Applebee's - The Rise and Fall...And Rise Again
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- čas přidán 9. 03. 2021
- Applebee's is among the world's largest casual dining restaurants. This video takes a look at how the chain has progressed over the years while attempting to provide reason behind their various rises and falls.
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The one and only time I went to Applebee’s. There was a fire in the kitchen and we got our food for free
Lol
Dinner and a show!
We had a fire about two years ago. People kept eating. One of the firemen walked out of the kitchen and announced that "Everyone needs to get the fuck out, now!" Customers were actually asking for their food to be packed up in to go boxes.
It was only a small electrical fire, and no one was in danger, but funny watching everyone ignore the fact that they were told the building was on fire and treating it like a personal inconvenience.
Question how did you get free food when there was fire in the kitchen
Your food must have been sizzling then! And with a touch of smoky flavour!
Applebee’s, TGIFridays, Ruby Tuesday & Chilies are pretty much the same thing to me 🤷♂️
Olive Garden too!!
Yep, they've all got the same 37-pieces-of-flair and the non-copyrighted generic birthday song thing going on.
@@carmensandiego223 olive garden at least sorta tries. 😆
Chili’s is nice though
All of those plus Olive Garden are in my country and are considered high luxury restaurants
Company Man, why do these companies not test their changes on a small group of their restaurants to see if it works before rolling out nationwide?
Bcuz they always rushing to make more money fast. 🤦🏿♂️
I'm sure they do in many cases.
In my case, i work in a cfa test area. so, at least for cfa, they do have certain cities that test items. for example, they just came out with the spicy grilled sandwich nationwide, but we’ve actually had it for about 8 months now. Similarly, we’ve been testing spicy strips for about a year now, and i believe they will be coming out nationwide soon.
Some do. My husband and I lived in a city that had a test Pizza Hut in the early 2000s. We got to try weird new breadsticks that we hated. Then we got to try some awful cheddar breadstick dip that we also hated. A couple of weird crusts came and went. Nothing stuck that I remember. Needless to say, we started driving across town to the "good Pizza Hut" like the rest of our neighborhood. It sucks to be the guinea pig! 😂
Personally, I’m not sure it was due to people not liking the new grill, but rather no one knowing about the change. I mean, I never knew, not that I represent all of the American public. That, and they may have brought in better quality steaks, but everything else was still the same very poor quality bar food. Honestly, these days the stuff verges on 7/11 quality fair. No one goes to Applebee’s because there’s that one delicious thing there you can’t get anywhere else. That’s just it, everything they have you can probably get a better version of elsewhere. :\
I was a server at Applebee’s for a year or so. The head chef “Mike” was so nice and always so quiet! Except when the food was done he would always beep so loudly
this is the real take. anyone that's been BOH before applebees is just a microwave machine. absolute trash food. cheap booze tho, so people keep coming back
😀😀😀
Server at Applebee's here. The sides are microwaved and prepped in the morning. But the meat (steaks, chicken, salmon, ribs) are cooked on the grill and not nuked. Most appetizers are deep fried normally. We have a broiler window above the flat grill to melt cheese and heat other items. And the only things ,other than the sides, that we microwave are some of the Desserts. So don't know how your location did things but this is bull. It was not a microwave heavy restaurant. Sounds like your store just sucked.
@@theryanator00 Microwaving is technically healthier anyway (something about the moisture bringing out the nutrients more efficiently). We only think it's less healthy because of frozen meals being so poorly made (especially in the past).
@@luke_cohen1 Well regardless this guy was saying it's a microwave-fest at Applebee's. Healthy or not, it's untrue.
Applebee's to me was one of those resturants where nobody hated it, but it wasn't anyone's favorite either.
IT IS MY FAVORITE LOL
@@taiarro Why?😭
@@matteuz-0p925 SAME LOL
@@upbeatproductions7614 😂
@@matteuz-0p925 What’s your favorite thing from Applebee’s?
When I was a kid Applebees used to garnish adult drinks with little swords they would stab through cherries, olives, etc. I would always ask the waitress for one and I would put them on my GI Joes and other action figures
Haha, did that too. Those swords were perfectly sized to fit in the hands of GI Joes.
This is one of the most unintentionally American things I've ever heard.
@@TheChickenRiceBowl LMAO!
that's so cute!! thank you for sharing :^)
I used to play with those swords too! Lol
The best thing about applebee’s is the late night half-off appetizers. I’m pretty sure my local applebee’s stayed in business just from the sheer amount of high schoolers who went to get “halfies” (that was our term for it) after football games, marching band practices, and drama productions
"Halfies"? Jesus, no wonder this generation drives me so insane lol
My high school drama club is single handed you keeping out local T.G.I. Friday’s alive
I miss the half off appetizers. The happy hour was great too! The applebees here closed down years ago unfortunately. Nothing really replaces that experience :(
Yeah! I remember when I was in a musical, the cast and I ate at Applebee’s after our shows. A lot of us were just kids so it was a nice restaurant to rely on when many would be closed after the show and late nights
@@ninja_tony stop overreacting
You know what I appreciate? Company man is always unbiased. Even companies that have a poor reputation, he always tells their stories well.
