National Restaurant Association Recognizes Restaurants, Industry Leader for Commitment to Community Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing restaurants for outstanding community service efforts, the National Restaurant Association today announced the winners of its 2010 Restaurant Neighbor Award. The winners are: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colo., with locations nationwide, in the large business category; Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza in Tacoma, Wash., in the mid-size business category; UNION Restaurant and Bar Latino in Haverstraw, N.Y., in the small business category; and Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City in the Cornerstone Humanitarian category. The winners each received a $5,000 contribution to their initiatives at a Washington, D.C. awards ceremony this weekend. American Express is the founding partner of the Restaurant Neighbor Award.

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"Community service comes naturally to our industry, and we are so pleased to present some of the most inspiring examples of philanthropy with our Restaurant Neighbor Award," said Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant Association President and CEO. "Restaurants make a difference in local communities across the nation by supporting local initiatives and national causes. These restaurateurs and staff members have shown tremendous dedication and innovation when it comes to helping their neighbors and fellow Americans."

The national winners of the 2010 Restaurant Neighbor Award are:

Large Business: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colo.

Being a good neighbor goes hand-in-hand with the enthusiastic company culture at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. "Unbridled Acts" is a long-held philosophy of performing random acts of kindness that extends to all team members in the casual dining chain's more than 430 restaurants. Projects have included the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), Special Olympics, and the National Fire Safety Council. Red Robin also has an annual Kids' Cook-Off, where children submit ideas for burger recipes, one of which is added to the restaurant's menu with a portion of the proceeds going to support NCMEC. The company has also been active in school projects, including helping middle schools reduce bullying through its U-ACT Program. Since 2005, Red Robin has donated more than $2 million to youth-related organizations that support health, safety and education.

Mid-Size Business: Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza in Tacoma, Wash.

Located in Tacoma, Wash., the Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza chain celebrates military personnel with weekly discounts and parties before they deploy and return from overseas. It also provided gear and decor to troops overseas so they could turn their break room into a satellite Farrelli's. Farrelli's has raised more than $150,000 for organizations including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the Boys and Girls Club. It also responds to customer ideas when it comes to projects to support. A young man with diabetes inspired a diet-customized pizza being added to the menu, and the restaurant's participation in a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation fundraiser.

Small Business: UNION Restaurant and Bar Latino in Haverstraw, N.Y.

The Haverstraw, N.Y., restaurant, which serves Latin-fusion cuisine, opened in 2007. Its owners, Paulo Feteira and Chef David Martinez, wanted to help families who were struggling to make ends meet because of the recession. Employees jumped behind the idea and volunteered their time for three days, as the restaurant fed more than 3,000 people at the first "1, 2, 3 -- It's Free!" event in February 2009. The event is now an annual affair and one of several projects for the Union's "We Care" Foundation. The restaurant also supports community organizations and breast cancer research projects, and created a rooftop garden to teach schoolchildren the benefits of eating locally grown produce.

Cornerstone Humanitarian: Danny Meyer, Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City

For Danny Meyer, the restaurant business, hospitality and community are intertwined. Caring about staff members and the communities around his restaurants has helped grow Union Square Hospitality Group into a successful enterprise with 25 entities. Over the past two decades, Meyer and his restaurants have focused on hunger relief (including Share Our Strength events), local education, parks and revitalization. The company's all-employee Community Council puts into action service projects in New York and beyond. Employees have prepared weekly meals for patients and families at a local hospice, helped rebuild a historic restaurant in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and restored a park in Washington, D.C.

"American Express is proud to partner with the National Restaurant Association to honor the contributions restaurateurs across the country make to their communities," said Curtis L. Wilson, Vice President and General Manager, Restaurant and Lodging Industries, American Express. "Through charitable gifts of food, time, and resources, restaurants have a tangible and lasting impact on their communities; we hope these actions inspire others to do the same."

The National Restaurant Association and founding partner American Express developed the Restaurant Neighbor Award to raise awareness about the restaurant industry's contributions in local communities across the country and to inspire other restaurant operators and owners to make even greater contributions in their communities.

Each participating state restaurant association selects winners in their respective states that compete with winners from other states for the national award.

For more information on the award program and a video introducing the 2010 winners, visit the National Restaurant Association's website, http://www.restaurant.org/sustainability/rna.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America's restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

SOURCE National Restaurant Association