Fargo merged in 1998, and Norwest Banks in Wisconsin and Illinois will adopt the Wells Fargo name next year.

The program is one of only a handful in the industry with awards, such as theatre tickets, available upon accumulation of just 2,500 points. But cardholders can also accumulate points to earn airline trips, free room nights at Baymont Inns & Suites or stays and dining at Marcus luxury hotels as well.

All cardholders will earn 500 Bonus Points when the card is used at a Marcus location within three months of receiving the card. Platinum cardholders earn a total of 1,000 Bonus Points when the card is used at a Marcus location within three months. Platinum cardholders also enjoy additional benefits such as suite upgrades at Marcus lodging locations, free companion movie tickets and more rewards such as American Airlines, Sun Country and Midwest Express Airline air travel certificates.

All of the credit cards will be offered without an annual fee except the Marcus Rewards(TM) Platinum MasterCard(R) which will charge a $40 annual fee.

The Marcus Rewards MasterCard(R) program is expected to be an additional source of income for The Marcus Corporation. For Wells Fargo, the Marcus program creates a "bundled" credit card program packaged with two or more financial service products that will assist in meeting a cross-sell goal of eight products per retail household. Marcus customers and Norwest customers will be able to apply for the new cards at all 49 Marcus Theatres in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Ohio; 165 Baymont Inns and Baymont Inns & Suites in 30 states; six Woodfield Suites in four states; all eight Marcus Hotels and Resorts locations and at any Norwest Bank location in Wisconsin or Illinois.

Wells Fargo & Company is a $201 billion diversified financial services company providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through almost 6,000 stores and other distribution channels across North America, including all 50 states, and elsewhere internationally.

Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Marcus Corporation is comprised of four divisions: limited-service lodging, movie theatres, hotels/resorts and restaurants. The company operates or franchises 165 Baymont Inns and Baymont Inns & Suites (97 company-owned and 68 franchised) in 30 states and six Woodfield Suites in Wisconsin, Colorado, Ohio and Illinois; 442 movie screens in Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota and one family entertainment center in Wisconsin; hotels and resorts including the Hilton Milwaukee City Center and Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; The Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; the Miramonte Resort in Indian Hills, California; the Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin; Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn, North Hollywood, California; the Crowne Plaza-Northstar in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and the Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island, Michigan; and 27 KFC and 3 KFC/Taco Bell 2-in-1 restaurants in Wisconsin.

Certain matters discussed in this press release are "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of such statements will include words such as the company "believes," "anticipates," "expects" or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe the company's future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the following: (i) continuing availability, in terms of both quality and quantity, of films for the theatre division; (ii) absence of increases in costs of obtaining food for the restaurant division; (iii) continuing consumer demand as a result of general economic conditions with respect to the hotel and resort division; (iv) the limited-service lodging division's ability to attract and retain quality franchise operators and to capitalize on the Baymont name change; (v) competitive conditions in the markets served by the company; and (vi) the company's ability to identify properties to acquire, develop and/or manage and continuing availability of funds for such development. Shareholders, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are only made as of the date of this press release and the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

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CONTACT: The Marcus Corporation
Media: Pam Schlenvogt, 414/905-1191
Investors: Doug Neis, 414/905-1100
or
Wells Fargo/Norwest Bank
J. Lanier Little, 414/224-3753