community

At Eat’n Park, giving back to our communities, neighborhoods, and guests is a part of who we are, and it makes us smile to know we’re working to make a difference. We’re proud to partner with hundreds of non-profit organizations through donations, sponsorships, and fundraising each year.

We invest at least 5% of our pre-tax earnings annually to support nonprofit organizations. We support a wide variety of causes with priority funding for programs that:

• Help our neighbors meet basic needs, with a focus on emergency food access. 
• Increase food security by strengthening food infrastructure in our community.
• Provide opportunities to help children and youth thrive through education and mentoring.

To view and print our Eat’n Park Hospitality Group Overview of Community Service Report (PDF).

Donations

Hello! The fact that you’ve found yourself on this page probably means that you’re in the midst of planning a really awesome event to be enjoyed by the community, or perhaps you’re coordinating efforts to help your neighbors!  We are proud to be part of a community of helpers – people, like you, who care about others, which is why we strive to be active community partners as well.

Eat'n Park supports over 1,600 non-profit organizations each year through in-kind donations in the communities that we serve. In order to make a greater impact through our giving, we focus on organizations and events that support family wellness and fitness, provide access to healthy food, and enhance the lives of those who have served.

Due to the tremendous number of requests that we receive at the restaurant and corporate level, we are unable to participate in all of the worthy opportunities presented to us. We apologize in advance if we are not able to fulfill your request.

How to ask your local Eat’n Park for a donation:

Our managers take pride in being involved in their communities through supporting a variety of events on a local level. Stop by your neighborhood Eat’n Park to discuss what donation options may be available to you. You could be eligible for:

• Up to 20 dozen Smiley Cookies at 50% off
• Up to $25 in gift cards
• Up to $20 in free product, like Smiley Cookies! 

To be considered for one of these donations, please take a written request on your organization's letterhead to the general manager of your local Eat'n Park. Restaurant managers reserve the right to deny donation requests. Requesting donations from multiple Eat'n Park locations for the same event is prohibited.

How do I request a donation from Eat’n Park Corporate?

To be eligible for a donation, the following requirements must be met:

1. Your event is at least 5 weeks away
2. Your event benefits a non-profit organization

To make your request, go here. If you are a first-time applicant, you will need to create an account using your email address. Returning applicants can sign in with their email address and chosen password.

How do I request Smiley or his Cookie Cruiser?

To be eligible for a mascot appearance, the following requirements must be met:

1. Your event is at least 8 weeks away
2. Your event benefits a non-profit organization

To make your request, go here. If you are a first-time applicant, you will need to create an account using your email address. Returning applicants can sign in with their email address and chosen password.

Once you submit your request, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Submitting a request does not guarantee a donation or appearance. Please note that typically, Smiley attends events of at least 500 guests and the Cookie Cruiser attends events of at least 1,000 guests.

At this time, we are not able to support:

• Individuals
• For-profit businesses
• Events that are less than 5 weeks away
• Organizations that wish to resell our in-kind donations

If you are interested in cookies or gift cards for fundraising, please see the information available here. 

Thank you for thinking of Eat’n Park. We send you smiles and wishes of health and wellbeing!

Youth Sports Sponsorship Program

We’re committed to creating smiles in our community and we’re big believers in a healthy future for our kids! That’s why we're proud to support local youth sports leagues through our Youth Sports Sponsorship Program.

Each Eat'n Park restaurant has a budget set aside to provide a uniform sponsorship for one or more local 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 Restaurant and ask about participating in the Youth Sports Sponsorship Program.

It's easy to get started, so don't delay! Each restaurant has a limited budget to work with, so sponsorships are awarded on a first come, first served basis at the start of the new calendar year. Click here to find the telephone number for the Eat'n Park Restaurant nearest to you.

At Eat'n Park, not only do we strive to be a great neighborhood restaurant but a great neighbor as well! Read more about how we're enhancing our communities one smile at a time here. 

Best wishes for a successful season!
 

Fundraising

At Eat'n Park, we're committed to helping non-profit partners raise smiles; that's why we offer our Fundraising Gift Card Program and Smiley Cookie Fundraising, which are designed to keep organizations and supporters happy! 

Fundraising Gift Card Program

The Fundraising Gift Card Program is an easy way for your non-profit to raise money. Simply purchase the cards at a 10% discount and resell them at full value. Your group receives the 10% profit for your initiative, and your friends, neighbors, and supporters receive smiles galore! 

Fundraising Gift Cards come in $10 and $25 denominations, are redeemable at all Eat'n Parks, and there is no minimum purchase required. 

For more information about the Fundraising Gift Card Program, go here and print an enrollment form or call 1.800.727.4715.

Smiley Cookie Fundraising

Perfect for concession stands, festivals, or concerts, Smiley Cookie Fundraising is a sweet, easy and effective way to raise money for your non-profit organization! We offer non-profits the opportunity to purchase Smiley Cookies at a discounted rate of $8.00 per dozen from any Eat'n Park restaurant. We'll even customize your cookies in your team or organization's colors! Then, your organization resells the cookies for $1 each and keeps the profit. That's a $4.00 profit per dozen! Now that's something to smile about! 

The Eat'n Park Smiley Cookie Fundraising Program requires that orders of 25 dozen or less be placed with the restaurant where the cookies will be picked up at least 48 hours in advance. If you are ordering more than 25 dozen, please contact your local restaurant for a timeframe. You can order cookies by filling out the application and returning it to a manager at your neighborhood Eat’n Park. Download the application here or pick one up at the restaurant during your next visit. 

For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions form or visit your neighborhood Eat'n Park. 
 
 

Caring For Kids

The Eat’n Park Caring for Kids Campaign has become a tradition that’s close to the hearts of our team members and our guests. The annual five-week fundraising campaign benefits children’s hospitals across the communities we serve. Since its inception in 1979, the Caring for Kids Campaign has raised more than $12 million company-wide. Despite its growth, the campaign has remained true to its roots: it is an employee-driven, community-oriented fundraising campaign that makes a direct impact in our neighborhoods. The funds raised stay in our region, benefitting more than a dozen children’s hospitals across our company.

Our Caring for Kids campaign takes place annually during November and December. During that time, you’ll see some pretty special fundraisers happening in each of our restaurants. Events are posted to our Blog weekly throughout the holiday season, so we hope you’ll stop by to get a great meal AND support a wonderful cause!

Transcript 

Kindnesss Counts

Here at Eat’n Park, we like to help create smiles which is why we created Kindness Counts, a program that encourages local students to be kind and share a smile with others. 

How it works is simple: In return for being recognized by their teacher for completing several acts of kindness and spreading smiles at school, students will receive a free kids’ meal at Eat’n Park®, where they can celebrate their good deeds while sharing a meal with their family!

It’s a fun way for teachers to encourage and reward students in grades K-5 for being kind. Plus, the program is completely free to schools and families. For more specific information on how the program works, preview the teacher instructions here.

HOW TO GET STARTED:
Teachers and administrators simply need to complete the enrollment form below. You will receive your Kindness Counts Kit in 2-4 Weeks. 

Kindness Counts Kits include: 

• Instruction Letters for Teachers 
• Letters for Parents 
• Tracking Sheets 
• Stickers 
• Note Pads
• Free Kids Meal Certificates

Please note that only one representative per school should complete enrollment for the entire school.  

If you would like Smiley to visit your school or request a Smiley® Cookie donation to help kick off the program, click here. We do require eight weeks to process these requests.