I do my best to stay neutral. People come here to hear about the company, not my opinions about the company haha.
"Applebee's, for when there's a 45 minute wait at Outback"
-some comic
The sad thing is that Outback is barely a step above Applebee's these days.
@Заработок от 5000 в день you speaking latin?
@@iarrived731 nah that’s sign language
@@Raskolnikov70 outback is amazing in new orleans. Texas not so much
@@Raskolnikov70 Outback is no Longhorns or Texas Roadhouse.
In college, i remember they had a drink special that was so cheap, city officials had to shut it down because of the amount of fights they had to respond to... not even kidding lol
Lol at which college was this?
$1 margaritas y'all
Beanblues Auburn university
College is the downfall of many young people who never learned to apply themselves in life.
Richard A Chapman College can also be the necessary step towards the career you desire which was the case for me
I just want to say that those tacos they have as appetizers are ADDICTING.
The wonton tacos? Yessss!
@@teeeeee402 YES.
This is too funny
Applebee’s: When you’re too lazy to microwave your own food
They just microwave it for you lol
🤣
🤣🤣🤣
@@zxcKyle nah its better than that
@@boxkid759 Yeah, not by much. I worked there as a cook and manager for a number of years. EVERYTHING goes in the microwave except for steaks & burgers.
Applebee’s, where they don’t serve apples
Nor bees
@@LouisSubearth Nor apple bees.
Yeah, my little brother loves apple slices as a side and they don't offer apples in any way shape or form.
Nor beeapples
Yeah, they should rename it "The Restaurant of the Lying Bastards".
I love when restaurants have all kinds of random shit glued to the walls, like newspapers, celebrity photos, random tools, and records, in an attempt to make me feel "at home". What kind of chaotic dump do you think I live in?
I work at a high school and I remember when a new Applebee's opened up one of the managers kept coming up trying to buy a bunch of our athletic merch to put on the wall. We got rid of a bunch of old crap, lol
Funny but I have a friend who collects a bunch of random junk. He has juke boxes ect. Comics on the walls. His house looks like he's trying to decorate for one of those places.
I think they just want something interesting to look at.
Ever gone to Cracker Barrel? That decoration is amazing
Bro my highschool picture is on the wall how the heck do I take it down 💀💀
@@Nick-54 with your hands
I am a cook for an Applebee’s in Washington State. (Ironically, i also worked at an IHOP as a dishwasher in one of my first kitchen jobs lol) but anyways, I have been at Applebee’s for 4 years-and some change, and I must say, despite having our lobbies & bars closed twice from the Covid shutdowns, this restaurant is now currently operating at probably the busiest I have ever seen. As a cook, it can get pretty rough, but basically (if I had to guess) the quaratine’s and shutdowns gave a “rise” to these to-go services, like grubhub, door-dash, etc. and more & more people became aware of their existance, so ultimately started using these services. And I can tell you personally, the business we get from JUST THE TO-GO SERVICES could potentially be enough to be its own business lol. Let alone the in-house customers we have once again after re-opening the lobbies & bars. Business is absolutely insane currently. Now if only the corporate management style would stop fucking us cooks by being so strict on labor, sending cooks home to clock-off when we could still very much be using the extra help lol
AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, if you must feed the whole family dinner on a particular night by ordering out, or going out, PLEASE do not wait until its within the final 1 hour of the operating hours. No corporate restaurant is going to be staffed beyond the bare min. skeleton crew by that time, and multiples of families placing huge orders that late just REAALLY fucks the poor soul’s that might be on the clock still. It really sucks, trust me. Eat/order dinner at a somewhat decent time.
I worked at Applebee’s for 2 years in college and one night we had no hot water. The manager refused to close even though we all wanted to considering we couldn’t wash dishes without hot water. One of the cooks called the health dept. himself 🥴
Similar thing happened to me at Domino's. Hot water heater went out and it was basically a "we'll get it fixed within a couple days." A driver called the health department and it was fixed the next day. The area manager tried so hard to find out who made the call. A lot of people knew who it was, but no one ratted him out.
Did he get fired?
The problem with Applebee’s for me is that the portions are small, prices are high, and the quality tends to be mediocre.
Soo, everything then lol
Portions are small?
How much are you eatin' boy?!?!
Honestly, though, I confuse Applebee's, Chili's, Miller's Ale House, whats the other one? Fatty McGee's? Or Scruffy Murphy's?
