Sec Form 4 Filing - Locke Charles @ Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. - 2018-03-05

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Locke Charles 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. [ FRGI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President, Taco Cabana (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O FIESTA RESTAURANT GROUP, INC., 14800 LANDMARK BOULEVARD, SUITE 500 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 03/05/2018 (Street) DALLAS, TX75254 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share 03/05/2018 A 6,017 A ( 1 ) $ 0 ( 1 ) 7,582 D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Performance Rights ( 2 ) ( 3 ) 03/05/2018 A 18,049 ( 2 )( 3 ) ( 2 )( 3 ) Common Stock 18,049 $ 0 18,049 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Locke Charles C/O FIESTA RESTAURANT GROUP, INC. 14800 LANDMARK BOULEVARD, SUITE 500 DALLAS, TX75254 President, Taco Cabana Signatures /s/ Charles Locke 03/07/2018 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )The Shares were granted to the Reporting Person pursuant to the Issuer's 2012 Stock Incentive Plan. ( 2 )Each performance right represents a contingent right to receive one share of the Issuer's common stock. The performance rights vest as follows: (i) 1/3 vests on March 6, 2019 upon the Issuer's common stock achieving a closing market price at or above $30.00 for 20 consecutive trading days at any point during the period between March 6, 2018 and March 6, 2019, (ii) 1/3 vests on March 6, 2020 upon the Issuer's common stock achieving a closing market price at or above $35.00 for 20 consecutive trading days at any point during the period between March 6, 2019 and March 6, 2020, (iii) 1/3 vests on March 6, 2021 upon the Issuer's common stock achieving a closing market price at or above $40.00 for 20 consecutive trading days at any point during the period between March 6, 2020 and March 6, 2021, and (iv) the employment of the Reporting Person by the Issuer on the applicable vesting date. ( 3 )(Continued from footnote 2) If the Issuer common stock target price above for any performance period is not met, any unvested shares of the Issuer's common stock will be rolled over to the subsequent performance period on a pro rata basis and subject to the Issuer common stock target price for such subsequent performance period.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

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