Cheers Magazine Presents 2010 Cheers Beverage Excellence Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- In front of packed house of close to 500 beverage executives, Ruby Tuesday was awarded Cheers' 2010 Beverage Excellence Award for Best Chain Overall Beverage Program. This top honor was accepted by Ken Lennox, the restaurant's director of quality beverage, at the annual Cheers Beverage Conference, held on January 25-26 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Miami.

New York restaurateur Danny Meyer, CEO of the Union Square Hospitality Group, also was honored with the Raising the Bar Award for his role as an industry innovator. He was presented with the award following his keynote speech addressing how operators can prepare for better economic times.

Cheers magazine, the only beverage business publication devoted to full-service restaurants, bars and hotels, presented the 2010 Cheers Beverage Excellence Awards to eleven operators and two individuals at a gala awards ceremony at the conference. These awards are among the most prestigious for beverage operators in the restaurant, bar and hotels business. They are chosen by former Beverage Excellence Award winners and a panel of operators that serve on the Cheers editorial board.

The 2010 Cheers Beverage Excellence Award winners are:

1. Best Chain Beverage Menu: Bar Louie for the Passport Program, sponsored by Island Oasis
2. Best Chain Beverage Merchandising: Hilton for its Tiki program, sponsored by Diageo
3. Best Chain Signature Drink: InterContinental Hotels Group for its Sno Cones line of drinks
4. Best Chain Drink Program: Cheeseburger in Paradise, sponsored by Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc.
5. Best Chain Beer Program: Ram International, sponsored by Anheuser-Busch Inc.
6. Best Chain Spirits Program: The Phoenician, sponsored by Pernod Ricard USA
7. Best Chain Wine Program: Bellagio
8. Best Chain Adult Alcohol-Free Drink Program: Hard Rock Cafe, sponsored by Monin Gourmet Flavorings
9. Best Chain Hotel Beverage Program: Loews Hotels
10. Best Chain Multi-Concept Beverage Program: O'Charley's, sponsored by American Beverage Marketers, Inc.
11. Best Chain Overall Beverage Program: Ruby Tuesday
12. Raising the Bar Award: Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group
13. Beverage Industry Innovator of the Year: Thomas "Mac" Gregory of The Phoenician

For more information about Cheers magazine, the Cheers Beverage Conference or the Cheers Awards for Beverage Excellence, visit www.cheersconference.com or www.bevinfogroup.com.

SOURCE Cheers Magazine