Oh! Beef O'Brady's.
@@Cautionary_Tale_Harris in my city the applebee is selling a 6 ounce steak for what other restaunt sell a 12 ounce steak
Oh Applebee's, oh Applebee's
Oh how we love you, Applebee's
With prices hiiiigh, and portions smaaaall!
There's mustard staaaains on the waaall!
Oh Applebee's, oh Applebee's
Oh how we love you, Appebee's
I agree & I really don't like that everything is microwaved. There's so many other restaurants or fast casual ones making high quality..FRESH food
Applebees was always perfect for when i was in college. People that were over 21 could still get a drink and your friends that were under could still get in. I also lived off of half price apps for awhile
i'm surprised no one else has mentioned half apps in these comments or in the video. this was the sole reason I ever went to applebee's in high school or college, and will be the sole reason for any time i go in the future.
Applebee's: where you go when the aunt you don't know very well gives you a gift card for it
I ate at the old Applebee’s in Garner, NC once sometime around 2014 or 2015. That location is now a UNC Hospital doctor’s office. Strange. Also, it’s crazy how many companies you have talked about on this channel that have ties to Burger King. I find it fascinating, honestly.
That's hilarious, the one by me is an urgent care now.
@@jackdanson2 the one near me looks like a goddamn fast food place
Hey I went to that same Applebees
@@popsmaellard725 It was always a fast food place 🙃
0:43 100% "I'm at Applebee's" face.
😂😂😂
"T.J. Applebee's Rx for Edibles and Elixirs" is the stupidest name I have ever heard.
It sound like something from the late 1800's. 🤣
@@e.m.8094 Fax. Sounds like some ancient, rpg type shit. ☠️
😄😄
Sounds like a dnd potions shop the dm made up on the fly.
Ever heard of “Little Caesar’s Pizza Treat”? Or “Ricky Rat’s Pizza”?
I was a cook at Applebee’s for close to 4 years when I was in high school. From 1998-2002. I started as the dishwasher on Christmas Eve and when I left I was the head cook and head trainer of the kitchen. Back then at least my store location did crazy sell numbers. Now days even on a Friday or Saturday night they aren’t full. I rarely eat there myself now because their portion sizes have gotten smaller and their prices have gone up. I can take the family to a nicer place get more food for around the same price.
I used to LOVE Applebee’s. We used to go as a family and my kids loved it too. But then I started to notice the quality of the food went down and I didn’t like it at all. Also, strangely the service went down as well. Every time I went the waitress would disappear in the back and not even check on us, even though the restaurant was virtually empty. And this happened on more than one occasion at several different locations. I couldn’t figure out why that would be. The management problem didn’t seem to be just at one place. I got so fed up that I abandoned all Applebee’s and didn’t give it a chance again. I had no idea that things turned around until your video. Perhaps I’ll give it a chance again one day.
Used to eat there a lot as a kid and it wasn’t bad. Tried it a few more times in high school and college and they declined heavily.
I did the same thing, but then went back last year and was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting a gross hole in the wall like I remembered, but it was actually clean with pretty good food for a change. Could just be the one in my area though.
so's your mum but i appreciate her nonetheless
watch your mouth
Or you’re taste in food improved
@@skyler6175 I had the same experience as you but with Chilis. Went there a few weeks ago expecting tv dinner quality but was actually surprised for the price!
I love their food when I was little, but when I revisited them, it was horrible. The room feels moist, the cheese in their onion soup tastes like gum, and the food like pasta is grainy and bland. My local Applebee's got replaced by HaiDiLao
Arguably a better option since you can cook your own food to your own liking 😂
It must be regional or the franchisee. I never had a bad experience.
much better replacement
Our taste tend to improve as we grow up and have exposure to actually good food
What’s HaiDiLao?
I am a server at an Applebee’s in San Diego and we are always non stop busy so I would say the future looks good man👍🏻
Keep it up my dude
Yeah the Applebee's I work at is always slammed busy
I work in one in Tennessee and we are the busiest in our region. Literally almost on a wait on a Monday night. It’s like people can’t get enough lol
OK then why do they have all these closings
Couple buddies and I go to Applebee's almost every week. The tradition started in college and we just kept going. Definitely the prices - Happy Hour's half-off appetizers and drinks. It's a good time.
"they introduced the..... dollorita.... i don't like saying that word" that slayed me
And police calls to every location that had it went up 50% in a year. Nothing like super-cheap booze to bring in the worst, most annoying customers.
I died. He sounded like he felt dirtier after saying it 🤣.
@@janepruitt2211 Lol, probably not correct but it's one of those statistics that *sounds* true. Especially if you've ever been in an Applebee's at 1:00 AM on a weekend in a college town.
