Updated: 10/04/2025 03:30:27
Applebee's
Applebee's is a U.S.-founded casual-dining restaurant chain (founded 1980) known for American comfort food, neighborhood locations, rotating value promotions and franchising under parent company Dine Brands Global. The brand operates primarily via franchise partners, offers dine-in, to‑go and delivery channels, promotes a mobile app and rewards program, and publishes nutrition/allergen information and franchising/career resources on its corporate site.

Business model & operations

Applebee's core model centers on franchising, standardized menu and operations, local restaurant ownership, and corporate support from Dine Brands to maintain brand consistency while enabling neighborhood-focused execution. [1]

Careers & restaurant employment

Applebee's posts corporate and restaurant-level job opportunities, applicant resources and applicant/employee privacy notices for prospective hires. [2]

Company overview & history

Founded in 1980 in Decatur, Georgia, Applebee's grew into a large casual-dining chain emphasizing neighborhood grill-and-bar service and a broad American menu. Key milestones and historical context are documented by independent overviews. [3]

Corporate ownership — Dine Brands Global

Applebee's is part of Dine Brands Global, which provides corporate direction, brand standards and support to franchisees and publishes investor and corporate responsibility information. [4]

Franchising & franchisee information

The brand operates largely through franchise agreements; Applebee's publishes franchising information and requirements for prospective franchisees on its franchising pages. [5]

Locations, catering & gift cards

Location search and restaurant listings are available via the restaurants locator. The brand also offers catering services and gift cards for events and group orders. [6]

Menu structure & signature items

The online menu is organized into categories (Appetizers, Burgers, Steaks & Ribs, Chicken, Seafood, Pasta, Salads, Sandwiches, Desserts, Kids, Sides, Specials). Perennial items include Mozzarella Sticks, Boneless Wings, Classic Burgers, Bourbon Street Steak/Chicken & Shrimp, and seasonal limited-time entries. [7]

Mobile app & rewards (Club Applebee's)

Applebee's promotes a mobile app for ordering, convenience and participation in its rewards/club program, which is used for targeted promotions and streamlined ordering. [8]

Nutrition, allergens & ingredient transparency

Applebee's provides calorie counts, nutrition and allergen information for menu items to help guests manage dietary needs and make informed choices. [9]

Ordering channels & restaurant services

Guests can order for dine-in, to‑go, or delivery (including third‑party delivery partners). The site supports local restaurant selection, online cart/checkout and pay-from-table options where available. [10]

Promotions & value offers

Applebee's regularly runs limited-time promotions and bundled value offers (e.g., multi-item deals and seasonal specials) highlighted on the offers/specials pages to drive traffic and repeat visits. [11]

Social media & brand communications

Applebee's maintains social channels (official Instagram and other platforms) to promote menu launches, limited-time offers and engage with customers regionally and nationally. [12]
References:
Additional Sources:
13. Applebee's — official home [https://www.applebees.com/en]
14. Applebee's — official Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/applebees/?hl=en]
15. Applebee's — Wikipedia overview [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applebee%27s]
16. Applebee's careers & jobs [https://www.applebees.com/en/restaurant-jobs]
17. Applebee's franchising information [https://www.applebees.com/franchising]
18. Applebee's menu (official) [https://www.applebees.com/en/menu]
19. Applebee's nutrition & allergens [https://www.applebees.com/en/nutrition]
20. Applebee's offers & specials [https://www.applebees.com/en/offers]
21. Applebee's restaurant locator [https://restaurants.applebees.com/en-us/]
22. Applebee's to-go & ordering [https://www.applebees.com/en/to-go]
23. Dine Brands Global (parent company) [https://www.dinebrands.com]