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Smiley has just passed a major milestone: he celebrated his 25th birthday this Saturday at the Carnegie Science Center! Smiley had been anticipating his big party for months, and it was worth the wait.


To celebrate, the first floor of the Science Center was decorated with balloons, streamers, banners and party hats. Not only were Smiley’s adoring fans there, but so were his mascot friends! The Pirate Parrot, Pitt Panther, Kenny the Kangaroo and the Nittany Lion were just a few of Smiley’s friends who made an appearance.


In addition, plenty of families and kids came out to celebrate Smiley’s big day! Everyone enjoyed cookie decorating, smoothies and, of course, birthday cake. Lead by Pittsburgh's own Sarah Marince, partygoers even sang "Happy Birthday" to Smiley.


The party turned out to be even better than Smiley could have ever imagined! He wishes to thank everyone for coming out and sharing this special day with him. He can't wait to celebrate another 25 years!

Aryn
Team Smiley

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Team Smiley kicked off Smiley’s 25th Birthday at the Cleveland Indians' game on Sunday, June 19th. The Indians faced off against the Pittsburgh Pirates, so it really was a hometown rivalry. In celebration of Smiley's birthday, Team Smiley passed out a little gift to all of the exicted baseball fans: cool Smiley wristbands!



Smiley himself made an appearance, dancing to Radio Disney and taking pictures with Indians' and Pirates' fans. He even had the opportunity to hold the finish line on the field as the Hot Dogs raced at the top of the sixth inning. Smiley cheered for all three of his Hot Dog friends: Ketchup, Mustard, and Onions, as fans cheered on their favorite condiment as well.


Thank you to both baseball teams and fans for making our day so enjoyable! To find out more about Smiley's Birthday celebration, and to find out when he'll be visiting an Eat'n Park near you, click here.

Judy
Team Smiley



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What an exciting day we had! Team Smiley was ecstatic to be involved in the 11th annual Summer Reading Extravaganza hosted by the Carnegie Library. This was the team’s first big event of the summer. We could not have imagined a better way to spend the beautiful Sunday afternoon than with hundreds of children excited about reading!


The Extravaganza is a very cool event that encourages summer reading and helps the library deliver learning opportunities to citizens of Pittsburgh. Everyone had an awesome time and our cookie decorating station was a huge hit among the crowd. Our guests creatively decorated over 1000 cookies ranging from the traditional smiley face, to cookies decked out as characters from their favorite books. Our team also distributed over 3,000 additional cookies!


It was a great day for everyone, especially Smiley who was overjoyed to pose in pictures with his fellow lovers of reading! We had an amazing day and were so happy that we were able to celebrate such a fun event with all of you!


Don’t forget to visit Smiley’s Photo gallery to check out all the fun!

Shayne
Team Smiley

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Last Thursday was an exciting night for Eat’n Park. That’s because renowned artist Burton Morris unveiled a very special painting: his own rendition of our Smiley Cookie! We wanted to do something really special for Smiley’s 25th birthday, and when we asked Burton to be involved, he was thrilled.

He revealed his bright, cheerful design at Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol museum – a fitting location, because not only has Morris’ work been compared to Warhol’s, but like Warhol, Morris is also a Pittsburgh native.


Burton developed the design over a three-month period as he translated Smiley into his signature “post-pop” style. His artwork is known for its bright colors and energy – much of it portraying images that people relate to in everyday life. He first gained national attention in the mid-1990s when his artwork was chosen to hang on the set of the NBC hit television series “Friends.” Over the years, his artwork has been selected for the 76th Academy Awards®, the Paris World Cup Soccer Games, the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.


Said Burton, “As a Pittsburgher and frequent guest of Eat’n Park, I know Smiley is such a huge part of the fabric of the local community – he’s a unique part of the experience of growing up in Pittsburgh. When I learned that it was the 25th anniversary, I just had to be a part of that celebration. Smiley has become an icon that represents what’s great about Pittsburgh.”

Love the design? Limited-edition mugs, magnets, and stickers featuring Burton’s Smiley artwork are now available at all Eat’n Park locations. Additionally, t-shirts can be found at the following Eat’n Park locations:

• McKnight Road - Northbound
• Whitehall
• Bethel Park
• Uniontown
• South Hills Village
• Monroeville
• Robinson
• Cranberry Twp.
• Center Twp. / Monaca
• Grove City
• Latrobe
• Belle Vernon
• Fox Chapel / Waterworks

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This promotion ended on July 29, 2011.

Smiley is celebrating a milestone occasion this summer: his 25th Birthday! And this cookie likes to party, so he’s got a slew of special events planned over the next month. Read on, then join in the fun!

They’re back! From June 20 through July 29, 2011, all kids meals are 99 cents* – all day, every day! Plus, every child will receive a special birthday treat bag full of fun stuff like tattoos, stickers, a special birthday wristband, and (of course) a Smiley Cookie.

Mascot Mania Birthday Bash

Smiley and a bunch of his mascot pals will rendezvous at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh for a birthday bash you won’t soon forget! Friends like Kenny the Kangaroo, the Pirate Parrot, the Nittany Lion, and more will be there to wish Smiley a happy birthday. Visitors can decorate their very own Smiley Cookie, and enjoy a slice of Smiley’s birthday cake!