Sounds great to me!
The rise: Eating there for the first time.
The fall: Getting diarrhea from their food
The rise again: Forgetting about the diarrhea many years later and returning.
Applebee's business model in a nutshell.
Omg 😂🤣😂🤣
That ain't no joke. I ate there when I was in the Army, and missed PT formation the next morning because I kept puking and having diarrhea. A few years before on leave, I ate only a salad, and by the time I got home, I vomited all over the bathroom
The dollarita diarrhea.
@@BeeHatGuy No PT though. So that's a plus lol.
This comment wins!
me and my mom used to go to applebee's for a fancy dinner. it was really nice and it upsets me that people have a somewhat negative opinion of it. it was a really important part of my childhood
Competition is a big factor here too: Applebee’s direct competition of Chili’s, Red Lobster & Olive Garden is very strong. They are all fighting for the same space.... in our stomachs....
Do the decline of Ovation Brands. The company that owned HomeTown Buffet, Old Country Buffet, Ryan's, etc
There's a hometown buffet in my town and it's still rocking strong really hope it doesn't go
@@ohyeahbonsai Its probably closed since all of the Ovation Brands Buffets closed in December
omfg there was a Ryan’s in a town near me. i didnt go to that area very much so i dont know much about it, but yeah. weird place
that was the only one i have ever seen or heard of it from
@@SenorWoods2722 oh, damn
Applebee's is the epitome of bland, American cuisine. It is the averagist of average places.
Well, I'd rather have average food than bad food, so they have that going for them.
The food was never bad at the ones I went to and they were never so loud that you couldn't enjoy the people you went there to hang out with. It wasn't too bright or dark and was comfortable.
so's your mum but i appreciate her nonetheless
watch your mouth
@@MilwaukeeWoman This is true, and also why we never, EVER eat at Texas Roadhouse! We order and pick up instead. So noisy all. the. time in there.
it really sucks. 20 page menu and none of it looks good.
Used to love them as a kid, but I really feel like their food quality has fallen over the past 15 years or so. Their appitisers are still really good though!
For some reason I love your food business related videos the most. Great video!
i grew up pretty poor and Applebee’s was my fathers favorite restaurant, he loved their steaks and baked potatoes
I grew up poor too. I remeber thinking that Applebee's was high class lol. I still like to take my familey there from time to time
When I was in high school (and for an embarrassingly long time afterwards) Applebee's was a first date spot.
If you had wheels, you'd pick up your date and then drive 35 miles to the big city of Dothan, Alabama lol
It was the closest town with a movie theater, shopping mall, bowling alley, etc.
And I'm not talking about the 1950s either!
I remember when they had real baked potatoes instead of diced, microwaved ones that came in a bag. That's been my indicator for a while now to determine how well a restaurant is doing, if they serve real potatoes. They're super cheap but require a lot of prep time, aka labor costs. If a restuarant switches to instant or pre-packaged potatoes they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to save money by cutting labor. Never a good sign.
@@Cautionary_Tale_Harris My first ever date was at Applebee's in 2011 haha.
Applebee's is the kinda place that reminds me of Office Space & the minimum number of pieces of "flair" required to be worn by the servers 😂 (15 btw)
Welcome to Chachkis
That was the exact point!
czcams.com/video/bvFZ4C2sn94/video.html
_People can get a cheeseburger anywhere, ok‽_
Nice reference to Office Space! I think the movie was making more of a jab at TGI Friday's, but, Applebee's is a close second for "flair." Also, the movie Waiting went pretty heavy into the world of fast casual dining.
@@WhatAboutZoidberg Tchotchkes
@@nimravus01
I believe these kinds of places are just straight up casual dining. Fast casual is more like higher end take-out like Chipotle, Subway or El Pollo Loco. czcams.com/video/bvFZ4C2sn94/video.html There is probably a bit more nuance, but fast is the key word.
Their fries tasted like paper, I tell ya.
Aww but they’re so yummy, the servers/hosts probably run them out to you after they got cold
You have a disease.
@@Clay3613 No, _you_ have it. It's called Imbecilicus.
It wasn’t paper tasting to me, instead it was thirst inducing because they were way too damn salty to me. At least that’s how it was at mine.
@@crimsondynamo615 They May tasted good for you, but the fries they had at the Applebee’s I went to literally tasted like paper, with a hint of seasoning long after I eat one.
The Applebees at 42nd between 8th and 7th at New York City is one of the best I’ve gone to eat. Food is delicious and prices are reasonable.
Remember a decade or so back when everyone blamed millennials for the decline of Applebee’s? What a time to be alive
How dare you millennials not wait 15 minutes for a microwave entrees and pay $11 plus tip
Bruh I think that was like 2 years ago
To be fair, we did kill Applebee's - we didn't settle for crappy food in an oddly moist environment. How dare we.
