what's new

Lent is fast approaching, and I’ve always wondered how it’s determined when Easter and Lent will occur. So, my friends, I did a little research – and I’m here to tell you how it’s done. Stay with me now, because this gets a little complicated. Easter Sunday is always the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. Count backwards 40 days from that day, and you have Ash Wednesday, which is the official start of Lent. Or you can do like I always do - just check the calendar!

Either way, in this region, Lent means that it’s time for Friday fish fries, pierogie dinners, haluski, and the new specials at Eat’n Park. This year, our lineup is better than ever. You will see the return of old favorites like the Tuna Cheddar Melt and Pierogies with onions, but we’re also adding a few brand new items that I’m sure you’re going to love.

The first is our Grilled Salmon Burger. It is made of premier flaked salmon and grilled to order. We serve it to you on our grilled Kaiser bun with spring mix lettuce, a touch of chipotle ranch sauce, and your choice of a side.

Our second new addition is our General Tso’s Shrimp. We start with a bed of stir-fried brown rice and a blend of garden fresh vegetables grilled to perfection. We then toss our golden-crisped popcorn shrimp in our General Tso’s sauce and serve it on top of the rice and veggies. What a treat!

Now, for your second lesson today: Who is this General Tso, and why can his namesake meal be found in every Chinese restaurant in America? Well, General Tso’s real name was Zuo Zongtang. He lived in the Hunan Province of China in the 1800’s and played a key role in stopping a rebellion in 1860. Legend has it that this sweet and spicy specialty was his favorite dish. However, no historical proof of this exists, and in fact, there is no record of such a dish in Hunanese cuisine. It appears that the first instance of General Tso’s chicken actually appeared in New York in the 1970’s, thanks to the creativity of several Taiwanese chefs who had opened restaurants in the area. There have been endless variations ever since.

Regardless of its origins, here’s what I’m betting: You’re going to love our version of General Tso’s! Stop in this Lenten season and give it a try.

See you at Eat’n Park!
Regis

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Reel ‘em in! Our specials are here, and you don’t wanna miss them! We have a few brand new items, as well as some fan favorites that we’ve brought back due to popular demand. Read on!

Brand new, soon-to-be favorites:

General Tso’s Shrimp
Who was General Tso, anyway? Better question: With flavor this good, who cares? We toss our deep-fried popcorn shrimp with the general’s famous sauce, then serve it over stir-fried brown rice and grilled fresh stir-fry vegetables. With your choice of one side. $8.99

Salmon Burger
Been yearning for a healthier alternative to your favorite burger? Wish granted. We serve this grilled salmon burger on a Kaiser bun with chipotle mayo and a spring mix, and your choice of one side. With just 405 calories, you’ll be coming back for more, guilt-free. $7.99

Popcorn Shrimp
Once you pop, you probably won’t stop! A basket full of shrimp coated in Panko crumbs, fried to a delicate crunch, and served with cocktail sauce. Simple and delicious. $5.99



Taco Salad
It’s muy bueno, amigos! You’ve always known how amazing our homemade chili is….and now you can enjoy it on a salad! We pile our tortilla bowl high with mixed greens, top them with chili, cheddar cheese, salsa, and sour cream, then we give it to you to quickly devour. You won’t be disappointed. $7.99

Spinach Tomato Omelette
Breakfast perfection. Our three-egg omelette is filled with spinach, tomato, and mozzarella cheese, then topped with hollandaise sauce and served with your choice of breakfast potatoes and toast. This one’s a keeper! $7.29

Buffalo Chicken Tenders Dinner
What could be better than our tender chicken fillets? Answer: Our tender chicken fillets tossed in our own special Buffalo sauce. Served with two sides and our bakery-fresh dinner rolls. Choose your portion size: Four tenderloins ($7.99) or five ($8.99).

They’re back! Fan faves that you can’t get enough of:

Pierogies
At this time of year, this regional favorite is pretty much a staple. Ours are the potato-and-cheddar variety, served the way they were meant to be: with butter and grilled onions! Enjoy them with garlic toast and a garden side salad. $6.99



Tuna Cheddar Melt
Cool, creamy tuna salad and warm, melty cheddar cheese come together for a glorious love affair atop our fresh-baked grilled Italian bread. With lettuce and tomato, and your choice of one side. $6.99

Smothered Ground Sirloin
You won’t leave hungry, we promise! Our ground sirloin is grilled the way you like it, then topped with gravy, grilled peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Served with two sides and our dinner rolls. $9.99

Whole-Grain Pancakes
We heard you, and our whole-grain pancakes are back! Enjoy them alone or substitute them for the buttermilk version in our Breakfast Smiles.



