DALLAS, March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Brinker
International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), parent company of Chili's®
Grill & Bar, On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina® and
Maggiano's Little Italy®, congratulates two of its national
charitable partners, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® and
Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, for
being ranked among the most trusted nonprofits in America.
Make-A-Wish Foundation®, a third Brinker charitable partner, was
named to the Top 10 list of brands to which Americans are most
likely to donate.
Each year, Brinker brands rally to raise funds and awareness for
their selected national charitable partners. In September, as part
of the Create-A-Pepper to Fight Childhood Cancer campaign, Chili's
encourages guests to color the signature Chili's pepper for a
donation of $1 or more to St. Jude.
The brand also donates 100 percent of profits the last Monday of
the month, all in part to reach Chili's 10-year, $50 million commitment to St. Jude.
Decked out in pink from floor to ceiling during its Fiesta for
the Cure campaign, On The Border sponsors restaurant events and
gathers donations throughout October to help raise funds for
Susan G. Komen. Maggiano's touts
chef-created dishes guests can purchase, with a portion of the
proceeds going directly to its charitable partner Make-A-Wish,
during the Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish campaign each May.
In the recently released 2010 Harris Poll EquiTrend® survey
conducted by Harris Interactive, St. Jude, one of the world's
premier pediatric cancer research centers, located in Memphis, Tenn., was ranked as the most-trusted
nonprofit brand. Susan G. Komen for
the Cure, a global leader in the support of breast cancer research
headquartered in Dallas, Texas,
took second place in the survey. The two charities also ranked
highest in the brand equity category, with Komen finishing first
and St. Jude finishing second.
"As a valued partner in our Chili's Create-A-Pepper to Fight
Childhood Cancer Campaign, St. Jude and its commitment to
lifesaving work continue to inspire and motivate us. This national
recognition demonstrates that St. Jude has a similar impact on the
general public," said Kelli Valade,
SVP and COO of Chili's Grill & Bar and On The Border Mexican
Grill & Cantina. "Susan G. Komen
and Make-A-Wish included, we applaud all three of our national
Brinker charitable partners and the great work they do."
Partnerships such as those with St. Jude, Susan G. Komen and Make-A-Wish stem from Brinker
International's commitment—both at the corporate level and within
each of its brands—to giving back to those who need support. Giving
back to the communities where its employees live and work is one of
Brinker International's core values, as reflected in its
employee-established Brinker Family Fund (BFF). This fund, a
501(c)3 organization that provides support to team members and
their families in times of need, is completely funded, managed and
distributed by Brinker team members.
About Brinker International
Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), is one of the world's
leading casual dining restaurant companies, serving more than 1
million guests daily. Founded in 1975 and based in Dallas, Texas, Brinker owns or franchises more
than 1,700 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories, and
employs more than 125,000. Brinker restaurant brands include
Chili's® Grill & Bar, On The Border Mexican Grill &
Cantina® and Maggiano's Little Italy®. Brinker also holds a
minority investment in Romano's Macaroni Grill®. The company was
named one of FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired Food Service Companies
in 2009 and was honored by the magazine as one of the Top 50
Employers for Minorities and the Top 50 Employers for Women. For
more information, visit http://www.brinker.com/.
SOURCE Brinker International, Inc.