@@Lyndiloo omg why is the bathroom ALWAYS wet??????
I was thinking that as i was watching the video i remember vividly the articles
Applebee's is the place you go when you can't decide where you want to go.
Paired with Denny's, where you end up going, not going to.
For me that’s the Cheesecake Factory lol
Usually goes like this:
"Where y'all want to go?"
"I don't know, what about you?"
"How about ....."
"Nah, what about ....."
**continues back and forth for 10 mins
"How about Applebee's then?"
"Yeah, I guess that'll be ok."
Fr
I would go to Bonefish.
Applebee’s employee here:
So there was the woman who worked at Applebee’s on the board of directors. She wanted the CEO position but was denied, so she became the IHOP CEO. IHOP had a lot of franchises, but she got rid of all those and made IHOP corporate owned stores only. This was super successful, and she got a ton of money, so in revenge bought Applebee’s. She tried to do the same thing there too, buying up franchises and having corporate stores. This failed drastically, as customers liked the local neighborhood feel of Applebee’s. She lost her job as CEO, and Applebee’s was back to almost entirely franchise owned. Which is where we are now.
One day I wish to Unify all the IHOPs into a Crusade against Nutella on pancakes it's an abomination and must be stopped every day thousands of innocent pancakes are drowned in Nutella and suffer instead of having a nice Syrup bath with some cinnamon
@@kurtpunchesthings2411 personally if i was a pancake i wouldn’t mind being drowned in nutella
Hey companyman, you asked me how I feel about Applebees and I LOVE it.
I used to eat at Applebees then I got enough money to buy my own microwave.
Hahahaha
🤣 🤣
I laughed when I read this comment :)
Wait'll you join the cult if air fryers you'll be moving up to olive garden quality
@@Wahinies Only if you perfect the art of adding oregano to ketchup and calling it "authentic Italian pasta sauce".
For April Fools: Dunder Mifflin: The Rise and Fall.. And Rise Again
Yes please!
The Decline of Michael Scott Paper Company: What happened??
Great idea!
I want to know what their 45 point, 45 day plan was.
No
Great video, as always. Obrigado.
As always, a great video.
I feel like the type of crowd they wanted to appeal to doesn't exist. Like we want healthy food but the rest of that crowd only exists in the group of a CEO's kids. They looked at their own wealthy kids, combined it with the trends of general young adults and created a fictional group. Young adults are the poorest adults, they want change but they don't have all the money that CEO imagined.
the applebees around me is always packed full and I live in a fairly poor county in my state, and it is usually younger adults that are there and the food isn't all that pricy for the amount and quality that you get
This probably explains most if not all recent marketing strategies by a bunch of other corporations. "If we get the Eric and Lyle Menendez demographic, we'll be set."
Honestly the CEOs kid didn’t really eat there often. They are super nice but I ate there a lot more as a kid. Almost every week I was young and didn’t know much so I thought it was good. Turns out it’s not now that I’m older but free food is free food so I didn’t care.
There's nothing like eating at a restaurant with random crap hanging on the walls.
It's all local photos and paraphernalia. It's not random, just busy.
Bennigan's had the best random crap on the walls IMO
Cracker Barrel
@@the_rubbish_bin TGI Fridays in our neck of the woods was better, but I'm guessing they all bought their wall-crap from the same antique dealers because it always looked the same. This is why I miss Planet Hollywood, at least the junk on the walls in that place was interesting to look at.
Calling out Red Robin
This is one ive been waiting for
Interviewer: So what make syou think you can start a business?
Me: I've watched every Company Man video
Interviewer: You're hired
Applebee’s isn’t that bad ...it’s the place you go to when you don’t wanna spend much & want to sit down to eat but also don’t feel like finding somewhere specific to go ... it’s the Mcdonalds of medium quality restaurants lol
True🤣
I have a $500 Applebee's card and I don't need to for now I will sell it for $300
That perfectly sums up its identity.
It is. I like Applebee's but I only go there every now and then
@@stellarcharity4806 why...do you have...FIVE HUNDRED dollars in applebee's money?!
I worked at Applebees, in the kitchen, during their woodfire days. It was a money pit and the logs would literally just smolder under the steaks and did nothing but make the kitchen smell good. We did a taste test between steak made with and without and could not tell the difference. The food I'd say is average, with above average ingredients. They cut a lot of popular menu items and it really cost them. The introduction of the dollar drinks was a massive success with the younger crowds and the 2/$20 menu really hit off well with families. BWW has taken the cake as far as "hip atmospheres" go. Applebees' restaurants are outdated and could all use a massive overhaul.
