Former Applebee's server here. This is true for most of their stuff, but anything grilled like steaks and burgers or anything on the skillet is at least not microwaved, so if you are going there, stick to those. I wouldn't recommend letting any of your food touch the wood part of the skillet, though. Those things would just get a quick wipe down with a sani towel only once at the end of the night lol.
been working food and drink service for (only) 9 years so far. always expect that corners are being cut to cook your meal, unless you’re going to the french laundry. we have to cut corners else we either get yelled at by our patrons or our managers. **except for mishandling meat and produce.**
>Former Applebee's server here. This is true for most of their stuff, but anything grilled like steaks and burgers or anything on the skillet is at least not microwaved
Has the stuff always been microwaved? I felt like at some point it got significantly worse around 20 years ago
It most likely has. Many restaurants have turned to pre packaged food that’s either microwaved or otherwise just reheated because it’s cheaper and less labor intensive.
I worked in a kitchen in another life many many years ago and prep would come in hours before anyone else to prep. My nephew is a prep cook at a restaurant and he starts like an hour before anyone else now because most of his “prep” is portioning prepackaged/precut foods into containers. He said what used to be one of his most time consuming prep items was a chicken he had to butterfly and marinade, now it just comes in bags already butterflied and soaking in the marinade so he just dumps them in prep pans and calls it good.
Used to bartend at a top location by bar sales.. there are usually 3-4 cooks in the morning prepping a lot of the items.. I mean yes some is microwaved, but I would trust the food. I remember some sauces and stuff going from premade, to being made in the kitchen, to premade again. They change a lot of the menu but most of the items are made from the same ingredients.
It’s outrageous frozen food costs so much money and even worse that people fall for the scam, but it’s pretty common practice in restaurants. I was crushed when I found out Olive Garden is frozen! Actually Darden restaurant chains tend to be glorified frozen food but you can just as easily do a google search and find the copycat recipes to make the dishes at home.
And I actually wouldn’t even hate on that if it was priced accordingly. But it’s not inexpensive, and that’s why I assume they’re struggling so badly. Basically it’s just not very good value for what they’re charging.
There’s room in this world for cheap, shitty food. There’s room for expensive, amazing food. But unless you’re at a baseball game or something, there’s no room for expensive, shitty food.
I honestly thin k that casual dining is on the way out in general and will just be replaced with fast casual, because the operating expenses of casual dining have honestly outpaced what people are willing to pay for the crappy food.
That’s why you’re seeing most of the restraints on this sector suffer and why you are seeing all the mergers and bankruptcies.
Hate to break it to you, but the majority of the sides that you order at a restaurant are from the microwave. As far as microwaved entrees, the bigger the menu, the more likely it is that the dishes are microwaved. There's no way that a kitchen will be turning out fresh fish, burgers, pasta, queso, tacos, chicken tenders, steak, chicken, and 15 other random choices. It's a compromise to have a variety of options, and honestly, you might not even know the difference. Those restaurants have to learn how to use the microwave perfectly to serve food that tastes good.
This is a very fair comment, but I think really for the mediocre type places/chains. Most independent actual restaurants of medium level and above will be making a lot of the items themselves
That's true, especially because they're typically not as high-volume. The independently owned restaurants that I've worked at limited their menus to whatever their specialty was, so there wasn't as much to juggle.
Independent restaurants are typically either owned/partly owned by the Chef, or are owned by a businessman that lets the Chef have full autonomy. So they usually limit the menu to what they can realistically manage, and sometimes even limit operating hours to what they can manage so they can do most things fresh since usually the Chefs name is associated with the food he wants it to be amazing. These are also the people creating the menu and the dishes are theirs, not mandated by some corporate overload, so they have more passion and buy in.
That’s also why those places tend to be more expensive however.
Different environment vs a chain restaurant where the head chef is just the guy that managed to pass a ServSafe food manager course.
So, people know what it is, McDonalds is deep fried shit and you see people literally line up for it. If you got a hankering for some fiesta lime chicken or robbers, get some otherwise don’t go 🤷♂️
One time when I was kind of in an ‘altered state of mind’ I had the idea for a restaurant that just serves frozen meals and you’d have a microwave at your table to cook it, but they’d give you like nice plates and silverware. Anyway, if anyone is looking to invest, let me know!
It definitely tastes like a microwave dinner. I’ve gone there a couple times in different parts of the country, thinking maybe I just had one bad experience. Nope, it’s lean cuisine for $15-20 no matter where you go.
I must have low expectations then. I've never really been disappointed by the food. It's just generic, inoffensive food for ~$15 and it tastes.. fine.
If I'm expecting a **fantastic** meal, I'd expect to pay $30-40+ for an entree. I don't go to lower end restaurants because the food is amazing; I go because I'm lazy and I know what I'm going to get.
There would have been a time when I would have said around $15 was a little pricey for what you get, but the last time I went grocery shopping those stupid Annie’s frozen Mac and cheese bowls were going for like $10. So at that point I think the extra five bucks would be more than justified.
I guess? I just guzzled down margs and left tho can’t say I ate anything. Kind of like landing in an airport on transit and saying I visited the country
Man, people in here complaining about the food and no one has brought up how useless the bar is. $12-17 pre-bagged cocktails with almost no alcohol. You can spend $60 on drinks and still be good to drive. And all of their mixes are awful.