Throughout the summer, Smiley will be visiting many of our restaurants for special birthday celebrations. Stop by during Smiley’s visit, and you’ll get to meet the big guy! Kids will also be able to decorate their own Smiley Cookies.

Click here to see when Smiley will be visiting your local Eat’n Park!

Special Smiley merchandise designed by Pittsburgh artist Burton Morris

World-famous artist (and Pittsburgh native) Burton Morris has chosen Smiley as his latest muse! Known for his bright, fun, “post-pop” style, Burton Morris has often been compared to Andy Warhol. His rendition of Smiley’s iconic face is bursting with color! You’ll find it on mugs, magnets, and more at our restaurants.

Click here to learn more about Burton’s work, and see how the Smiley Cookie inspired him.
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*99-cent kids' meals not valid on breakfast or brunch buffets or on takeout. Guest check must include one adult meal. Kids' treat bags available while supplies last.


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On Friday, June 10th, Smiley and his team had the pleasure of attending the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania Summer Games. For the event, Team Smiley loaded the Cookie Cruiser with dozens of cookies and traveled to State College, Pennsylvania.


This truly special event was not only rewarding for the athletes, but also for the parents, volunteers, and Team Smiley as well. In between events, athletes and other participants stopped over to the Cookie Cruiser to decorate their own cookie. All the while, Smiley walked around the event making life-long friends.

It was a great day for everyone who attended, and we're looking forward to returning next year. Congratulations to all the participants of the Summer Games!

P.S. We took a ton of great photos - click here to check them out!

Juliann
Team Smiley

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Smiley is celebrating his 25th anniversary this year, and he’s doing it in style. He recently visited our Waterfront restaurant to unveil a surprise – A statue of himself, right in the lobby! Though lacking Smiley’s charisma and huggable charm, his look-a-like definitely sports Smiley’s dashing good looks – you can barely tell them apart!

The statue was created by Ron Seman of The Object Works, right here in Pittsburgh. Ron’s company has also designed some really cool models for movies, TV shows, and ads – click here to see some of their work. We’ve worked with Ron before – in fact, he designed several pairs of giant sunglasses for Smiley to wear during his first beach party. It was only natural that Ron be the one to create Smiley's double!

Smiley’s statue isn’t the only surprise in store for the summer. Stay tuned to see what else is happening to commemorate Smiley’s quarter-century milestone!


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It's June, and that means that the season for graduation parties is just beginning. In addition, Father's Day is on June 18th.  Whether you want to thank Dad or congratulate a recent graduate, Eat'n Park has the perfect gift!

Eat'n Park Gift Cards

Everybody has a favorite at Eat'n Park. Pick up one of our Father's Day or Congratulations gift card designs, and you're guaranteed to please. 

Customized Smiley Cookies

You pick the colors! With just a few days notice, our bakers can prepare a fresh batch for you in the colors of your choice.  For the perfect touch to a graduation party, order a couple dozen in your grad's school colors. Or make Dad smile with a dozen in his favorite team's colors.

Gift Baskets at SmileyCookie.com

SmileyCookie.com makes it easy to send a special gift from afar.  Choose from a selection of Father's Day gift packs for Dad, or pick out one of our Congratulations gift packs for your graduate.

You can also create a batch of customized cookies - just click here to get started.  There's no better surprise than when this special delivery lands on their doorstep!

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Summer is heating up, and another season full of festivals, fundraisers, and community events is just beginning for our newest team members: Team Smiley.

Every year, a group of fresh new faces joins us to take Smiley and his Cookie Cruiser on a summer tour. You might find them at a charity walk in your neighborhood, or maybe you’ll see them at one of our restaurants, or perhaps you’ll cross paths at a local festival. Wherever you meet them, you can be guaranteed one thing: you’ll walk away with a smile!

They’ll be blogging about the events they visit, as well as sharing their photos in our photo gallery throughout the summer. But who are these die-hard Smiley dynamos? Well, read on!

Without further ado, here they are: Team Smiley!

Hi, my name is Judy and I am majoring in marketing and public relations at Baldwin-Wallace College, near Cleveland, Ohio. My hometown is Center Township, northwest of Pittsburgh in Beaver County. My favorite meal at Eat’n Park is the Buffalo Chicken Salad. Yum! For dessert, my favorite Smiley Cookies are the Halloween ones with the adorable candy corn eyes and nose. I cannot wait for all of the fun in the sun this summer with the Cruiser Team!

Hi everyone! My name is Aryn and I am a Public Relations major at Penn State. I am so honored to be a part of Team Smiley 2011. Not only does Eat ’n Park have a family friendly environment, but they give back to the community that helped make them a success. My favorite thing at Eat ’n Park (other than the Smiley Cookies, of course) would be the milkshakes, which are great during the sizzling hot summers here in Pittsburgh. My family and I have grown up with Eat’n Park and I am proud to call myself a member of Team Smiley.

