PARSIPPANY — There’s nothing quite like receiving impeccable service when dining out – it can even be the deciding factor for determining if guests will return to a restaurant. To celebrate New Jersey’s hardworking individuals who go above and beyond to provide a pleasant dining experience, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, 1057 Route 46, announced a contest to reward employees in honor of National Wait Staff Appreciation Day on May 21. The contest is offered at Applebee’s restaurants in New Jersey owned and operated by local franchisee, Doherty Enterprises.*
From April 16 to May 13, diners at participating New Jersey Applebee’s locations are invited to nominate their favorite employee by submitting an email explaining why that employee deserves to be recognized. One winning employee from each participating restaurant in New Jersey will receive a $100 gift card and the nominating guest will win one Dinner for a Year gift certificate, valid for one entrée per month for 12 months. The winners will be announced on Monday, May 21.
“We are excited to announce our Wait Staff Appreciation Day contest in our New Jersey restaurants,” said Kevin Coughlin, director of operations, Applebee’s New Jersey. “Providing excellent service to our guests is something we take a lot of pride in, which is made possible by the attention and efforts of our employees. We encourage guests to tell us about their favorite employees and look forward to reading the submissions as well as rewarding our deserving staff and valued guests.”
Nominations must be sent via email to ABFav@Dohertyinc.com and include the following:
A picture with the nominated employee
Details of how they provide a special dining experience
Employee’s first and last name
The Applebee’s location
In addition, guests are required to share their nomination for favorite Applebee’s employee on their social media channels with the hashtag #ApplebeesFav.
Valid only at participating Applebee’s locations owned and operated by Doherty Enterprises.
Established in 1985, Doherty Enterprises, Inc. is recognized as the 68th largest privately-held business in the New York Metro area by Crain’s Business and the 11th largest franchisee in the United States as ranked in the Restaurant Finance Monitor, operating seven restaurant concepts including: Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Chevys Fresh Mex, Quaker Steak & Lube, Noodles & Company, and two of its own concepts, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub and Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas. In 2017, Nation’s Restaurant News ranked Doherty Enterprises as the 78th largest Foodservice revenue company in the United States. To date, Doherty Enterprises owns and operates over 150 restaurants in northern, southern and central New Jersey, on Long Island, as well as locations throughout Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and sections of Florida and Georgia. The Doherty vision is to be the “Best Food Service Company in the Communities We Serve” and its mission is to “Wow Every Guest Every Time, Wow Our People, Wow Our Communities and Wow Our Suppliers.” (www.DohertyInc.com).
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar offers a lively casual dining experience combining simple, craveable American fare, classic drinks and local drafts. All Applebee’s restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to serving their communities and offering quality food and drinks with genuine, neighborly service. Applebee’s is one of the world’s largest casual dining brands; as of Dec. 31, 2017, there are nearly 1,970 Applebee’s franchise restaurants in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 14 other countries. Applebee’s is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world’s largest full-service restaurant companies.