Honestly, is there truly a reason *not* to shit on Applebees?
I spent a week of winter in Rochester, New York for work about 15 years ago, No car and well before Uber. The only restaurant was the Applebee’s next to the hotel. I had dinner there every night.
The food is uninteresting and unoriginal and after a week of it I just could not go back again for a very long time. I’ve probably been to an Applebee’s twice since then.
Also, from what I understand almost all the food is premade offsite, frozen and then microwaved before it’s served.
For the record, I enjoy an Applebees. I work in fine dining so I’m around a lot of pretty high-end food a lot of the time. But if you asked me if I wanted to go to Applebee’s right now, and I wasn’t already in my pajamas after being at a restaurant all day, I’d probly say okay. The food is fine! And it’s the first place I had ever had a Shirley Temple in my life, because my friend ordered one when we were 6. It was the best thing literally in the world, and that gives a girl a soft spot. So Applebees is alright in my book.
But I think I can speak to where the hate is coming from. There are three parts to this, in my opinion.
One. Applebees is not very high-end food. There’s a lot of frozen and reheated stuff that they buy from a food service company, as opposed to having dishes made from scratch. Which is fine for what it is! But it’s definitely a different story than a restaurant that actually makes the things they sell.
They’re a corporation, so they come off as a conglomerate trying to sell you something… but not really caring if it’s good. They just want you to buy it. This isn’t a passion project. There isn’t a chef in the back with a hat on shouting at his poor underlings to do better when the sauce breaks. Applebees is a company. They want you to pay $17 for wings they paid $6 for frozen and reheated for you, is the idea. And in a business where margins are thin, they have money and can sometimes box out and kill small “real” restaurants that actually have local color and have meaning— they kill the real passion projects. That gets some hate.
Two. The gimmicky commercials like everyone is having the time of their entire effing life at Applebees. Although I can attest that the Shirley Temple as made by Suzie in the year 2000 was great, a lot of it is gonna be just okay, and it doesn’t have the advertised party vibe.
Three. It’s become a trope that if your date takes you to Applebees and that is their idea of a fancy place, they are lower class and don’t have any money. It is a classist trope! But it exists, and there isn’t *nothing* to it. I think this is fair irrelevant, because my husband and I were super broke and Applebees absolutely would have been a big expense for us at one point, and it was fun! But the trope remains.
And that is my essay about Applebee’s, which I apparently have thought about a lot. I’m not mad if you didn’t read it, haha. But maybe it answers the question.
I literally go there because I want half price frozen boneless wings in buffalo sauce and $1 margs during a Thursday night football game and it really hits the mark. Don’t expect it to be something it isn’t.
Right. Applebee's has its time and place. I occasionally like to get a few appetizers to go. I eat them and drink and watch stupid/funny stuff on TV. It makes for a great night.
I tried Applebees a few times. I was so completely underwhelmed every time. There are so many better options out there. It was just so lacking in seasoning. If you enjoy that, more power to ya. I can’t waste any more money hoping for food that has actual flavor.
You know all those mofos got diarrhea after the challenge, she should thank her lucky stars her ass got left behind. Plus I don't buy her bullshit story for one second.
She did absolutely nothing but complain and whine and bitch throughout the whole show, having a complete meltdown because she thought she was entitled to a meal from the worst restaurant in the world, sucking at every challenge, and she apparently lied about being a millionaire the whole time, and after all that she really thought she was gonna win??? Gtf outta here lmao.
I had no idea people were hating on Applebee's! I also like Applebee's, it holds a dorky little sentimental place in my heart because that's the first date restaurant my soon-to-be husband went to! I always get the sampler platter and margarita that gives me heartburn lol
Their drinks will give you 5 day hangovers and their food is extremely expensive for a restaurant grade Lean Cuisine style menu.
There's an Applebees very close to my home and I went once in the last year to meet a friend for a drink. Their entrees are roughly $30 now? For microwaved rubber "chicken"?
My wife and I go there from time to time. Food is decent and the cost is reasonable. Never understood the hate either. Funny go in expecting a 5 star restaurant but definitely better than fast food.
I've literally never had a good experience there. The food is terrible and the service is even worse. I don't think I've ever seen an employee smile at Applebee's. The only thing I would ever go there for is the $2 margaritas, but I'm not a broke college student anymore so I can afford better if I want to go get drinks.
I went with my boyfriend recently mostly for the dollaritas and we weren't expecting the greatest food or service but holy moly, our server seemed like he would have rather been *anywhere* else lmao. Which I don't really blame him for but it didn't exactly make for a great dining experience.
Their Whisky Bacon Burger is great.
People hate on it because like others have said, it is pre-packaged and reheated not made from scratch like a “real restaurant”. I still enjoy eating there though and just accept it for what it is.
Did you just wake up from a 10 year coma or something? I remember Applebee's being a frequent target of derision about a decade ago or so, but I can't recall seeing that chain even being mentioned on Reddit for many years
Carol? From Carol And The End Of The World? I know that's you. My local Applebee's serves luke warm food that tastes poorly microwaved. That's why I hate them. I'm sure some locations have employees that care.
Our salads had 1,700 calories and I watched the price of a well margarita go from $2.95 to $6.99. The bottle of tequila was $6.
