$1 from every Teen Burger® sold across Canada to be donated to the MS Society

VANCOUVER, Aug. 24, 2011 /CNW/ - A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. (TSE: AW.UN) celebrates its third annual Cruisin' for a Cause Day tomorrow to benefit and raise awareness for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. One dollar from every Teen Burger sold across the country on Thursday, August 25 will be donated to help end MS.

More than 730 A&W restaurants across Canada will host Cruisin' for a Cause Day events, with classic car Cruisin' the Dub® gatherings, retro music, car hop service, A&W Root Beer® chugging contests and visits from the Great A&W Root Bear®. In addition to buying a Teen Burger, supporters can also purchase $1 paper cutouts, give through in-store donation boxes or text "MS" to 45678 to donate $5 to the MS Society of Canada.

"In just two years our customers, employees and franchisees have raised more than one million dollars in support of the effort to end MS," says Paul Hollands, President and CEO of A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.  "We are thrilled by this success and want to encourage everyone to help us build on this great achievement by supporting Cruisin' for a Cause Day on August 25."

Canadians have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world. It is estimated that one in two Canadians knows someone with MS, and between 50,000 - 75,000 Canadians have MS. Although the cause of this often disabling disease is still not known, researchers are closer to finding the answer. The MS Society of Canada funds services for people with MS and their families and is also the highest per-capita funder of MS research in the world.

For the many Canadians who grew up enjoying warm summer evenings at the drive in—often with the radio blaring and trays of Teen® burgers, fresh made onion rings and icy cold A&W Root Beer delivered to their car by car hops—Cruisin' For a Cause Day is an opportunity to revisit those fond memories while supporting the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and its effort to end MS.

"Cruisin' for a Cause plays an important role in helping us fund ongoing research into the cause, treatment and cure of MS and provide services to Canadians touched by this disease," says Yves Savoie, President and CEO for the MS Society of Canada. "We are grateful to A&W and all of its customers and staff for their role in raising funds and driving awareness of a disease that is diagnosed in three Canadians every day."

Cruisin' for a Cause Day is a part of A&W's popular Cruisin' the Dub program, which was created by classic car enthusiasts who enjoyed gathering at A&W to share their passion for their vintage autos.  A&W will hold more than 5,000 Cruisin' the Dub events at restaurants across Canada this season.

A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. is 100 per cent Canadian owned and is one of the strongest brand names in the Canadian foodservice industry. A&W is the nation's second largest hamburger restaurant company with over 730 locations coast-to-coast.  A&W Restaurants feature famous trade-marked menu items such as The Burger Family®, Chubby Chicken®, and A&W Root Beer®. For more information, please visit www.aw.ca.

About multiple sclerosis and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord. It is the most common neurological disease of young adults in Canada. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40, and the unpredictable effects of MS last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides services to people with MS and their families and funds research to find the cause and cure for this disease. Please visit www.mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 to make a donation or for more information.

Image with caption: "On Thursday, August 25, A&W celebrates its third annual Cruisin'™ for a Cause Day to benefit the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. On this day, $1 from every Teen Burger® sold across the country will be donated to help end MS. On Tuesday, (from left) Andrei Sedoff, MS Society National Inspiration Champion; Paul Hollands, President and CEO, A&W Food Services of Canada; and Yves Savoie, President and CEO, MS Society of Canada were joined by the Great A&W Root Bear at a kick-off event in Elmsdale, Nova Scotia. (CNW Group/A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110824_C5826_PHOTO_EN_2431.jpg