EDGEWATER, Md. (December 3, 2012) – Servers and bartenders at The Greene Turtle locations throughout Maryland, Delaware and Virginia have announced that they will once again pool their tips this December to purchase toys for local “Toys for Tots” drives. On December 11, employees at 19 locations throughout the casual dining/sports bar chain will hold their seventh annual “Tips for Tots” campaign, combining the gratuities they take in throughout the day and then hitting the stores to gather gifts certain to make the holiday merrier for underprivileged children throughout their communities.

Corlie Brice, a bartender at The Greene Turtle in Salisbury, Md. came up with the selfless idea for “Tips for Tots” after arriving for her shift one cold December night in 2006 and noticing that a neighboring business had been designated as a “Toys for Tots” drop-off site. Brice decided to use whatever tips she took in that evening to purchase toys for the program, and enlisted fellow employees in the campaign. By the end of her shift, she and fellow bartender Chris Tingle had collected $700, an amount that went even farther when the manager of a nearby Ollie’s Bargain Outlet offered Brice a discount on her purchases once she explained her intentions.

The program has since become an annual tradition at the Salisbury site, and in recent years employees at other locations throughout the 34-unit chain have been inspired to follow suit. This year, the initiative has spread to 19 locations, including:

Delaware: Lewes

Maryland: Annapolis, Baltimore-McHenry Row, Columbia, Edgewater, Fells Point, Gambrills, Hanover, La Plata, Mt. Airy, Olney, Pasadena, Prince Frederick, Salisbury, Towson and Westminster

Virginia: Fredericksburg, Hampton and Leesburg

Specific location addresses, hours of operation and other details are available at thegreeneturtle.com.

Over the past six years, The Greene Turtle has donated more than $28,000 in purchased gifts to Toys for Tots programs throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, both through the tips donated by restaurant employees and additional donations by other members of the community. Guests have rallied to the cause, occasionally giving tips as large as $50 to $100 on the purchase of a single beer. The staff makes shopping with the donated funds a team effort; armed with trucks, vans, and holiday spirit, they visit a host of area retailers that have largely agreed to offer discounts.

The Greene Turtle also announced that its corporate offices will once again add $500 to the donations for each restaurant that raises a minimum of $1,000 in tips on December 11.

“We are very proud that this independently established program has been so warmly embraced by our employees, and continues to expand throughout our growing system,” says Bob Barry, President/CEO of The Greene Turtle. “As a corporation, we are always open to new ways to give back to our communities, and it is wonderful to see how that spirit has spread throughout our company-owned and franchised locations. We look forward to bringing the warmth of the holidays to many children this season, and to continuing our many charitable efforts for years to come.”

About The Greene Turtle Sports Bar and Grille and The Greene Turtle Franchising Corp.

First opened in Ocean City, Md., in 1976, The Greene Turtle today includes 34 locations in markets across Maryland and extending into Washington, D.C., Virginia and Delaware. Combining comfort food, a casual atmosphere and a sports bar theme marked by big screen TVs broadcasting local and national events, “The Turtle” has become a popular year-round destination where families, friends and fans of all ages feel at home. AOL users in Baltimore named the chain “Best Sports Bar” (December 2010) and CBS Baltimore named The Greene Turtle among the best local spots to enjoy “March Madness.” Information is available online at www.thegreeneturtle.com and www.facebook.com/thegreeneturtle. Fans can also join their favorite location’s individual Facebook page for the latest news about special events and offers, or follow their local restaurant for updates on Twitter.

In January 2012, The Greene Turtle once again made Entrepreneur Magazine’s prestigious Franchise 500 listing of top opportunities. More recently, the concept was named one of the Top 25 Franchise Opportunities by Restaurant Management magazine. Franchise opportunities with The Greene Turtle are available throughout the eastern United States to qualifying investors through The Greene Turtle Franchising Corp., whose majority stakeholder is JPB Capital Partners, a Columbia, Md.-based private equity partner for lower- to middle-market companies. To learn more about available franchise opportunities, visit www.thegreeneturtle.com/restaurant-franchise or contact Vice President of Franchising Tom Finn at 855.TGT.INFO (855.848.4636) or tfinn@thegreeneturtle.com.

#