I´m currently a server at Applebee´s. From what I've seen at my location, they are constantly assuring a standardized guest experience. from time to table, limiting side options on some promotional items to reduce kitchen complexities, and keeping things clean. they focus on creating returning customers. Most of my customers come in at least once every two weeks. They keep a good management structure and great employee benefits for a food service job.
i like the value deals, and appetizers. i will almost always bring a friend to chose from the 2 for 20$ menu. its changed a bit offered different tiers(22$,26$,30$) but they are still a great deal to get two full entries and an appetizer practically free is you compare prices. how ever the food is only a little above average and it steadily declines as it gets into leftover range.
Everything at Applebee’s taste like it’s been frozen and reheated probably because it has been
Applebee's is a place you go to get kicked out of
chef mic never fails.😂😂😂
Rise and fall and rise again...more like the cook the freeze and microwave again 🤪
so's your mum but i appreciate her nonetheless
watch your mouth
@@DDRWakaLaka did your grandparents hit you over the head w/ fryin pans bac in the day?🤡🤡🤡
wait.... Applebee’s rose again? Every single one around me closed down within the past two years.
the only Applebee's in my small city of 80k people closed, but the next town over that has 10k people still has one funny enough. I didn't know they were having a resurgence.
It really doesnt feel like a rise again. There used to be about 10 applebees within 20 miles where I live and they all closed down at the same time. I still have an applebee's gift card I'll probably never be able to use because there's not a single one within 50 miles of me now.
I think he means things are starting to turn around. Not that they have, or that they can't still flop.
@@UndyingNephalim
There are a few grey market gift card resellers that you can sell it to. czcams.com/video/bvFZ4C2sn94/video.html
Applebees can still fetch a decent price on the market.
More like the Rise, rapid fall, and slowing of the decline
I can't be the only one who dances to that intro music every time...😐😁
And Company Man - I've recently got to thinking about what happened to The Peppermill restaurants as you can now only find one in Las Vegas! They used to be sprinkled all over Northern California and at some point disappeared! Your channel was the one I searched figuring you might have covered it! Thank you!
It reminds me of when I would spend the night with my grandparents. We would go to Applebee’s for dinner a lot
So many bad memories associated with Applebee’s
This is probably random, but your profile picture reminds me of In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’s album cover...
Was it intentional, or a weird coincidence?
Lol
First time I went there was New Year’s Day, probably 1998 or 99. There were maybe 8 of us. We waited two hours for our food, and oddly the last things to come out were milkshakes and orange juice. I think about half of us sat there for another hour or so after we were done, just drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes (that’s how long ago it was). Waste our time, we’ll waste yours.
same dude , the last time i went to one both tables we sat at had holes in them and it took forever to get our food
I never had a single bad experience at Applebee's. I wonder if it's a regional thing. The Milwaukee area ones I went to were all great.
@@sof7068 it is the tambourine head x2. Check out his channel he makes some really great music sample vids
My favorite menu items from Applebee's was the quasadillia burger and the stuffed meatballs!! Yum, for drinks it was the mudslide, sooo good. Sadly we don't go anymore because of how badly downhill they've gone, last visit I ordered some kind of chicken dinner (it's been a few years so I don't remember which) and they served it to me undercooked, the waitress had a bit of an attitude too. So we never went back and won't anytime soon. Another thing, the bathrooms were always filthy, and more than one I've found dirty silverware on the table with dried food still on it.
Honestly, I have only been to Applebees a few times, but whenever I think of mid-grade restaurants, I immediately think of Applebees.
As a performer, Applebee's is always one of the few places that has stayed open later throughout the years that also doesn't have atrocious food. The Applebee's in our area was also one of the top Applebee's in the area, so the quality was never truly that bad, but the food was always just meh. The servers have always been fantastic though.
As a DoorDasher in a college town, I can attest that Applebee’s is one of the most popular places in town for students. As far as popularity (places I go most frequently) the top 3 I would say are Chick-fil-A, chipotle, then Applebee’s in that order. Maybe throw McDonald’s and Taco Bell in there tied for number 4. Anyways my point being, Applebee’s is very popular among psu students lol
Well, with a name including "Rx and Edibles", I don't see how they could lose on the college student demographic
It's probably been 10 years since I've been in an Applebees. My last few experiences were quite bad. Ordering takeout at the bar was one. Another was dining inside one, and suddenly turned into a hip-hop night club, WHILE I WAS EATING!!! I'm not kidding. There was a live DJ. Can I just eat my dinner please?
