
<PAGE>   1

                                                        EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                      DART GROUP ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH
                         ROBERT, GLORIA AND LINDA HAFT


         Landover, MD... August 16, 1997 ... Dart Group Corporation (NASDAQ:
DARTA) today announced a Settlement Agreement with Robert, Gloria and Linda
Haft.  The Settlement Agreement, which has been approved by the Executive
Committee of Dart's Board of Directors, is subject to approval by Dart's Board
of Directors, and certain other approvals, by September 2, 1997.

         Dart Group Corporation also announced that it is continuing its
settlement negotiations with Herbert Haft and anticipates executing a
comprehensive settlement agreement with him by September 2, 1997.

Settlement with Robert, Gloria and Linda Haft

         The transactions contemplated by the Settlement Agreement between Dart
and Robert, Gloria and Linda Haft include: the purchase by Dart from Robert,
Gloria and Linda Haft (or related parties) of 104,976 shares of Dart Class B
Common Stock and 81,556 shares of Dart Class A Common Stock; the termination of
options held or claimed by Robert, Gloria and Linda Haft to purchase a total of
283,750 shares of Dart Class A Common Stock; the termination of putative
options to purchase 15 shares of Dart/SFW Corp.; and the termination of a small
number of options to purchase shares of common stock of Trak Auto Corporation
and Crown Books Corporation.  Dart will pay Robert, Gloria and Linda Haft a
total of approximately $41 million in connection with these transactions.

         The Settlement Agreement also contemplates the completion of
bankruptcy plans of reorganization for the partnerships owning Dart's
headquarters building in Landover, Maryland and a warehouse leased by Dart's
subsidiary, Trak Auto Corporation, in Bridgeview, Illinois.  Under these
bankruptcy plans, the Company will pay a total of $4.4 million (50% of which
would be offset by the release to Dart of funds previously escrowed for Ronald
Haft) to Robert and Linda Haft for their interests in these two partnerships,
and a total of $7.0 million to reduce outstanding institutional mortgage loans
on these properties, which will thereafter be wholly-owned by Dart affiliates.

         This settlement requires a supplemental settlement arrangement between
Dart and Ronald Haft, which has not yet been completed.  The effectiveness of
this settlement would be conditioned upon the satisfaction of several
requirements,





                                     - 1 -
<PAGE>   2

including compliance with a 7-day notice requirement under a Standstill Order
of the Delaware Court of Chancery applicable to Dart.  The effectiveness of
this settlement also would be subject to approval by Richard B. Stone in his
capacity as Voting Trustee.

         The closing of these transactions is scheduled for late September,
subject to the satisfaction of various conditions.  Closing of these
transactions cannot be assured.

         This settlement, if consummated, would result in the termination of
the pending claim by Robert, Gloria and Linda Haft to control of Dart and the
settlement of all litigation between them and Dart and its subsidiaries.

         Dart anticipates that $50 million of proceeds from a recent private
placement of senior notes by its subsidiary, Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp.,
will be used to fund these transactions.  A portion of the cost of these
transactions may be allocated to Trak Auto Corporation and, possibly, Crown
Books Corporation, which are subsidiaries of Dart.  No such allocations have
yet been determined.

Anticipated Settlement with Herbert Haft

         The resolutions of Dart's Executive Committee authorizing the
settlement with Robert, Gloria and Linda Haft also contemplate that a
settlement agreement will be finalized with Herbert Haft, and that a related
supplemental settlement agreement will be entered into with Ronald Haft, by
September 2, 1997.

         As previously announced, Dart reached a conditional settlement
agreement in principle with Herbert Haft on April 21, 1997.  Although that
conditional agreement in principle terminated on July 11, 1997, without the
parties entering into a definitive settlement agreement, negotiations have
continued intermittently toward a definitive settlement agreement substantially
consistent with the proposed terms outlined in the April 21 conditional
agreement in principle.

         Under the settlement being discussed with Herbert Haft, he would
retire from his positions as Chairman of Dart and its three major operating
subsidiaries: Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp., Trak Auto Corporation and Crown
Books Corporation.  Herbert Haft also would relinquish his claim to voting
control of Dart.

         Further, under the contemplated settlement, Herbert Haft would sell to
the Company all 122,747 of his shares of Dart Class A Common Stock and options
to purchase a total of approximately 129,750 shares of Dart Class A Common
Stock, and substantially lesser holdings in Trak Auto and Crown Books.  The
settlement





                                     - 2 -
<PAGE>   3

also would terminate Herbert Haft's employment agreement with Dart and would
resolve all outstanding litigation and disputes between Dart and Herbert Haft.
Mr. Haft would also assign certain real estate interests to the Company.

         Herbert Haft would receive $29.7 million from Dart if the settlement
is implemented, at least part of which is expected to be deferred beyond
closing.  Herbert Haft would also receive an additional $11.6 million from
escrowed funds previously paid by Dart to Ronald Haft as part of its October
1995 settlement with Ronald Haft (and $700,000 interest on those funds).  Dart
would make a $10 million loan to a partnership owned by Herbert and Ronald
Haft, which loan would be personally guaranteed by Ronald Haft and would be
secured by such partnership's interests in three shopping centers located in
suburban Washington, D.C. and by a one-half indirect interest in an office
building in Lanham, Maryland leased by Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp.

         If a settlement agreement is entered into with Herbert Haft, closing
of the settlement transactions would be subject to final and non- appealable
action by the Delaware Court of Chancery or the Delaware Supreme Court
approving all of the terms of the settlement, terminating certain putative
derivative actions pending with respect to Dart in the Delaware Court of
Chancery, and approving the October 1995 settlement between Dart and Ronald
Haft and the supplemental settlement between Dart and Ronald Haft.  The closing
of the anticipated settlement between Dart and Herbert Haft, even if a
settlement agreement is reached by September 2, 1997, would not be expected to
occur until three or more months later.

         There can be no assurance that a settlement agreement between Dart and
Herbert Haft will be entered into or that the contemplated settlement
transactions between Dart and Herbert Haft will close.

         In its negotiation with members of the Haft family, Dart is
represented by the Executive Committee of its Board of Directors, comprised of
Larry G. Schafran, Chairman, Douglas M. Bregman, Esq. and Bonita A. Wilson.

         For further information, contact Larry G. Schafran (301-731-1502).

Business Contact:         Larry G. Schafran
                          Chairman, Dart Group Executive Committee
                          301-226-1502

Media Contact:            Marina Ein
                          202-223-2922





                                     - 3 -