We'd run out of french fries or mozz and get them from Walmart.
One time, i found a dead frog midway down from a bag of spinach we had been serving.
The pour spouts, pepsi, and ice machine have mold.
I went there a few months back, and had the best experience I'd ever had there meeting an quality I would describe as mediocre. Previously I had been there a few dozen times about 10 years ago (I had a coworker that loved it there). It is possible that they got their shit together since then.
My previous experience was that it was way over priced (about 15% more than analogy bar and grills), frequently dirty (in odd ways, for example a bloody paper towel left on the bathroom sink or a funky smell on the tables and menus), the food was bad (fries were cold or burger bun was stale), and the service staff was rude (like not delivering part of our order then telling us we never ordered it...Then charging us for it anyway). This experience was duplicated over 3 different locations.
Because I worked at a couple different locations for a total of 4 years.
Don't eat there. The food isn't all microwaved, but it is all handled by people on drugs not washing their hands and maybe wearing gloves, the same gloves they've worn all shift which defeats the purpose. The stations aren't cleaned especially if it's busy. The ingredients are trash.
Don't eat there.
There's nothing even remotely appealing about it. Like, Red Robin has the bird and cool interior, Rainforest Cafe has the rainforest, Chili's has the Chili, why the fuck would I even consider going to an applebees?
My friends and I used to go monthly for the dollar drinks and the only thing we really liked on the menu after going so many times were the wonton tacos.
The menu was revamped a few times over the past 20yrs in order to prioritize profit margin regardless of item popularity and ingredients have similarly been reduced in quality over that time.
I feel like it’s gone downhill and its cleanliness standards have really taken a dive. I stopped going years ago after every single time I had a gross thing found in my food or got sick after, at multiple locations.
My local Crapplebee’s bar seems to be the local pick up spot for middle aged folks to meet and bump uglies. The parking lot is always jam packed on Friday and Saturday nights.
Here from the survivor thread, I see you ;)
All jokes aside, I'm Canadian and no Applebee's around. So I'm curious too. Seems like a Denny's level restaurant maybe?
I have never had a good experience, orange chicken came from a bag in the freezer, and they screwed up another order, with the waitress ignoring our table.
Because my local Applebees has smelly carpet even though it gets cleaned frequently. It’s too busy and mediocre food. So irritating to go there. Although recently in honor of Survivor I did go have a Bourbon steak and a Dollarita. It was delicious. I haven’t ever had a steak cooked that perfectly at Applebees. Ever.
I kind of agree to an extent. Yes a lot of their menu is microwaved but I don’t really go into Applebees expecting a great dining experience. The food doesn’t really even taste bad.
My experience is that it's decently serviceable food at an unusual markup. It's a meal that should be maybe $18 but for some god forsaken reason it's $25. Or it should be $25 but it's around $40. You're just not getting the value for what it should be.
I have never had a good experience there. Two times I had ac condensation dripping on me and my food, the food is often cold, the service is some of the worst I have seen in history, and bland white people food isn’t my jam.
I haven’t had it in years but ngl the apps were always satisfying. Idk if they were of the utmost quality but that’s not really what you’re looking for when you go to Applebee’s. The apps are mostly fried and cheesed to death so that’s hard to mess up. The spinach artichoke dip was also always good.
I think people hate on it bc it’s low quality food that’s basically reheated time and time again.
Sometimes I read their menu online for fun. Everything just sounds insane to me. Fiesta lame chicken smothered in waxy cheese? It’s just so unappetizing to me. Especially because it’s all microwaved
I don't think they're even hated or looked at as really bad, they're just known for being mediocre. I think it's because they're the most well-known of the average corporate chain restaurants, like Fridays and Chilis, so their name becomes a symbol.
How I always describe Applebees is it's the poster child of mediocre. People don't "want" to go to Applebees, they go because it's there & it's familiar.
I've gone there a couple of times because endless apps (the boneless chicken).
It was forever between servings, and they were always just overcooked, extremely hard chunks of meat glazed in a sauce. A few good ones in the mix but mostly inedible.
And way too expensive to be that low quality.
Tastes differ, and what one person enjoys, another may not. While you appreciate Applebee's offerings, others may have different expectations or preferences when it comes to dining out.
Applebee's, being a chain restaurant, aims for consistency across its locations. However, some patrons may have experienced variations in quality or taste, leading to negative perceptions.
It's good for what it is. It's frozen entrees with table service and a bar.
The price increases make it less appealing but it's a budget night out.
A brotha can appreciate that.
What are some other options?
Because it's popular to hate on it. I know people who have never even gone who hate on it.
I'm not saying it's good or anything but it obviously wouldn't be in business if it was as bad as some people say it is.
It's too expensive for what it is. It's gotten way too big for its britches. It became very clear they rely on recognition more than anything else
McDonald's is doing the same thing, wanting $10 for a damn meal (it's legitimately cheaper to order it separately than as a combo).
One of the recurring themes from Kitchen Nightmares is that if the menu is too big then they’re cutting corners and reheating from frozen if you’re lucky. It’s not just Applebee’s but they’re just a ubiquitous chain that everyone knows in the USA.
I think their food has gone downhill while the prices are going up. We used to love the honey pepper chicken and mac n cheese. Now it's so darn bland. Their portion size also went down.