Nostalgia. I remember going often as a small kid, and getting a balloon when leaving. And I really love their mozzarella sticks. Now that I coming back a lot older, the new business model and environment is more focused on my generation. I like how the restaurant was the first that I can remember to implement the 'check -out tablets'? Being able to just swipe my card and use a touch screen for when I was ready to pay my check was cool to me. And they're convenient to find and have great deals like the 2 for $20
I had stopped going to Applebees when they had raised their prices and cut the portion sizes back and the food does not taste the same
I do have to say even with my social anxiety, I feel most comfortable going into an Applebee's as far as a dine-in restaurant over any other
It's got a cozy feel and they never seem too loud. I don't like crowds.
@@MilwaukeeWoman exactly.
it definitely has the best atmosphere of any casual dining chain restaurant.
Applebee's is the only restaurant near me that stays open until 2am. When you want something other than fast food, it's nice to have that option. Plus the bar stays open as well, so you can continue drinking there.
I feel they've recently improved their quality, at least at my local location.
I've been legitimately impressed with the presentation of the restaurant and the quality of the food after not eating there for years.
Applebee’s was my first real job. If I never hear the words, “more ranch dressing” again, it’ll be too soon.
More buttermilk please
Walking out!! Rack over!! Priority!! I have nightmares about hearing these. LOL I worked there all through high school and was a corporate trainer for a few years so I hear you.
Applebee’s was my first job too. I don’t miss anything about it
*More Ranch Dressing or I’ll call your manager*
@@sir_vaughn2018 😂
My parents are in their 80s. And Applebee's became among their favorites for lunch at about the time they were trying to attract YOUNGER customers! So they actually liked what Applebee's was doing. Now that I am in my 50s it is one of my favorites too.
Great video.. Ol Reliable Applebee's
The rise and fall of TGIF Fridays restaurants would make a great video as well
I remember hearing/reading once that Applebee's was what you get when you take a microwave and then build an entire restaurant around it.
That's about as accurate a description as I can think of for Applebee's.
“It’s always friendly and reliable”
That was a good one, Company Man.
It's like they're trying to compete with Taco Bell for the most miserable experience award.
Lol
@@dmhendricks Who are you competing with for the most banal comment award?
I just knew I would hear Chili's and Bennigans 🤦🏾♀️ This was a great break down Company Man!
“There’s rats at applebees!”- Reese bobby
I think today most people would be much happier filling up a car with friends, grab a six pack of beer, going through a drive thru McDonald’s and sit in the parking lot eating and looking at memes.
For someone who's big family is always either broke or on a budget, Applebee's and Chili's are our lifebloods when it comes to "celebrations". Yes their food maybe mediocre, but their 2 for $20-$30s goes a long way
texas road house has 10 dollar week day meals and their meals are 1,000 times better then apple bees. heh even Chipotle is a better buy then them imo
Chilis and applebee's are loved by lower middle class america. So good and so cheap, it's.perfect for any occasion.
I'd rather go to an all-you-can-eat place. If you're paying 2 for 20-30 you're basically already there.
$15 a person at home each could get a pound of steak , a pint of Ben and jerrys and and 1/4 bottle of liquor
@@ryan7187 But it wouldn't be cooked. And some people rather eat than drink. I don't really drink, I do other vices.
In my town we had a Applebee’s like 10 years ago its been so long
I went to school (long time ago) with Art Applebee and I always wondered if he started the restaurant . Nope... Thank you Company Man!!!
Nope but cool name though.
This reminds me of Ruby Tuesday. You should do a video on them, especially since they declared bankruptcy last year but recovered earlier this year.
I was thinking the same thing. I love their salad bar and burgers were decent
I was going to try them once but the one in my area closed down
I got their all you can eat “riblets” which where mostly greasy sauce and bones with little meat. After one serving the discarded bones remaining on my plate resembled the skeleton of a cat and I was too repulsed to eat any more. At my next visit years later I got a salmon fillet that was frozen solid in the center. Since then I’ve learned most of their meals are cooked off site and delivered frozen to the restaurant. So they are basically just reheating supermarket frozen meals - that’s not even cooking. Never been back since.
Yup id never get riblets again. I dont knw what meat that was
I had riblets once like two years ago too and I’m traumatized
Idk what your source was but the only foods we get frozen at my Applebee’s are the ones that go in the deep fryer (fries, onion rings, wings, etc). The prep cooks preportion all the meals ahead of time same day and store them in the fridge. You’re probably smart to avoid the riblets tho, no one I work with ever gets them. I mean, what even is a riblet?
Bro 90% of these chain restaurants don't "cook" their food lol. This is nothign new
@@Digger-Nick best comment
I really like the food and casual atmosphere. Prices are good , too.
I’ve been a cook at Applebee’s for a few years now. I feel like I have a greater appreciation for the company I work for after watching this video. A lot of history went into Applebee’s existing the way it does today.
I really like Applebee’s but it was much better 10 years ago I’ll admit it
Agree!
I still like their appetizers and pasta. Everything else is about 3 to 4 dollars too expensive for what it is.
