American Express Company is the founding partner of the program.

The National Restaurant Association and founding partner American Express are pleased to honor restaurant companies that have gone above and beyond in giving back to their communities through its Restaurant Neighbor Award program.

Each year four national winners receive $5,000 each to continue their charitable works.

On Sept. 24, 2007, we honored four national winners and 105 state finalists for outstanding community service:

• Small Business: T-60 Grill, Seneca, S.C.
• Mid-size Business: Canlis Restaurant, Seattle, Wash.
• Large Business: Ninety Nine Restaurant, Woburn, Mass.
• Cornerstone Humanitarian: Pano Karatassos, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, Atlanta, Ga.

See 2007 winners and finalists.

The annual Restaurant Neighbor Award honors restaurants for outstanding community service. The Restaurant Neighbor Award is just one component of the National Restaurant Association's Cornerstone Initiative, which promotes the restaurant industry's role as the cornerstone of the economy, of career-and-employment opportunities, and of community involvement.

For more information, contact Alyssa Prince at (202) 973-3679 or community@restaurant.org. Members of the media can visit our Press Room.