The Secret Behind the Success of Maggiano's Annual "Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish" Campaign - Passionate Teammates and Guests

DALLAS, April 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past 13 years, Maggiano's Little Italy^® has raised $6 million for Make-A-Wish^®, enough to grant over 800 wishes, and hosted hundreds of wish parties and local fundraising events to benefit children with life-threatening medical conditions. Each year, the chefs of Maggiano's let their creativity run wild to create unique feature menus that will delight guests for a cause that's truly a part of the brand's DNA. From April 21 through June 29, guests are invited to join their local Maggiano's team to "Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish" and share their dining experience on social media for an additional donation to help raise more funds for this meaningful cause.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/78175241-maggiano-eat-a-dish-for-make-a-wish/

Ways to get involved

• Dine at Maggiano's from April 21 through June 29 and enjoy a feature from the "Eat-A-Dish" menu. Maggiano's will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish for every dish and $.50 for every glass of Dylan's Wish Lemonade ordered
• Make a donation of your choice and receive a star-shaped card, which feature inspirational stories of wish kids. Guests who donate more than $10 will receive a star with a special offer for their next Maggiano's visit
• Share a picture of your experience at Maggiano's on Instagram and/or Twitter using the hashtag #EataDish4MAW. Maggiano's will donate $5 for every photo tagged with the hashtag, up to $25,000

"This campaign is our favorite time of year at Maggiano's," said Steve Provost, Maggiano's President and Chairman of the North Texas Chapter of Make-A-Wish. "Our passion is to make guests feel special, now through the end of June our dedicated teammates, generous guests and creative chefs all work together to realize the dreams of some very special, courageous kids. This is a personal passion for our teams, and it is reflected in the delicious dishes and creative events we share with our guests." 

This year's "Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish" menu
This specialty menu is available for dine-in or carryout and features dishes that are new to the Maggiano's menu. In an effort to delight guest's taste buds for a noteworthy cause and keep them engaged during the 10-week campaign, the "Eat-A-Dish" menu will showcase two different appetizer and risotto options with a chef's choice entree that is handpicked on a local level.

Available April 21 – May 25

• Asiago Crusted Shrimp – mixed greens, smoked bacon, lemon vinaigrette
• Filet Mignon & Asparagus Risotto – shiitake mushrooms, garlic, steak jus
• Fresh Berry Tiramisu – blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, fresh berry sauce

Available May 26 – June 29

• Strawberry Bruschetta – strawberry chutney, orange fondue, prosciutto
• Stuffed Chicken Fontina –  mushrooms, tomatoes, chives
• Fresh Berry Tiramisu – blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, fresh berry sauce

"With the 'Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish' campaign, Maggiano's has created a win-win situation for its guests," said David Williams, president and chief executive officer of Make-A-Wish America. "Guests who support the campaign not only get a great meal, but they also get to make more life-changing wishes possible for wish kids nationwide."

The Maggiano's and Make-A-Wish partnership
Since 2003, Maggiano's and Make-A-Wish have teamed up to grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions through the annual "Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish" campaign. Over the past 13 years, Maggiano's has become one of the top 15 national sponsors of Make-A-Wish, donating over $1 million annually the past few years.

This year, Maggiano's sponsored Dylan's wish to travel to Italy with his family. Hear about Dylan's experience firsthand in the video here – https://youtu.be/hdx6NuOqRa8.

To learn more about Maggiano's "Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish" campaign, visit http://www.maggianos.com/blog/eat-a-dish-for-make-a-wish-2016

About Maggiano's Little Italy
Maggiano's Little Italy^® specializes in Italian-American cuisine served in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Maggiano's menu features both classic and contemporary recipes – authentic pastas, signature salads, prime steaks, fresh seafood, regular chef specials and specialty desserts. Maggiano's 51 locations nationwide offer lunch and dinner, delivery, carryout service and banquet spaces for special occasions. Maggiano's is owned and operated by Brinker International, Inc. EAT, one of the world's leading casual dining restaurant companies, serving more than one million guests daily. Brinker owns or franchises more than 1,600 restaurants in 31 countries and two territories. In addition to Maggiano's, Brinker owns and operates Chili's^® Grill & Bar.

Follow news about Maggiano's on Facebook (www.facebook.com/maggianos), Twitter (http://twitter.com/maggianos), Instagram (https://instagram.com/maggianoslittleitaly/), YouTube (www.youtube.com/maggianoslittleitaly) and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/maggianos). For more information, please visit http://www.maggianos.com.

About Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 28,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 35 minutes. It has granted more than 270,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,800 in 2015 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more.

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SOURCE Maggiano's Little Italy