It has been a brutal five years for the service industry, particularly restaurants. Starting with the COVID-19 shutdown, resulting in widespread closures and more recently, inflationary pressures, leading to higher prices and lower customer turnout, even many of the top national chains are suffering. According to customers, one classic sit-down chain has progressively gone downhill: Applebees. However, there is some good news, as the longtime chain promises that change is on the horizon.
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In multiple Reddit feeds, customers complain about experiences dining at Applebee’s, with the majority of issues arising from bad service and understaffed restaurants in major need of a facelift. Several also complained that restaurants were filthy. One deep cleaner even claimed that they discovered “Mold, dead mice, roaches, old food.”
“Stop going to Applebees. Their food is unbelievably bad and no one cares about their job, let alone your dining experience,” one Redditor spat.
Since 2021, Applebee’s has sstruggled with store closures and declining same-store sales, dropping from 1,578 stores in 2021 to 1,501 in 2024, according to the brand’s SEC filings. According to filings, Applebee’s saw 35 net domestic restaurant closures in 2024. Dine is projecting a loss of 20 to 35 net Applebee’s restaurants in 2025.
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Recently, Applebee’s has been determined to turn things around. This week, Dine Brands launched a reimaging program called “Lookin’ Good. During the company’s recent earnings call, “Dine Brands CEO John Peyton explained that it is a multi-year effort to make sure that all restaurants exceed consumer expectations for look and feel. It will kick off in Novemberf with 30 out of 47 restaurants that the brand recently took over from franchisees. Five additional restaurants will be converted to dual-branded Applebee’s/IHOP units.
Once the restaurants are remodeled, they will be refranchised. “Six of our top 10 franchisees, representing 57% of the Applebee’s system, have already elected to accelerate remodels of their restaurants by the end of 2025 based on the Lookin’ Good program,” Peyton said.
The brand is also shaking up its prototype, offering a more updated and contemporary appearance. It is also devoted to optimiing its off-premiese sales.
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Vance Chang, Dine’s CFO, anticipates the brand will see an increase in “gross openings from dual-branded domestic openings and new development agreements for standalone Applebee’s restaurants.”
The chain is also trying to add value. In May, it brought back its renowned All You Can Eat (AYCE), offering guests endless Riblets, Double Crunch Shrimp, and Chicken Tenders with Classic Fries for $15.99 per guest. In June, the promo got extended and expanded to include Boneless Wings.