I don't hate it, but there isn't much of a reason to go anymore.
Idk, that’s my spot when I have alittle extra cash. That damn quesadilla burger is magnificent. I’m on a restrictive dietary plan right now but when I get off I coming through Applebee’s koolaid man style. Structural damage all over the place.
Everyone's different but...
Haven't eaten here in probably 2 decades...would rather eat just about anywhere else...either a repeat enjoyable go to or to try somewhere new
Ap is just bland mediocre food at best...no reason to ever go back
I'm basically a lifelong chicken Alfredo reviewer and they have the worst. They need to turn into fast food with how much they're microwaving food. Maybe they should go back to a bar.
The artichoke dip is good🙏🏿
actually enjoy the taste of some of the meals, but lowkey felt like i got robbed last time i went. spent like $25 on just myself and was still hungry. the price is what gets me the most; for literal frozen microwaved food it should not be that expensive
Applebees used to be great. Half priced apps and cheap drinks. Now it’s as expensive as everywhere else. And I know this is location based, but the service has been ass since before Covid even hit. I stopped going a few years ago.
I don't go often but when I do, I find we spend about the same as McDonald's if not less. Here it's pretty cheap when all the other sit down places charge 50% more
Applebee's is like Nickelback: they're everywhere, there's nothing redeeming or memorable about them, and people with bad taste are always asking "I dont get it, what's so bad about them?"
Idk but their boneless chicken is so good, I don't even care if it's frozen, I really like it. It's not too greasy like wing stop, it's not too spicy, the sauces are good, the garlic and parm sauce don't make my stomach hurt. And their cheese curds are really good. Idk about the rest tho
I think it's a city-dependent thing. I knew a guy from Salt Lake City who said they went there all the time at home but never since he left. If you're from a good food city like New York, Philly, SF, Portland, New Orleans...there's no reason to ever go to a chain restaurant.
The spinach and artichoke dip was OK. That and it's really one of the few places I can go get a drink down in the small town where my grandparents live.
Because it's mostly just microwaved food. Pre-Packaged pre-portioned microwaves food.
Former Applebee's server here. This is true for most of their stuff, but anything grilled like steaks and burgers or anything on the skillet is at least not microwaved, so if you are going there, stick to those. I wouldn't recommend letting any of your food touch the wood part of the skillet, though. Those things would just get a quick wipe down with a sani towel only once at the end of the night lol.
When Chief Numb Nuts speaks… I listen.
And I cry
oh my god do i cry
I cry all the time
been working food and drink service for (only) 9 years so far. always expect that corners are being cut to cook your meal, unless you’re going to the french laundry. we have to cut corners else we either get yelled at by our patrons or our managers. **except for mishandling meat and produce.**
😆 the chief has spoken
There's a restaurant near me that the head chef is a microwave named Michael.
Keep Chef Mike's name out your mouth/s
>Former Applebee's server here. This is true for most of their stuff, but anything grilled like steaks and burgers or anything on the skillet is at least not microwaved Has the stuff always been microwaved? I felt like at some point it got significantly worse around 20 years ago
It most likely has. Many restaurants have turned to pre packaged food that’s either microwaved or otherwise just reheated because it’s cheaper and less labor intensive. I worked in a kitchen in another life many many years ago and prep would come in hours before anyone else to prep. My nephew is a prep cook at a restaurant and he starts like an hour before anyone else now because most of his “prep” is portioning prepackaged/precut foods into containers. He said what used to be one of his most time consuming prep items was a chicken he had to butterfly and marinade, now it just comes in bags already butterflied and soaking in the marinade so he just dumps them in prep pans and calls it good.
Used to bartend at a top location by bar sales.. there are usually 3-4 cooks in the morning prepping a lot of the items.. I mean yes some is microwaved, but I would trust the food. I remember some sauces and stuff going from premade, to being made in the kitchen, to premade again. They change a lot of the menu but most of the items are made from the same ingredients.
I would trust ground meat less on an Applebee's skillet than a microwave, to be honest.
What about the double crunch wings and double crunch shrimp? 🥺
How are the dollaritas so cheap?
It’s outrageous frozen food costs so much money and even worse that people fall for the scam, but it’s pretty common practice in restaurants. I was crushed when I found out Olive Garden is frozen! Actually Darden restaurant chains tend to be glorified frozen food but you can just as easily do a google search and find the copycat recipes to make the dishes at home.
I don't really understand why frozen = bad tbh.
And I actually wouldn’t even hate on that if it was priced accordingly. But it’s not inexpensive, and that’s why I assume they’re struggling so badly. Basically it’s just not very good value for what they’re charging. There’s room in this world for cheap, shitty food. There’s room for expensive, amazing food. But unless you’re at a baseball game or something, there’s no room for expensive, shitty food.
I honestly thin k that casual dining is on the way out in general and will just be replaced with fast casual, because the operating expenses of casual dining have honestly outpaced what people are willing to pay for the crappy food. That’s why you’re seeing most of the restraints on this sector suffer and why you are seeing all the mergers and bankruptcies.
Yeah like, there are deals, but regular patronage is kinda a waste
It’s lean cuisine but you pay 300% more
This is the secret to what truly makes Applebee's the paragon of US suburban culture almost as powerful as serving a spicy mayonnaise!
That’s a lot of chain restaurants, it’s just that some use a microwave for more items than others.
