Guests Can Help Support Local Children in Need This Holiday Season at Doherty-owned Applebee’s in New Jersey and Long Island

(PRUnderground) November 3rd, 2025

Doherty Enterprises, Inc., a leading franchisee for Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar® in New York City, Long Island, N.Y., and New Jersey, is thrilled to announce the launch of its 27th annual Toys for Tots® campaign. This year, the initiative aims to bring holiday joy while making a difference in local children’s lives by raising $250,000, to add to the over $5.6 million already raised by Doherty Enterprises since the partnership began in 1998.

Beginning November 3, 2025, through January 4, 2026, guests can participate in a variety of donation opportunities across all participating Doherty Applebee’s locations in New Jersey and Long Island. Donations can be made by purchasing “paper gift packs,” rounding up checks, or sipping seasonal drinks like the Mucho Jack & Jingle and the El Jimador Margarita Flight, with a portion of all proceeds supporting Toys for Tots.*

“We’re proud to celebrate our 27th year partnering with Toys for Tots® and supporting children in need throughout our local communities,” said Kurt Pahlitzsch, Vice President of Operations at Doherty Enterprises. “This long-standing partnership reflects our commitment to giving back, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to spread holiday cheer to both our guests and the families we serve.”

Guests who donate $10 or more during their visit will receive a coupon for a complimentary appetizer on their next visit. Additionally, select Applebee’s locations across New Jersey and Long Island will host Breakfast with Santa events on December 13. Families can enjoy breakfast, take photos with Santa and celebrate the festive season with raffles and goodies all while supporting an important cause.

All proceeds from these events will be donated directly to the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program, ensuring that every dollar raised helps improve the lives of children in local neighborhoods.

All proceeds from these events will be donated directly to the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program, with funds returning to the communities where they were raised, ensuring that every dollar helps improve the lives of children in local neighborhoods.

For more information about Doherty Enterprises, their commitment to their communities, and current job openings, visit http://www.dohertyinc.com.

*Must be 21 or older to purchase or consume alcohol.

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 and its franchise operations together consisted of 1,514 Applebee’s restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 15 countries outside the United States as of June 29, 2025. This number does not include 59 company-owned Applebee’s restaurants, one domestic Applebee’s ghost kitchen (small kitchens with no store-front presence, used to fill off-premise orders) and seven 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 160 restaurants in New Jersey, New York, including seven restaurant concepts: Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Wendy’s, Jinya Ramen Bar, Chevys Fresh Mex 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 15 locations in Staten Island and New Jersey.

Doherty Enterprises is ranked 27th Largest Franchisee 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 67th largest privately held business in the New York Metro area by Crain’s Business, and 26th in NJ’s Top 250 privately held companies & 5th Largest Family-Owned Business Based on Employees 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 4,200 people and donated over $5.7 million directly back to those in need. (www.DohertyInc.com).

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Original Press Release.