Cheeseburger in Paradise is teaming up with VH1’s Save The Music Foundation to fund instrumental programs in public schools. By helping out, you can win a guitar autographed by Jimmy Buffett!

Cheeseburger in Paradise(R), well-known for its long-standing musical heritage, is calling all music lovers to help the VH1 Save The Music Foundation to fund instrumental music programs in public schools. By supporting the cause, music fans will be automatically entered to win a Jimmy Buffett autographed guitar.

Specially designed Cheeseburger in Paradise VH1 Save The Music t-shirts are available for purchase from October 15 through November 15 at all 38 Cheeseburger in Paradise locations throughout the country. All profits from t-shirt sales will help fund a teacher’s salary and musical instruments. Children’s shirts cost $10; adult sizes are available for $12 each.

Music lovers can also enter online at www.CheeseburgerinParadise.com to win the acoustic guitar with a personalized signature from Jimmy Buffett. The winner will be announced in late November.

The parent company of Cheeseburger In Paradise, OSI Restaurant Partners, is putting the Key West-inspired chain up for sale:

OSI Restaurant Partners, the Tampa-based owner of the Outback Steakhouse chain, which sold most of its stake in the Lee Roy Selmon’s barbecue chain last year, is looking to sell two more brands: Cheeseburger in Paradise, and Roy’s. “Our growth priorities in the future will be focused on our larger concepts: Outback … Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Fleming’s,” general counsel Joe Kadow said via e-mail Wednesday. “We are evaluating strategies for ultimately exiting the smaller concepts” but are “under no set timetable,” he said.

Cheeseburger In Paradise was founded in 2002 by OSI Restaurant Partners in collaboration with Jimmy Buffett. According to the article, the chain has 39 locations across 18 states.

In 2005, Buffett sold his holdings of the chain to OSI, who previously held a 50% share in the chain. OSI pays a royalty of 4.5 percent of restaurant sales to Buffett.

In recent months, OSI has closed several CIP restaurants, including locations in Asheville, NC; Lansing, MI; York, PA; Greenville, SC; and Leawood, KS.

Make that two Cheeseburger In Paradise restaurants that have announced plans this week to close. First, the Asheville, North Carolina location, and now the Lansing, Michigan location that opened two years ago. The parent company, OSI Restaurant Partners Inc., has altered its strategic planning and is closing stores that no longer fit into this new plan according to the Lansing State Journal:

The restaurant, at 5924 W. Saginaw Highway, was closed “because it no longer fits the strategic plans for the Cheeseburger in Paradise brand,” parent company OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. said. The Tampa, Fla.-based company said it will relocate employees to other nearby company restaurants. Among others, OSI owns Outback Steakhouse, which has area locations in Delta Township and Okemos, and Carrabba’s Italian Grill, with a location in Delta Township. Cheeseburger in Paradise opened in Delta Township in 2006.

Cheeseburger in Paradise was founded in August 2002 and is owned by Outback Steakhouse, under a license from Buffett. The “island fantasy” concept features colorful cocktails and live music as well as Key West-style architecture and decor that offer customers an escape from the daily grind.

In 2005, Jimmy Buffett sold his holdings of the chain to Outback Steakhouse, Inc., who previously held a 50% share in the chain. Outback pays a royalty of 4.5 percent of restaurant sales to Buffett.

To find locations and get other information, visit the official homepage of Cheeseburger In Paradise here.

UPDATE: York, PA and Greenville, SC locations closing too. Report other closures by leaving a comment to this post.

The three year old Cheeseburger In Paradise restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina has closed, according to the Asheville Citizen-Times:

“The closure is a prudent business decision for us at this time, but we would like to serve our loyal Asheville customers again at some point in the future,” Matt Wissman, joint venture partner of Cheeseburger in Paradise in the North Carolina area, said in a press release. “On behalf of all of us at the restaurant, we want to express our appreciation to the Asheville community for their patronage over the past years.”

Wissman said the company will work with employees “to re-locate them to one of the other company restaurants in the area.” Cheeseburger in Paradise is a subsidiary of OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC, which also owns Outback Steakhouses.

Buffett played a benefit show there on January 11th, 2005 to celebrate the grand opening. The event raised $96,000 for Eblen Charities, whose programs serve thousands of Western North Carolinians.

Cheeseburger in Paradise was founded in August 2002 and is owned by Outback Steakhouse, under a license from Buffett. The “island fantasy” concept features colorful cocktails and live music as well as Key West-style architecture and decor that offer customers an escape from the daily grind.

In 2005, Jimmy Buffett sold his holdings of the chain to Outback Steakhouse, Inc., who previously held a 50% share in the chain. Outback pays a royalty of 4.5 percent of restaurant sales to Buffett.

To find locations and get other information, visit the official homepage of Cheeseburger In Paradise here.