Applebee's facts for kids
Logo since 2017
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An Applebee's in Griffin, Georgia
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Trade name
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Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar |
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| Subsidiary | |
| Traded as | NASDAQ: APPB |
| Industry | Restaurants Franchising |
| Genre | Casual dining |
| Founded | November 19, 1980 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Founders | Bill Palmer T. J. Palmer |
| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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Number of locations
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1,787 (as of December 31, 2019) |
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Areas served
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United States, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Brazil, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, India, Peru |
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Key people
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| Products | American cuisine |
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Number of employees
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28,000 (2013) |
| Parent | Dine Brands (2007–present) |
Applebee's Restaurants LLC. is an American company. It creates, manages, and sells the rights to operate the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar restaurant chain. Applebee's is known for its casual dining style. It serves popular American dishes. These include salads, chicken, burgers, and their special "riblets".
Contents
The Story of Applebee's
How Applebee's Started (1980-2006)
The Applebee's restaurant chain was started by Bill and T. J. Palmer. They opened their first restaurant in July 1980. Their goal was to create a place that felt like a friendly neighborhood pub. They wanted to offer good food at lower prices than other restaurants.
They first thought of the name "Appleby," but it was already taken. They also considered "Cinnamon's" and "Pepper's." Finally, they chose "Applebee's." Their very first restaurant opened on November 19, 1980. It was in Decatur, Georgia, and was called T.J. Applebee's Rx for Edibles & Elixirs.
A few years later, they opened a second location near Atlanta, Georgia. In May 1983, they sold the company to W. R. Grace and Company. Bill Palmer became the president of the Applebee's Division. He helped the company grow from a small business to a big franchise system. In 1985, he even became an Applebee's owner himself. Bill Palmer passed away in 2020.
In 1986, the restaurant's name changed to Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar. In 1988, two owners from Kansas City, Abe Gustin and John Hamra, bought the rights to Applebee's. They formed Applebee's International, Inc., which became the main company for all Applebee's restaurants. By 1989, Applebee's had opened its 100th restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee.
During the 1990s, Applebee's grew to be one of the biggest sit-down restaurant chains in the United States. It became a public company in November 1991. This meant people could buy shares of the company. By 1998, Applebee's had opened its 1000th restaurant.
Applebee's Joins IHOP (2007-Present)
On July 16, 2007, IHOP Corp. announced it would buy Applebee's International. The deal was worth about $2.1 billion. Applebee's shareholders received $25.50 for each share they owned.
The purchase was completed on November 29, 2007. After this, IHOP Corp. changed its name to Dine Equity. The new combined company became the largest full-service restaurant company in the world. It had more than 3,250 locations. A main goal for the new owners was to make the chain better. They also wanted most locations to be owned by independent franchisees.
In 2017, DineEquity announced that Applebee's would close many locations. Between 105 and 135 restaurants were expected to close by the end of that year. Sales at existing stores had gone down by 7% in the previous three months.
In late 2017, Applebee's started focusing on special deals for low-cost cocktails. They had a $1 margarita deal called the "Dollarita" in October. In December, they offered $1 Long Island iced teas, called "L.I.T.s." These cheap drinks were meant to attract customers. The idea was that customers would then buy more expensive food.
Even though some restaurant owners were unsure, these deals brought many more people to Applebee's. This led the chain to offer similar deals later on. The new CEO of Dine Brands, Steve Joyce, said these deals helped the company's finances greatly. He noted that almost all customers who ordered a special drink also bought food. Some customers also tried other drinks on the menu.
As of December 31, 2019, there were 1,787 Applebee's restaurants. These were in the United States and 15 other countries. 69 of them were owned by the company, and 1,718 were owned by franchisees. The number of locations in the United States has slowly decreased. As of March 2025, there were just over 1,600 locations.
In March 2024, Dine Brands said they were looking into opening Applebee’s-IHOP restaurants that combine both brands. These might open within 12-24 months. This idea came after successful test locations in other countries. CEO John Peyton said these combined restaurants were the same size as single-brand ones. However, they made twice as much money.
Applebee's Advertising
Slogans and Campaigns
Applebee's has used different slogans and advertising campaigns over the years. In 2007, Wanda Sykes voiced a new mascot, the Applebee's Apple. This character appeared in commercials. It promoted specials and said the slogan "Together is good" or "Get it together, baby!"
A new campaign started in February 2008. It did not feature the Applebee's Apple. The new slogan was "It's a whole new neighborhood." In 2009, Applebee's changed its slogan again to "There's no place like the neighborhood."
From 2012 to 2016, Applebee's ran ads about fresh ingredients and new dishes. These ads were narrated by Jason Sudeikis. The slogan for this campaign was "See you tomorrow."
In 2012, Applebee's worked with the country music group Zac Brown Band. They created a "Thank You Movement" campaign for Veteran's Day. This campaign honored members of the U.S. military. The band's song "Chicken Fried" was also used in an Applebee's commercial.
In late September 2017, Applebee's brought back its most famous slogan. This slogan was popular in the early to mid-2000s: "Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood." In 2022, Applebee's spent 177.4 million U.S. dollars on advertising.
In August 2021, Applebee's added its Oreo Cookie Shake back to its menu. They had removed it because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant and the shake were mentioned in Walker Hayes' song "Fancy Like". This song was then used in a new Applebee's commercial.
In January 2024, the company introduced the Applebee’s Date Night Pass. This $300 card gave holders 52 date nights. It was valid from February 1, 2024, to January 21, 2025. It allowed them to spend $30 on food and non-alcoholic drinks per visit. This could be used in restaurants or for takeout. This pass was created during a time when restaurant prices were rising. It aimed to make eating out more affordable. CNN reported that this showed Applebee's was focusing on being an affordable place to eat. They also brought back all-you-can-eat boneless wings and very cheap margaritas. At the time it was announced, the pass could also be used for online orders. However, it could not be used for orders through other delivery services.
See also
In Spanish: Applebee's para niños
