OREANDA-NEWS. After a month-long campaign in July, more than 1,000 Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants raised a record of more than $1.2 million for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), an organization that funds childhood cancer research. This marks the eleventh straight year that Applebee's has supported ALSF and brings their total funds raised to more than $7 million since the partnership's inception in 2005. 

The 10 participating Applebee's franchise groups raised funds at each restaurant in various ways, including: selling $1 or $5 lemon pin-ups; donating a portion of each lemonade sale through the restaurants' Citrus Summer Squeeze® promotion; offering $5 bounce back cards and holding events for guests, such as lemonade stands, golf tournaments, donation nights and more. 

"Applebee's is proud to continue the fight against childhood cancer. We are amazed at the incredible support from our guests and franchise groups year after year," said Julia Stewart, chairman and CEO of Applebee's parent company DineEquity, Inc. [NYSE: DIN] and president of Applebee's. "Because of their support, we had our most successful fundraising year yet and have reached our goal to raise more than $7 million total since the inception of our partnership, all for critical lifesaving research."

"Applebee's has been a wonderful partner for the last 11 years and we are always in awe of the commitment their guests and team members demonstrate in carrying out Alex's dream to find a cure for all kids with cancer," said Liz Scott, Co-Executive Director of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and Alex's mom.

About Applebee's®

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar offers a lively bar and grill experience combining hand-crafted drinks and simple, craveable American fare with flare. All Applebee's restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to serving their communities and offering the best in food and drinks with genuine, neighborly service. With more than 2,000 locations in 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and 15 countries, Applebee's is one of the world's largest casual dining brands. Applebee's is franchised by subsidiaries of DineEquity, Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is among the world's largest full-service restaurant companies.

About Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $127 million toward fulfilling Alex's dream of finding a cure, funding over 650 pediatric cancer research projects nationally.