Doherty Enterprises Celebrates Multiple Wins at 2024 Applebee’s® Franchise Conference

Doherty Enterprises, Inc., a leading franchisee for Applebee’s Grill + Bar in Long Island, N.Y., and New Jersey, is proud to announce its outstanding achievements at the 2024 Applebee’s Franchise Conference, held earlier this month in Nashville, TN. The largest gathering of Applebee’s franchisees and leadership from across the nation, the conference spotlighted Doherty Enterprises’ exceptional team and their commitment to operational excellence, community service, and embodying the core values of the Applebee’s brand.

Doherty Enterprises was honored with several prestigious awards, reflecting the company’s dedication to building strong teams, delivering top-tier guest experiences, and giving back to the communities they serve:

• Alicia Silverman, General Manager of Applebee’s Toms River – Golden Apple Award Nominee, recognized as one of the top 1% of General Managers in the Applebee’s system.
• Jermaine Belton – Hometown Hero, celebrated as one of the top four individuals across the Applebee’s system who exemplifies the “Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood” values.
• Top Gift Card Sales – Doherty Enterprises was recognized for leading all franchisees in gift card sales.
• Neesha Seervai, VP of Operations, Applebee’s NYC – Culinary Excellence Award, recognized for driving innovation and maintaining the highest standards in the kitchen.
• Kurt Pahlitzsch, VP of Operations, Applebee’s NY/NJ – Beverage Champion, awarded for leading efforts in creating exceptional beverage programs.
• Leigh Denardo, Director of Marketing, and Brittany Sweeney, Marketing Manager – Marketing Leader of the Year for their strategic leadership in marketing initiatives that drive brand visibility and engagement.

The pinnacle of the recognition was the prestigious Lloyd Hill Neighbor of the Year Award, which honors an Applebee’s franchise group for outstanding community outreach. Doherty Enterprises was celebrated for its commitment to “WOWing Our Communities,” a core mission that resulted in over $3 million raised and donated to various charities, organizations, and causes in 2024 alone.

Tim Doherty, President and CEO of Doherty Enterprises, congratulated the entire team for their remarkable achievements:

“These awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our people who live our mission of WOWing every guest, every time. Our WOW initiatives, including community outreach, employee engagement, and operational excellence, have made us stronger as a company and have fostered a culture of giving that is central to who we are. The Lloyd Hill Neighbor of the Year Award is especially meaningful, as it reflects our commitment to making a positive impact in the communities we serve.”

Doherty Enterprises has been a consistent leader within the Applebee’s system, receiving numerous accolades over the years for their operational success, community involvement, and ability to deliver on the brand’s promise of great service and meaningful community engagement.

“This is not accomplished without everyone’s commitment to our vision of being the Best Foodservice Company in the Communities We Serve,” said Ed Doherty, Founder and Chairman of Doherty Enterprises. “It’s a true team effort, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved together.”

With 13 major Applebee’s awards over the past two decades, Doherty Enterprises continues to set the standard for excellence in the industry and remains a proud leader in both franchise operations and community service.

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

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 franchise operations consisted of 1,625 Applebee’s restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 12 countries outside the United States as of June 30, 2024. This number does not include one domestic Applebee’s ghost kitchens (small kitchens with no store-front presence, used to fill off-premise orders) and eight 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 70th largest privately held business in the New York Metro area by Crain’s Business, and 24th 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).