After a month-long campaign in July, more than 1,000 Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants raised a record of more than $1.2 million for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), an organization that funds childhood cancer research. This marks the 11th straight year that Applebee's has supported ALSF and brings their total funds raised to more than $7 million since the partnership's inception in 2005.

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants raised a record of more than $1.2 million for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, an organization that funds childhood cancer research.

The 10 participating Applebee's franchise groups raised funds at each restaurant in various ways, including: selling $1 or $5 lemon pin-ups; donating a portion of each lemonade sale through the restaurants' Citrus Summer Squeeze promotion; offering $5 bounce back cards and holding events for guests, such as lemonade stands, golf tournaments, donation nights and more.

"Applebee's is proud to continue the fight against childhood cancer. We are amazed at the incredible support from our guests and franchise groups year after year," says Julia Stewart, chairman and CEO of Applebee's parent company DineEquity, Inc. and president of Applebee's. "Because of their support, we had our most successful fundraising year yet and have reached our goal to raise more than $7 million total since the inception of our partnership, all for critical lifesaving research."

"Applebee's has been a wonderful partner for the last 11 years and we are always in awe of the commitment their guests and team members demonstrate in carrying out Alex's dream to find a cure for all kids with cancer," adds Liz Scott, co-executive director of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and Alex's mom.