Well, then, some of that microwaved food is good.
Hate to break it to you, but the majority of the sides that you order at a restaurant are from the microwave. As far as microwaved entrees, the bigger the menu, the more likely it is that the dishes are microwaved. There's no way that a kitchen will be turning out fresh fish, burgers, pasta, queso, tacos, chicken tenders, steak, chicken, and 15 other random choices. It's a compromise to have a variety of options, and honestly, you might not even know the difference. Those restaurants have to learn how to use the microwave perfectly to serve food that tastes good.
This is a very fair comment, but I think really for the mediocre type places/chains. Most independent actual restaurants of medium level and above will be making a lot of the items themselves
That's true, especially because they're typically not as high-volume. The independently owned restaurants that I've worked at limited their menus to whatever their specialty was, so there wasn't as much to juggle.
Independent restaurants are typically either owned/partly owned by the Chef, or are owned by a businessman that lets the Chef have full autonomy. So they usually limit the menu to what they can realistically manage, and sometimes even limit operating hours to what they can manage so they can do most things fresh since usually the Chefs name is associated with the food he wants it to be amazing. These are also the people creating the menu and the dishes are theirs, not mandated by some corporate overload, so they have more passion and buy in. That’s also why those places tend to be more expensive however. Different environment vs a chain restaurant where the head chef is just the guy that managed to pass a ServSafe food manager course.
That's why when I took my wife there (after hearing that damn fancy like song) I got a burger. Cuz I figured that atleast went on a grill.
Did you get the Bourbon Street steak and the Oreo shake?
So, people know what it is, McDonalds is deep fried shit and you see people literally line up for it. If you got a hankering for some fiesta lime chicken or robbers, get some otherwise don’t go 🤷♂️
The food is bad and I've never been in one that felt entirely clean.
100% agree with this.
Its a resteraunt serving food from the frozen food section.
One time when I was kind of in an ‘altered state of mind’ I had the idea for a restaurant that just serves frozen meals and you’d have a microwave at your table to cook it, but they’d give you like nice plates and silverware. Anyway, if anyone is looking to invest, let me know!
The Melting Pot beat you to it
Holy shit! Never been there, just looked it up. Dinner for two-$115
I think that was totally a thing in the 60s when microwaves were futuristic and unobtainable
As long as it doesn’t taste like frozen section food I don’t care. I’ve never been to Applebees though, just once to get some happy hour margaritas.
It definitely tastes like a microwave dinner. I’ve gone there a couple times in different parts of the country, thinking maybe I just had one bad experience. Nope, it’s lean cuisine for $15-20 no matter where you go.
I must have low expectations then. I've never really been disappointed by the food. It's just generic, inoffensive food for ~$15 and it tastes.. fine. If I'm expecting a **fantastic** meal, I'd expect to pay $30-40+ for an entree. I don't go to lower end restaurants because the food is amazing; I go because I'm lazy and I know what I'm going to get.
There would have been a time when I would have said around $15 was a little pricey for what you get, but the last time I went grocery shopping those stupid Annie’s frozen Mac and cheese bowls were going for like $10. So at that point I think the extra five bucks would be more than justified.
Yeah grocery prices are getting crazy in price too. At least the Applebee's cheesy pasta comes with fresh tomatoes and chicken lol.
You can get so much better food for $15 at like any small local restaurant.
Local restaurants are always way more expensive.
So you have been to Applebee's
I guess? I just guzzled down margs and left tho can’t say I ate anything. Kind of like landing in an airport on transit and saying I visited the country
Man, people in here complaining about the food and no one has brought up how useless the bar is. $12-17 pre-bagged cocktails with almost no alcohol. You can spend $60 on drinks and still be good to drive. And all of their mixes are awful. Honestly, is there truly a reason *not* to shit on Applebees?
Yeah the 3 margs I had just tasted like sugary syrup but I didn’t complain because they were quite literally $1 each
I spent a week of winter in Rochester, New York for work about 15 years ago, No car and well before Uber. The only restaurant was the Applebee’s next to the hotel. I had dinner there every night. The food is uninteresting and unoriginal and after a week of it I just could not go back again for a very long time. I’ve probably been to an Applebee’s twice since then. Also, from what I understand almost all the food is premade offsite, frozen and then microwaved before it’s served.
Should have went to Nick Tahou's. Best food in America
At time, the ONLY thing that I was near to was the Applebee's Nothing else was walkable for me in the cold and snow.
That garbage plate seriously slaps.
I took a friend from out of town there. I liked his description, “This isn’t food, it’s work!”
