The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) today announced the winners of the 2006 SPIRIT Awards, a program honoring those restaurant and foodservice companies that have practices and policies in place to improve guest satisfaction by improving employee satisfaction. The program, sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, awards organizations that fall into one of four categories: fine dining, full-service, onsite and quick-service.

“The NRAEF is thrilled to honor this year’s winners of the SPIRIT Awards for their outstanding recruitment, retention and recognition programs,” said NRAEF president and chief operating officer Mary M. Adolf. “These companies serve as a model to operators in every segment seeking ways to enhance their employee satisfaction, and we commend them for their inspiring commitment to their greatest asset, their people.”

The 2006 SPIRIT Awards were presented to the following organizations:

Fine Dining: Bambara (Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, LLC)

Full Service: Carlson Restaurants Worldwide (T.G.I Fridays and Pick Up Stix)

OnSite: Ohio State University Medical Center

Quick Service: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

The 2006 SPIRIT Awards winners will be honored at the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference, to be held October 15-18, 2006 in Dallas, where they will participate in a panel session and receive a prestigious plaque to display in their restaurant. The winners’ exemplary practices will also be featured in The Spirit of the Industry 2006, a booklet highlighting the awards program and the 2006 winners. Additionally, all winners will be honored at the SPIRIT Awards & FMP Recognition Breakfast, to be held on Monday, May 21, 2007, during the 2007 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago, Ill.