LONG ISLAND, N.Y., May 29, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Doherty Enterprises-owned Applebee’s® Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants on Long Island announced today the winners of their 8th annual “Above and ‘BEE’yond Teacher Essay Contest.” Developed to acknowledge exceptional local educators, the contest encouraged students to write an essay nominating the special teacher who has had the most impact on their educational journey.
2024 Above and BEEYond Teacher Essay Winners.
After a rigorous judging process, the following four winners, from schools across Long Island, were announced:
- Iannucci of Baldwin Middle School
- Akturk of Longwood High School
- Pirozzi of Longwood High School
- Ryan of Westside School
Back in January, Doherty-owned Applebee’s asked students in local Long Island elementary, middle, and high schools to draft and submit essays explaining how their teachers went above and BEEyond. A panel of judges selected the top four essays and awarded those special teachers with a check for $500 to better their classrooms and the opportunity to host an exclusive end-of-year class celebration at their local Doherty-owned Applebee’s.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable educators recognized in our eighth annual ‘Above and ‘BEE’yond Teacher Essay Contest’ at our Long Island locations,” remarked Brian McDonnell, Doherty’s Director of Operations for Long Island. “Acknowledging the unwavering dedication of local teachers in nurturing and inspiring our youth is a profound privilege. It is incredibly rewarding to provide a platform for students to express the significant influence their teachers have had on their lives and to shine a light on the community champions who make a difference every day.”
About Applebee’s®
As one of the world’s largest casual dining brands, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar serves as America’s kitchen table, offering guests a lively dining experience that combines simple, craveable American fare with classic drinks and local drafts. Applebee’s makes it easy for family and friends to connect with one another, whether it’s in a dining room or in the comfort of a living room, Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood™ is a familiar and affordable escape from the everyday. Applebee’s restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to more than serving great food, but also building up the communities that we call home. From raising money for local charities to hosting community fundraisers, Applebee’s is always Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood®.
Applebee’s franchise operations consisted of 1,654 Applebee’s restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 11 countries outside the United States as of September 30, 2023. This number does not include two domestic Applebee’s ghost kitchens (small kitchens with no store-front presence, used to fill off-premise orders) and 12 Applebee’s international ghost kitchens. 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.
About Doherty Enterprises, Inc.
Established in 1985, Doherty Enterprises owns and operates more than 140 restaurants in New Jersey & New York, including six restaurant concepts: Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Chevys Fresh Mex, JINYA Ramen Bar and its own concepts, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub and Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas. In addition, Doherty Enterprises is also a franchisee of Sola Salon Studios with 14 locations in Staten Island and New Jersey.
Doherty Enterprises is ranked 25th in Top 200 Franchisees in the United States by Restaurant Finance Monitor, is recognized as the 80th largest Foodservice revenue company in the United States by Nation’s Restaurant News, the 70th largest privately held business in the New York Metro area by Crain’s Business, and 24th largest privately held company in New Jersey by NJBIZ.
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.” Doherty Enterprises has also been lending a helping hand to team members and their immediate families when financially burdened through the WOW a Friend Foundation. To date, the foundation has assisted more than 4,000 people and donated over $5.5 million directly back to those in need. (https://www.dohertyinc.com/).
News Source: Doherty Enterprises