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What do you love at Eat'n Park? Our Shredded Pot Roast Sandwich? Nantucket Cod? Buffalo Chicken Salad? Potato Soup? Smiley Cookies?....oh, wait, everybody loves Smiley Cookies!

No matter what it is that hits the spot for you, it's available for takeout! That's right - our entire menu is available to-go, including our delicious homemade soups and chili for just $6.99 per quart.

What could be better than our home-cooked meals? Well, how about $5 off your order?  Click here to print the coupon below to save $5 on your takeout order of $20 or more, now through February 27, 2011!


Pick up breakfast, lunch, or dinner for the whole family - we have something for everyone!

To find the phone number and takeout menu for your local Eat'n Park, just click here.

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Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and if you need something sweet for your sweetie, Valentine Smiley Cookies are the perfect way to share your love!

Stop by your local Eat'n Park to pick up a dozen today! And if you're joining us for a meal, use the coupon below for a special dessert: a free Valentine Smiley Cookie, on the house! Click here to print your coupon.


If you can't be with the people you love this Valentine's Day, don't forget our online store, where you can ship our cookies anywhere in the U.S! Click here to shop now.

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Spring is right around the corner (though it can’t come soon enough!), and warm-weather sports leagues are already forming. If you’re looking for a uniform sponsor for your team, you’ve come to the right place!

Last year, we sponsored 94 local youth sports teams, and we hope to support even more in 2011. Every Eat’n Park location has a budget set aside to provide a uniform sponsorship for one or more teams. If you are able to put the Eat’n Park name or logo on your team’s shirts, you could be one of those teams! Just contact the manager at your local Eat’n Park. Don’t wait though – each restaurant has a limited budget to work with, so sponsorships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to find the phone number for your local Eat’n Park, and give us a call today!


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"What does Team Smiley do?"

When asked what Team Smiley interns do for the summer, I can come up with an answer pretty quickly; they act as Eat’n Park’s brand ambassadors in the community. I know this, because for the 2009 summer, that was me. When asked what my time on Team Smiley taught me, I have a much harder time summing it up.

See, Team Smiley is about much more than smiling sugar cookies, community festivals, a sweet ride, sock tans, and paychecks (though those are all really nice). Plus, Team Smiley has a lot of fun, and it shows. But believe me, there’s more than meets the eye.

You learn to plan for events (as much as you can plan for an event!) and when that doesn’t work, you learn to go with the flow and be flexible. Nothing can stop us (including weather) from handing out those iconic cookies and getting to know our guests. All it takes is watching one kid decorate their own cookie (lots of icing, of course!) and take a big bite to understand why we love our jobs.

It’s probably pretty safe to say that any high school or college student has once been a part of a team. But it’s probably also safe to assume that the team wasn’t together for almost 40 hours a week. When you spend that much time together, you quickly learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses and, as a team, how to use them to your advantage. That’s not to say we always did the same thing – every day our role was different. We shared the work and we shared the responsibility. I know most internships don’t offer that.

Looking back, I remember walking into my Team Smiley interview a nervous, absurdly over-energetic college student looking for a paying job that didn’t require getting people to sign up for credit cards. But after my summer with Smiley’s Cookie Cruiser, I learned how to work with new people, plan for the unexpected, use my “inside voice” in a corporate setting, and positively engage in dialogue with guests. And boy, did that come in handy! Upon graduating from the University of Pittsburgh last May, I accepted the position of Community Marketing Assistant for Eat’n Park. I now have the honor of overseeing the program that taught me so much. My passion for Eat’n Park is as strong as ever and I’m still overly energetic, but now, I’m a professional in the making.

Think you have what it takes to be on Team Smiley? Apply here.

And maybe I'll see you this summer!

Sarah Heisey
Community Marketing Assistant

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You'll be plenty busy getting ready for the game, so let us help!

Pick up lunch or an early dinner to go (most of our locations are closing at 4:00 PM on game day), or grab a quart of homemade chili, chicken noodle soup, or our famous potato soup to enjoy during the game!

You'll save time and money with Eat'n Park takeout - especially with our special coupons, valid on Sunday, February 6 only. 

Click here to print yours now!






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