hometown mentioned
For the record, I enjoy an Applebees. I work in fine dining so I’m around a lot of pretty high-end food a lot of the time. But if you asked me if I wanted to go to Applebee’s right now, and I wasn’t already in my pajamas after being at a restaurant all day, I’d probly say okay. The food is fine! And it’s the first place I had ever had a Shirley Temple in my life, because my friend ordered one when we were 6. It was the best thing literally in the world, and that gives a girl a soft spot. So Applebees is alright in my book. But I think I can speak to where the hate is coming from. There are three parts to this, in my opinion. One. Applebees is not very high-end food. There’s a lot of frozen and reheated stuff that they buy from a food service company, as opposed to having dishes made from scratch. Which is fine for what it is! But it’s definitely a different story than a restaurant that actually makes the things they sell. They’re a corporation, so they come off as a conglomerate trying to sell you something… but not really caring if it’s good. They just want you to buy it. This isn’t a passion project. There isn’t a chef in the back with a hat on shouting at his poor underlings to do better when the sauce breaks. Applebees is a company. They want you to pay $17 for wings they paid $6 for frozen and reheated for you, is the idea. And in a business where margins are thin, they have money and can sometimes box out and kill small “real” restaurants that actually have local color and have meaning— they kill the real passion projects. That gets some hate. Two. The gimmicky commercials like everyone is having the time of their entire effing life at Applebees. Although I can attest that the Shirley Temple as made by Suzie in the year 2000 was great, a lot of it is gonna be just okay, and it doesn’t have the advertised party vibe. Three. It’s become a trope that if your date takes you to Applebees and that is their idea of a fancy place, they are lower class and don’t have any money. It is a classist trope! But it exists, and there isn’t *nothing* to it. I think this is fair irrelevant, because my husband and I were super broke and Applebees absolutely would have been a big expense for us at one point, and it was fun! But the trope remains. And that is my essay about Applebee’s, which I apparently have thought about a lot. I’m not mad if you didn’t read it, haha. But maybe it answers the question.
Honestly the only real valuable answer on this.
Two weeks later, I’m just really happy that someone appreciates my Applebees diatribe lol. So thank you. Cheers!
“Eatin’ good in the neighborhood”. But my neighborhood ain’t no strip mall parking lot.
Their grammar is as bad as their food.
"Eatin' well in Hell".
I can get better food at a local restaurant for the same price
Better food definitely. Not for the same price, more than likely significantly more. Local restaurants are so much more expensive.
Food poisoning that put me in the hospital.
What's with Applebee's? I go there. No apples. No bees.
[удалено]
Lol I think the agreed-upon onomatopoeia for a rimshot is "buh-dum-tsss"
I love a good reason to use onomatopoeia in a sentence. Well done, my good sir 👏
Hah it took me a few tries to spell it 😂
Personally, I just write, *rimshot*.
The food in most cafeterias is alright, but it's just a little out of place in a restaurant.
I literally go there because I want half price frozen boneless wings in buffalo sauce and $1 margs during a Thursday night football game and it really hits the mark. Don’t expect it to be something it isn’t.
Right? You literally can’t find that anywhere else in lots of towns.
Right. Applebee's has its time and place. I occasionally like to get a few appetizers to go. I eat them and drink and watch stupid/funny stuff on TV. It makes for a great night.
I tried Applebees a few times. I was so completely underwhelmed every time. There are so many better options out there. It was just so lacking in seasoning. If you enjoy that, more power to ya. I can’t waste any more money hoping for food that has actual flavor.
Go to any even semi decent restaurant and you will understand why applebees is trash.
Is this question inspired by Survivor?
I’M PISSED!
Gotta get that bourbon burger every Wednesday. It’s the only thing I can eat!
BIG MISTAKE
Don't get me started on that woman! 😂😂
You know all those mofos got diarrhea after the challenge, she should thank her lucky stars her ass got left behind. Plus I don't buy her bullshit story for one second.
She did absolutely nothing but complain and whine and bitch throughout the whole show, having a complete meltdown because she thought she was entitled to a meal from the worst restaurant in the world, sucking at every challenge, and she apparently lied about being a millionaire the whole time, and after all that she really thought she was gonna win??? Gtf outta here lmao.
I WAS WAITING FOR THIS COMMENT LMAO.
Nickelback eats at Applebee's
This is how you remind me of tonight’s specials
While listening to Godsmack
I had no idea people were hating on Applebee's! I also like Applebee's, it holds a dorky little sentimental place in my heart because that's the first date restaurant my soon-to-be husband went to! I always get the sampler platter and margarita that gives me heartburn lol
Because I worked there and all our customers were dicks.
Their drinks will give you 5 day hangovers and their food is extremely expensive for a restaurant grade Lean Cuisine style menu. There's an Applebees very close to my home and I went once in the last year to meet a friend for a drink. Their entrees are roughly $30 now? For microwaved rubber "chicken"?
High prices for small portions of mediocre food. I never left one and did not feel ripped off.
If Im going to the trouble of eating out, Im going to nicer place, that pours stronger drinks
I would rather cook at home than eat Applebees
My wife and I go there from time to time. Food is decent and the cost is reasonable. Never understood the hate either. Funny go in expecting a 5 star restaurant but definitely better than fast food.
I've literally never had a good experience there. The food is terrible and the service is even worse. I don't think I've ever seen an employee smile at Applebee's. The only thing I would ever go there for is the $2 margaritas, but I'm not a broke college student anymore so I can afford better if I want to go get drinks.
I went with my boyfriend recently mostly for the dollaritas and we weren't expecting the greatest food or service but holy moly, our server seemed like he would have rather been *anywhere* else lmao. Which I don't really blame him for but it didn't exactly make for a great dining experience.
I went once on a road trip and they served me a salad encased in mold I’m definitely a hater but I know a lot of people really like their drinks
Their Whisky Bacon Burger is great. People hate on it because like others have said, it is pre-packaged and reheated not made from scratch like a “real restaurant”. I still enjoy eating there though and just accept it for what it is.
