DALLAS, June 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- After fourteen years, more than $7 million raised and more than 900 wishes granted, Maggiano's Little Italy^® is proud to once again kick off its annual campaign benefiting Make-A-Wish®, a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. This year, Maggiano's is tapping into Guests' favorite weekly tradition, brunch, and inviting them to "Brunch With A Purpose," where $1 will be donated to Make-A-Wish for every brunch entrée ordered.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8012052-maggianos-make-a-wish-campaign-eatadish4maw/

Learn more about Maggiano's longstanding partnership and how you can get involved here – http://www.maggianos.com/make-a-wish-campaign-2017

When Guests choose to "Brunch With A Purpose," they will help Maggiano's meet the goal of raising more than $1 million; enough to help grant their 1,000^th wish for children like Joshua, who has a progressive muscle disease. Joshua's wish is to receive a service dog to assist him with daily tasks such as opening a door, picking up dropped items and much more. Watch this video https://youtu.be/LlJZ3SbFHPc  to learn more about Joshua and his soon-to-be service dog, Sam.

"The mission of Make-A-Wish is to brighten the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions, which aligns with our devotion to make every single Guest feel special," said Genifer Gray, vice president and chief operating officer for Maggiano's. "Through our partnership, we have the opportunity to spread our love for made-from-scratch food, family gatherings and the community by raising money to grant wishes for kids like Joshua."

How Guests can get involved:

• Enjoy brunch at Maggiano's from June 1 to Aug. 2 and choose from items such as Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, The Meatball Benedict, Crab Cake Benedict or Crème Brûlée French Toast. For every brunch entrée ordered, $1 will be donated to Make-A-Wish and for every glass of Wish Lemonade ordered $0.50 will also be donated
• Order dessert from Maggiano's monthly chef's features menu to support Make-A-Wish year-round. For every featured dessert ordered, $1 is donated to the organization
• Give $10, get $10. For every $10 and above donation, Guests will receive a Star Card with a special offer for their next Maggiano's visit. New this year, Guests can donate online at site.wish.org/maggianos
• Get social by sharing a photo of your experience at Maggiano's on Twitter and/or Instagram using #EatADish4MAW

"Across the country, our Teammates look forward to this time of year. The next two months allow us to focus on our partnership with Make-A-Wish and connect directly with wish kids and their families at each restaurant," Gray added. "Our Teammates go above and beyond to raise more money than the previous year and to host over-the-top wish parties for the kids of Make-A-Wish. It's truly amazing and an honor to be a part of it!"

"Maggiano's provides its Guests a delicious opportunity to give back," said David Williams, president and chief executive officer for Make-A-Wish America. "We are grateful for our partnership and for the dedication and generosity from both Maggiano's Guests and Teammates."

The Maggiano's and Make-A-Wish partnership

Since 2003, Maggiano's and Make-A-Wish have teamed up to grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions through the annual "Eat-A-Dish for Make-A-Wish" campaign. Over the past 14 years, Maggiano's has become one of the top 15 national sponsors of Make-A-Wish, donating more than $1 million annually the past few years. In 2017, Maggiano's goal is to raise another $1 million and grant their 1,000^th wish.

To learn more, visit http://www.maggianos.com/make-a-wish-campaign-2017.

About Maggiano's Little Italy

Maggiano's Little Italy^® specializes in Italian-American cuisine served in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Maggiano's menu features both classic and contemporary recipes – authentic pastas, signature salads, prime steaks, fresh seafood, regular chef specials and specialty desserts. Maggiano's 52 restaurants nationwide offer lunch, dinner and brunch, delivery, carryout service and banquet spaces for special occasions. Maggiano's is owned and operated by Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), one of the world's leading casual dining restaurant companies, serving more than one million guests daily. Brinker owns or franchises more than 1,600 restaurants in 32 countries and two territories. In addition to Maggiano's, Brinker owns and operates Chili's^® Grill & Bar.

Follow news about Maggiano's on Facebook (www.facebook.com/maggianos), Twitter (http://twitter.com/maggianos), Instagram (https://instagram.com/maggianoslittleitaly/), YouTube (www.youtube.com/maggianoslittleitaly) and Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/maggianos). For more information, please visit http://www.maggianos.com.

About Make-A-Wish

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 33,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 34 minutes. It has granted more than 285,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 15,300 in 2016 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at wish.org to learn more.

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SOURCE Maggiano's Little Italy

Maggiano's Little Italy, Media Relations, (800) 775-7290