A&W Canada and the MS Society of Canada Team up for a 7th Year to End MS

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - August 26, 2015) - A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. (TSE: AW.UN) celebrates its 7^th annual Cruisin' to End MS day tomorrow, Thursday, August 27^th, to help Canadians living with MS. On this day, one dollar from every Teen Burger® sold across the country will go to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. In the first six year, A&W's dedicated operators, energetic staff, and loyal guests have raised $6.5 million to support people living with MS and MS research in Canada.

Uniting Canadians from coast to coast to support a great cause, 840 A&W restaurants across the country will host exciting Cruisin' to End MS events, many featuring great food, music, games, classic car and hot rod shows, and other activities.

In addition to buying a Teen Burger®, supporters can also purchase $1, $2 or $5 paper cutouts, give through in-store donation mugs or make online donations at cruisintoendms.ca -- all of which go towards supporting activities that help people touched by MS. A&W will also donate $1 to the MS Society for every share on Facebook and retweet on Twitter (up to $20,000) of the Cruisin' to End MS online video, featuring A&W spokesperson Allen -- a familiar face from A&W's TV commercials. This video will be available on the Cruisin' to End MS website, as well as on A&W's social media channels.

"The excitement continues to grow as we enter our seventh year of Cruisin' to End MS -- an event that plays a crucial role in supporting Canadians affected by multiple sclerosis," says Yves Savoie, President and CEO, MS Society of Canada. "We thank our long-time partner A&W for making this event possible and encourage all Canadians to join the fight to end MS on August 27^th."

Cruisin' to End MS creates an opportunity for Canadians to come together to support the MS Society of Canada and its effort to find a cure for MS, while enjoying a delicious Teen Burger®.

"We are asking Canadians to join us on August 27^th to help end MS by buying a Teen Burger®, making a donation, and encouraging their friends, family, co-workers and neighbours to do the same," says Paul Hollands, Chairman and CEO of A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. "I am proud of how this important fundraising initiative is strongly supported by A&W employees and burger lovers alike across the country. We need everyone's support to make this year's campaign the best yet."

Canada has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world, with one in 280 individuals living with MS, making it Canada's disease. MS is one of the most common neurological diseases among young adults in the country, attacking the central nervous system, and affecting vision, hearing, memory, balance and mobility. Most commonly diagnosed in young adults aged 15-40, even children as young as 2 years old have been diagnosed with 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 offers programs and services for people with MS and their families, and along with the MS Scientific Research Foundation, is among the largest funders of MS research in the world.

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 840 locations across the country. From coast-to-coast, A&W is a leader in the Canadian burger industry, serving beef raised without the use of steroids or hormones, chicken raised without antibiotics, and eggs from hens fed a vegetarian diet without animal by-products. 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 aw.ca.

About the MS Society of Canada. 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 mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 for more information.

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