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Yep, you read that right - a free slice of our delicious Strawberry Pie is just around the corner for a very elite group of people: Smiley’s Email Club members! The week of May 9, we’ll be sending out this tasty coupon to all members. Lucky for you, there’s still time to join the club to get YOUR free slice!

If you’re reading this right now, chances are that you’ve been wanting to join, but just haven’t gotten around to it. I know, I know – you’re a busy person! Well, let today be the day. As a member, not only will you enjoy a free slice of strawberry deliciousness, but you’ll also get lots of other perks throughout the year. Like what? Well, for starters, how about free desserts for your birthday and anniversary, AND over $40 worth of coupon savings every year!

So, if you’ve got 30 seconds, click here right now and sign up today. Then keep an eye on your inbox the week of May 9 for your special coupon!

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We are very excited to announce that the National Restaurant Association has presented us with its 2011 Restaurant Neighbor Award! What makes this such an honor? Well, two things. First, this is a national award, and we were selected from ALL of the restaurants in the country! Second, and most important, we were selected because of our fundraising efforts through our Caring for Kids campaign – something that our team members have put an enormous amount of time and dedication into. To be nationally recognized for something that is so important to our culture here at Eat’n Park is truly a credit to our entire organization.

Since 1979, our restaurant team members have poured their hearts into raising money for local children’s hospitals. In those 31 years, the campaign has raised more than $7 million for sick children and their families. Yesterday, several of our team members attended the award ceremony in Washington, D.C. to accept the honor on our behalf.  The video below was shown at the event. 



The Restaurant Neighbor Award is given to companies that demonstrate outstanding service efforts in the communities that they serve. The award was developed in 1999 to inspire more restaurant owners and operators to get involved and contribute to their respective communities. We’re happy to say that by that time, we’d already been running our Caring for Kids campaign for 20 years!

Over the years, this campaign has evolved into a program that we are incredibly proud of. There’s one reason for its continued success: our amazing team members. In good economic times and in bad, our team members have rallied together through this campaign to support their communities. Last year, they contributed over 4,000 volunteer hours during the campaign’s five-week span.

While receiving this award is truly an honor, all that really matters is that we’re making a difference in the lives of the people in our communities who support us every day. It’s one way that we live up to our name – “The Place for Smiles.”

To read more about the Restaurant Neighbor Award and the other recipients, click here.

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In our latest takeout commercial, our friend Ian again makes a mad dash through the city in search of Eat'n Park takeout to satisfy his craving for a fish sandwich. Whale of a Cod to the rescue!

Meanwhile, back at home, his furry friends have beaten him to it...



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Hoppy Easter!

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With spring rapidly approaching, many farmers are getting ready to plant the crops that they’ll harvest this summer and fall - which got me thinking about CSAs. CSA stands for Community-Supported Agriculture, and it’s a great way for consumers like you and me to get a great bounty of fresh, local goods while supporting farmers in our own communities.

Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

What’s in the box will vary depending on the farmers involved in each CSA. Here at Eat’n Park’s Corporate Support Center, we participate in the Penn’s Corner CSA. Penn’s Corner is a cooperative of over 30 local growers, including some of the farms that supply Eat’n Park restaurants with fresh fruit and produce. Because Penn’s Corner is comprised of so many different farmers, our weekly boxes contain not only a wide variety of local herbs, veggies, and fruits, but also the occasional jar of honey, pack of fresh pasta, gourmet mushrooms, local cheese, or free range eggs.

But Penn’s Corner certainly isn’t the only CSA available in this area. Last Friday, I was out visiting farms when I came across Janoski Farms in Clinton, PA. This farm has been in operation since 1890, and currently includes thirty-five greenhouses, a retail farm market, a farm bakery, a garden center, orchard, gift shop, country restaurant and over 200 acres of vegetable production. The Janoski’s recently decided to start a CSA, which will run from June through November, and will take advantage of the many vegetables and fruits already grown on the farm.

In addition to enjoying fresh, local produce, another great benefit to CSA membership is the opportunity to try vegetables that you otherwise wouldn’t have considered. Many CSAs, including Penn’s Corner and Janoski’s, provide recipes that incorporate the week’s bounty. You may just discover a new favorite meal!

Penn’s Corner and Janoski’s are just two of the many CSA programs available in this region. To locate a CSA near you, or just to find out more about CSAs in general, I recommend that you visit http://www.localharvest.org/csa/. Just put in your zip code to see a listing of all the CSAs available in your area.

Looking forward to the first harvest,
Jamie



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Lent begins this week, which means that Seafood Specials are here at Eat'n Park! We have some brand new items (just click here to see them all), in addition to classic favorites like our Nantucket Cod, Seafood Pasta Bake, and Baked Lemon Sole. 

Speaking of classic favorites....there's nothing more classic than our Endless Soup & Salad Bar.  And it goes perfectly with any meal, including our new specials! Try it for yourself with the coupon below - take $2 off the Salad Bar when you add it to your meal.  Just click here to print your coupon.

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On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish…so share a little luck (and sweet green goodness) with Shamrock Smiley Cookies! These seasonal favorites are available in our restaurants and online store now, so get yours while you can.
With this jovial holiday coming up, we got to thinking about St. Patrick’s Day, Shamrocks, and all things Irish. Our curiosity turned up a few fun facts about the holiday and its icon, so we thought we’d share. Read on for green enlightenment:

• The very first St. Patrick's Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in Boston in 1737.
• There are 4 towns in the U.S. named after a shamrock: Mount Gay-Shamrock, West Virginia; Shamrock, Texas; Shamrock Lakes, Indiana; and Shamrock, Oklahoma.
• According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves found on a clover is 14.
• One estimate suggests that there are about 10,000 regular three-leaf clovers for every lucky four-leaf clover.
• Legend says that each leaf of the clover means something: the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck.

Looking for more ways to get in the spirit? How about serving those Shamrock Smiley Cookies with a glass of green milk? Or, even better, a minty green St. Patty’s Day Shake at Eat’n Park!

If you’ll be celebrating at home, get the kids together to help with this authentic Irish Soda Bread. It’s quick and easy – especially because you don’t need to wait for the dough to rise. The recipe was actually born out of necessity, since yeast won’t leaven the soft wheat grown in Ireland.

Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread
From FamilyFun Magazine

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. butter, chilled
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
2. Cut in the butter until it is pea-sized. Stir in the raisins and buttermilk or yogurt. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, knead 1 minute, and shape into a disk.
3. Cut an "X" in the top and bake on a greased baking sheet for 45 to 50 minutes. Makes one 8-inch-wide loaf.

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