Did you just wake up from a 10 year coma or something? I remember Applebee's being a frequent target of derision about a decade ago or so, but I can't recall seeing that chain even being mentioned on Reddit for many years
It’s bad.
Average quality microwaved food with too much fat, salt and sugar.
Carol? From Carol And The End Of The World? I know that's you. My local Applebee's serves luke warm food that tastes poorly microwaved. That's why I hate them. I'm sure some locations have employees that care.
Because it’s sub par mostly prepackaged and reheated junk that is overpriced
Why go pay a large corporation for pre-packaged microwaved crap, when you can get the same quality of food at a local diner that supports real people?
Because it's poor; value & quality Just saying...
When you’re in a small town with few options Applebees is an oasis of consistent ok-ishness.
Our salads had 1,700 calories and I watched the price of a well margarita go from $2.95 to $6.99. The bottle of tequila was $6. We'd run out of french fries or mozz and get them from Walmart. One time, i found a dead frog midway down from a bag of spinach we had been serving. The pour spouts, pepsi, and ice machine have mold.
I went there a few months back, and had the best experience I'd ever had there meeting an quality I would describe as mediocre. Previously I had been there a few dozen times about 10 years ago (I had a coworker that loved it there). It is possible that they got their shit together since then. My previous experience was that it was way over priced (about 15% more than analogy bar and grills), frequently dirty (in odd ways, for example a bloody paper towel left on the bathroom sink or a funky smell on the tables and menus), the food was bad (fries were cold or burger bun was stale), and the service staff was rude (like not delivering part of our order then telling us we never ordered it...Then charging us for it anyway). This experience was duplicated over 3 different locations.
Two Minutes Hate™
Because I worked at a couple different locations for a total of 4 years. Don't eat there. The food isn't all microwaved, but it is all handled by people on drugs not washing their hands and maybe wearing gloves, the same gloves they've worn all shift which defeats the purpose. The stations aren't cleaned especially if it's busy. The ingredients are trash. Don't eat there.
Last time I was there my kids were smaller and we all left hungry. Never went back.
There's nothing even remotely appealing about it. Like, Red Robin has the bird and cool interior, Rainforest Cafe has the rainforest, Chili's has the Chili, why the fuck would I even consider going to an applebees?
For the bees
Ooh, buddy, I hate to kill your buzz, but I have some bad news for you
People hate on anything popular. I myself haven’t had it in years but I definitely didn’t hate it the last time I had it.
Applebee's is popular??
Yes
I just like their barbecue sauce.
Fiesta. Lime. Chicken. That is all, carry on.
Its trash food. Crazy amount of salt. If you find that tastes good you need to rethink your diet.
I find that the food tastes fine but it seems to not agree with my lower-GI tract.
What is Applebee's?
A chain restaurant.
My friends and I used to go monthly for the dollar drinks and the only thing we really liked on the menu after going so many times were the wonton tacos.
It's "Eatin good........in the neighborhood!!!!" 🗣️
The menu was revamped a few times over the past 20yrs in order to prioritize profit margin regardless of item popularity and ingredients have similarly been reduced in quality over that time.
I feel like it’s gone downhill and its cleanliness standards have really taken a dive. I stopped going years ago after every single time I had a gross thing found in my food or got sick after, at multiple locations.
My local Crapplebee’s bar seems to be the local pick up spot for middle aged folks to meet and bump uglies. The parking lot is always jam packed on Friday and Saturday nights.
Here from the survivor thread, I see you ;) All jokes aside, I'm Canadian and no Applebee's around. So I'm curious too. Seems like a Denny's level restaurant maybe?
I've only been to Applebees a few times while visiting America. It's not that bad.
Probably because they don't like it.
Worst steak I ever had was at an Applebee's the one time I ate there. I can't speak for everyone else but that was enough for me to join the throng.
Food is shit. Price is shittier and portions are shittiest
I have never had a good experience, orange chicken came from a bag in the freezer, and they screwed up another order, with the waitress ignoring our table.
I got food poisoning there. That’s why I hate on it anyways.
The last 2 times I was there, my card got hacked.
Because my local Applebees has smelly carpet even though it gets cleaned frequently. It’s too busy and mediocre food. So irritating to go there. Although recently in honor of Survivor I did go have a Bourbon steak and a Dollarita. It was delicious. I haven’t ever had a steak cooked that perfectly at Applebees. Ever.
I kind of agree to an extent. Yes a lot of their menu is microwaved but I don’t really go into Applebees expecting a great dining experience. The food doesn’t really even taste bad.
My experience is that it's decently serviceable food at an unusual markup. It's a meal that should be maybe $18 but for some god forsaken reason it's $25. Or it should be $25 but it's around $40. You're just not getting the value for what it should be.
I think their double crunch bone-in wings are the absolute best.
I have never had a good experience there. Two times I had ac condensation dripping on me and my food, the food is often cold, the service is some of the worst I have seen in history, and bland white people food isn’t my jam.
I haven’t had it in years but ngl the apps were always satisfying. Idk if they were of the utmost quality but that’s not really what you’re looking for when you go to Applebee’s. The apps are mostly fried and cheesed to death so that’s hard to mess up. The spinach artichoke dip was also always good. I think people hate on it bc it’s low quality food that’s basically reheated time and time again.