Aren't their burgers ok or am I confusing that with somewhere else?
@@Cautionary_Tale_Harris no their burgers are good
@@ixedtea5302 Mine are always drenched in way too much sauce. I could make less of a mess of sauce on my hands eating ribs.
@@Cautionary_Tale_Harris yeah they are if I'm not mistaken. I usually get sliders tbh. You can't exactly microwave a burger and expect it to come out decent so it makes sense lol
As a minumum wage line cook, everything is over priced by 2 dollars minimum lol
Thank you for this story. I actually live in the Atlanta suburb where Mr Palmer passed away. The one thing I remember from all of this although I didn't know the history at the time was when they remodeled our local Applebee's.
Directly over the entrance they had an entire grouping of fire department memorabilia from our local fire department. One of the things they had was a commemorative hose from when we opened our brand new main fire station. Essentially everyone that was there signed the hose and then they cut it like they were cutting a ribbon when they opened the station. One of the signatures was a firefighter who passed away after being trapped in a fire not long after. Thousands of firefighters from all over the country attended his funeral because he was a nationally known expert in confined space rescue.
The one thing I remember is everyone being mad when they remodeled because all of that came down but one of the firefighters was able to retrieve the items so the hose didn't go in the dumpster. I think if they would have thrown that out they probably would have had to go out of business because I don't know anyone who would have eaten there after that.
As for the discussion about them being confused I agree completely. They went from cheap eats to high dollar steaks. Even though they literally share a parking lot with Texas Roadhouse so you know how that went. They did seem to do okay during the pandemic because they had some good items and did curbside pickup.
I love the wings at Applebee's and the staff is great
You should totally do one on how hard Golden Corral was hit, thanks to the pandemic.
We had 2 here in eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, and they both are closed down.
Golden Corral is a pandemic of it's own. Filthy place. And if anyone thinks Applebee's food is bad Golden Corral is worse. And never go at the start of the month when all the welfare checks go out. That's when all the welfare recipients splurge and go out for dinner.
@@ScottCleve33 Both of the locations in my town are fantastic. The managers and staff are very friendly and attentive, they keep the place insanely clean, the foot is always hot, fresh, and constantly refilled. I live in a very populated tourist area so these locations might be a lot busier than your typical location, but I've had nothing but fantastic experiences there. Then again, the second half of your comment says quite a lot about your outlook in general, so that probably has a lot to do with your negatve attitude toward the place.
@@ninja_tony it is what it is.
@@ScottCleve33 It all depends on the location.the
@@ScottCleve33 What a pompous attitude, someday you may need those checks when things go to shit.
"Grill and bar" sounds so bad, should be "bar and grill".
I'm not a big fan but I don't have a problem eating there. It's good enough
They put grill first to emphasize the fact that it’s a restaurant first, not somewhere specific to having a drink
@@qbanz00 let's be honest though, people go there primarily to drink and getting a bite secondly
@@TheCrazierz not where I live lol, we don’t even look at the bar if we go to Applebee’s, the options are limited , drink prices are high and the amount of alcohol they give you per drink is basically like drinking juice 😭
I used to love Applebee's. It was the first "fancy" restaurant in my little town where all we had was little diners and fast food. It was expensive for my family so it was a rare treat for special occasions. When I went to college, it was still special because I couldn't afford to eat out, and when my parents visited, we went there.
Don't wanna be a dick but if you consider Applebees fancy then Holy shit what was going on in your town Applebee's is really a working class restaurant where you get off work have a few drinks at the bar maybe eat some wings watch a Basketball game on TV then go home
You must live in Appalachia West Virginia if Applebees is the "fancy expensive" restaraunt.
In my previous comment, I mentioned I worked at Applebee's. While there, I had an idea that I thought would make the company a lot of money. Starbucks has those conference rooms, I recommended adding those rooms in, providing free coffee and soda to the group. They come in for a meeting, leave with a meal. The room can be used for parties, meetings, celebrations or just a large family meal.
3:08 I recognize that store layout from a mile away, that's an old 70s-80s Wendy's
When I was a high schooler and college kid Applebee’s was good. Now that I’m older, I feel there much better places for the money.
Because the formula changed
Our Applebee's closed several years ago. Over the years, they discontinued virtually every item on the menu we liked, and the service was abysmal. We quit eating there a couple of years before it closed.
I would literally never say, “Hey, let’s go to Applebee’s!”
Clearly you don’t live in a small college town. Applebees is the only affordable sit down place in town.
@@Robynhoodlum where the frat goes when everybody does well on the exams
Man that’s crazy, cuz I love apple bees I don’t understand why the hate lol
I say that exact phrase pretty often
Its the only nice sit-down place in my city
You just did tho