Hi! My name is Juliann and I am currently a senior Advertising/Public Relations Major at Point Park University. I love traveling, especially to the Caribbean. I also love blogging, yoga, dancing, and giving back to the Pittsburgh community in any way. My absolute favorite thing from the Eat'n Park menu is pie. From Strawberry to Coconut Crème, I enjoy them all! Other than my passion for pie, I love to make kids smile. I am so grateful to spend my summer spreading smiles with my fellow Cookie Cruiser team and our good friend Smiley. I look forward to a fun-filled summer serving as a brand ambassador for one of the most iconic brands in Western Pennsylvania.

Hello everyone! My name is Lauren and I will be a senior advertising and public relations major at Point Park University. In my free time, I like going camping or watching really old movies. I’m born and raised in the Pittsburgh area, so leaving for college wasn’t really an option for me. I love everything about this city, especially Eat’n Park! It just wouldn’t be the ‘burgh without that iconic Smiley Cookie! Eat’n Park is a great company to work for. They really care about their team members, guests, and the community. I am really excited that I get to be a part of that on Team Smiley. I am a very happy person and I love to make people laugh. So make sure “yinz” come out and meet Smiley this summer. You can put a smile on a cookie and our team will put a smile on your face!

Hi! My name is Shayne and I am a proud new member of Team Smiley. I was born and raised in the town of Sewickley, PA where I live with my mother, sister and black lab, Max. I am currently a student at Loyola University of Maryland in Baltimore, where I am majoring in Communications and minoring in Sociology. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking and traveling. I actually have the amazing opportunity to be studying abroad in Belgium for my junior year of college, which I am eagerly anticipating. I am also an avid runner and am currently training for my first half marathon in July. I’m very excited to be a part of the Eat’n Park family and am looking forward to celebrating Smiley’s 25th birthday with all of you this summer!

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Although he never spoke, Smiley made his voice heard at Walk Now for Autism Speaks 2011.


On Saturday, June 4th, people of all ages came together to walk and support autism research at Heinz Field. Smiley's Cookie Cruiser arrived filled with Smiley Cookies, providing walkers and their families with not only a tasty snack, but also the chance to decorate their own yummy treats to show off their artistic abilities. Throughout the day, Smiley had the opportunity to meet guests and even see some of his fans from Pitt.


It was really moving to see so many people come together in support of such a great cause at Heinz Field. We had an amazing day and got to meet so many incredible families. Thank you to the thousands of individuals who came out and participated in Walk Now for Autism Speaks and made our day so enjoyable!


Don’t forget to stop by Smiley’s Photo Gallery to see other memorable moments with Smiley.


Judy
Team Smiley

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If you happen to be driving into Pittsburgh by way of McKnight Road, you will see a small Eat’n Park on your right. Next time you're in the area, be sure to take the time to stop in and say hello to one of our most creative cooks, Rachel Welch.

We call that restaurant #13, but it was a lucky number 13 for Rachel, who was recently named the overall winner in our Best New Recipe Contest.

The contest began last July and was open to all of our 1,251 cooks. Each cook with a new recipe idea prepared that dish for the management team in their restaurant. That team of managers chose the best recipe to represent their restaurant against all the other restaurants in their region.

One winner from each of our seven regions was chosen. Now the seven regional champions ventured to our test kitchen in Homestead to personally prepare their best new recipes for our panel of judges, including celebrity judge Shelley Duffy from the Star 100.7 morning program.

In the end, Rachel came out the victor. Her creation, Baked Chicken Bruschetta Alfredo, made it through the testing process and became the first dish chosen to be featured as a special at Eat’n Park Restaurants.


Now if you can’t get to our restaurant on McKnight Road to have Rachel make her award-winning dish for you personally, be sure to stop in at any of our 72 other locations and have any one of our 1,251 dedicated cooks prepare the dish for you.

Enjoy!
Regis

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Nothing screams “summer!” quite like fresh blueberries, and when you mix them with blueberry crème, a sprinkle of streusel, and two of our buttermilk or whole grain pancakes (your choice), the result is one amazing breakfast. Served with 3 slices of bacon or sausage. $5.79

Banana Crunch Pancakes
Prefer bananas to blueberries? This one’s for you. Two of our buttermilk or whole grain pancakes are topped with fresh banana slices, granola, and warm Bananas Foster syrup. Served with 3 slices of bacon or sausage. $5.79

Baked Chicken Bruschetta Alfredo
Last year, when we featured the Baked Chicken Bruschetta, you raved and demanded that it return! Well, we’ve obliged (see our Returning Favorites, below) – but we’ll do you one better.  Rachel Welch of our McKnight Road restaurant came up with this tasty take on the original – so we’re featuring them both!

Our breaded, baked chicken is sliced over a bed of spaghetti with creamy Alfredo sauce. The whole thing is topped with our homemade tomato bruschetta topping and Asiago cheese, and served with a garden side salad and garlic toast. Yessss! $9.99


Pittsburgh Turkey Sandwich
This one’s a keeper! Oven-roasted turkey breast slices, Swiss cheese, chipotle slaw, and seasoned French fries piled high between grilled Italian bread. Served with your choice of one side. You won’t leave hungry! $6.99



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