Winner of 2015 St. Paddy’s Day sweepstakes will celebrate 10th wedding anniversary on the Emerald Isle

DALLAS, TX (May 28, 2015) – Allison Parkyn has been going to Bennigan’s since she was a kid, but the last thing she expected was for Bennigan’s CEO to show up at her doorstep.

Yet that’s exactly what happened on Tuesday, May 12, when Paul Mangiamele dropped by her Plano, Texas, home to inform Allison that she had won the grand prize in Bennigan’s 2015 “Blarney Blast” sweepstakes!

Allison had heard about this year’s St. Paddy’s Day contest through her Bennigan’s E-Club membership, as well as on the restaurant’s Facebook page. She entered, but never thought she’d actually win.

“Oh my goodness, are you kidding me?” she said, when Mangiamele shared the exciting news. “I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland! We’ve flown over it to go to England, but we’ve never been able to go.”

Allison and her husband, Andrew, are expecting their second child in July and will be celebrating their 10th anniversary later this year. The trip for two to Ireland will be the perfect way to mark the occasion.

“As you know, Allison, every day is St. Paddy’s Day at Bennigan’s, and I think it’s safe to say that this is a pretty good day to have the luck of the Irish on your side!” said Mangiamele, Chairman and CEO of Legendary Restaurant Brands, LLC. “I’m so happy that of all the 12,000-plus people that entered this year’s contest, loyal fans like you and your husband won. I know you’re going to have the vacation of a lifetime on the Emerald Isle.”

Allison explained that she’s been a Bennigan’s fan since her youth. She would even go out of her way to eat there while on trips to California. She introduced Andrew, who is from England, to Bennigan’s about 12 years ago, while they were still dating.

“It was my birthday and I had to have my favorite dessert, Death By Chocolate!” she said. “And when I ordered my favorite sandwich, the Turkey O’Toole, he laughed about the name and then tasted it. He loved it.”

When Andrew ordered the World Famous Monte Cristo and a Guinness, he, too, was hooked. It became one of the couple’s favorite dining-out spots, and their son, William, now shares their love for the restaurant.

“Bennigan’s has always been a place with great food and hospitality and it’s always family-friendly, which is important to us,” explained Andrew. “It even gives me a bit of a taste of home with some of the traditional foods and Guinness, as well!”

The couple even held their rehearsal dinner at a Bennigan’s in Texas.

A decade later, Bennigan’s is once again playing a special role in their marriage. “This will be a great way to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary,” said Andrew.

Now with more than 150 restaurants open or under contract worldwide, Bennigan’s is experiencing another year of strong growth while simultaneously redefining casual dining. The company has recently opened new franchise locations in Clarksburg, MD; Katy, TX; Santa Clara, CA; Tysons Corner, VA; Veracruz, Mexico; Larnaca, Cyprus; and Dubai, UAE.

Additional restaurants are planned for Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia; and internationally in Bahrain, Central America, Chile, Cyprus, Kuwait, Mexico, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.