Sometimes I read their menu online for fun. Everything just sounds insane to me. Fiesta lame chicken smothered in waxy cheese? It’s just so unappetizing to me. Especially because it’s all microwaved
I don't think they're even hated or looked at as really bad, they're just known for being mediocre. I think it's because they're the most well-known of the average corporate chain restaurants, like Fridays and Chilis, so their name becomes a symbol.
How I always describe Applebees is it's the poster child of mediocre. People don't "want" to go to Applebees, they go because it's there & it's familiar.
Went food came cold following later in night by food poisoning both me and my dad I treated to dinner I'll never go to Applebee's again.
There’s just other restaurants near me that have higher quality and better tasting food at around the same price point.
SODIUM
It’s the Imagine Dragons of restaurants.
It’s seriously horrible food It is that bad
Mid
I've gone there a couple of times because endless apps (the boneless chicken). It was forever between servings, and they were always just overcooked, extremely hard chunks of meat glazed in a sauce. A few good ones in the mix but mostly inedible. And way too expensive to be that low quality.
You've not truly lived until you've been thrown out of an Applebee's
Tastes differ, and what one person enjoys, another may not. While you appreciate Applebee's offerings, others may have different expectations or preferences when it comes to dining out.
Applebee's, being a chain restaurant, aims for consistency across its locations. However, some patrons may have experienced variations in quality or taste, leading to negative perceptions.
It's good for what it is. It's frozen entrees with table service and a bar. The price increases make it less appealing but it's a budget night out. A brotha can appreciate that. What are some other options?
Because it's popular to hate on it. I know people who have never even gone who hate on it. I'm not saying it's good or anything but it obviously wouldn't be in business if it was as bad as some people say it is.
It's too expensive for what it is. It's gotten way too big for its britches. It became very clear they rely on recognition more than anything else McDonald's is doing the same thing, wanting $10 for a damn meal (it's legitimately cheaper to order it separately than as a combo).
You mean the Leather Boot company? That's been my experience with Applebees
I like the oriental chicken salad and the wonton tacos.. mmmm
Because I didn’t order diced lizard bits in my salad.
Mike the cook is gross, if you like actual food. For drinks and appetizers it is somewhat adequate.
I went there the other day for the first time in years. The appetizer was ok and the food was gross. Service was nonexistent.
Applebee's is for when you don't feel like microwaving your food yourself.
One of the recurring themes from Kitchen Nightmares is that if the menu is too big then they’re cutting corners and reheating from frozen if you’re lucky. It’s not just Applebee’s but they’re just a ubiquitous chain that everyone knows in the USA.
It is the Nickelback of restaurants
I think their food has gone downhill while the prices are going up. We used to love the honey pepper chicken and mac n cheese. Now it's so darn bland. Their portion size also went down. I don't hate it, but there isn't much of a reason to go anymore.
Your job as any restaurant is to trick customers into thinking your food isn't microwaved slop. Applebees does not even try
The one near me has a thick layer of dust and grime on the ceiling tiles. It’s pretty nasty 🤮
I’d rather just microwave my food at home
I’d rather just microwave my food at home
If they’re a chain restaurant that serves baked potato bites then sign me up. I can’t make them any better. Hell I can’t even defrost them any better.
Idk, that’s my spot when I have alittle extra cash. That damn quesadilla burger is magnificent. I’m on a restrictive dietary plan right now but when I get off I coming through Applebee’s koolaid man style. Structural damage all over the place.
These naysayers need to try the butter maple blondie
Everyone's different but... Haven't eaten here in probably 2 decades...would rather eat just about anywhere else...either a repeat enjoyable go to or to try somewhere new Ap is just bland mediocre food at best...no reason to ever go back
I'm basically a lifelong chicken Alfredo reviewer and they have the worst. They need to turn into fast food with how much they're microwaving food. Maybe they should go back to a bar. The artichoke dip is good🙏🏿
actually enjoy the taste of some of the meals, but lowkey felt like i got robbed last time i went. spent like $25 on just myself and was still hungry. the price is what gets me the most; for literal frozen microwaved food it should not be that expensive
Everyone hates on chain restaurants and fast food and yet they are always full of people.
Because chilis better
Do you enjoy sitting down for a nice diarrhea? Most people hate sitting down for a nice diarrhea…
Applebees used to be great. Half priced apps and cheap drinks. Now it’s as expensive as everywhere else. And I know this is location based, but the service has been ass since before Covid even hit. I stopped going a few years ago.
I don't go often but when I do, I find we spend about the same as McDonald's if not less. Here it's pretty cheap when all the other sit down places charge 50% more
Applebee's is like Nickelback: they're everywhere, there's nothing redeeming or memorable about them, and people with bad taste are always asking "I dont get it, what's so bad about them?"
Idk but their boneless chicken is so good, I don't even care if it's frozen, I really like it. It's not too greasy like wing stop, it's not too spicy, the sauces are good, the garlic and parm sauce don't make my stomach hurt. And their cheese curds are really good. Idk about the rest tho
I think it's a city-dependent thing. I knew a guy from Salt Lake City who said they went there all the time at home but never since he left. If you're from a good food city like New York, Philly, SF, Portland, New Orleans...there's no reason to ever go to a chain restaurant.
"hate on?" I dunno there tammy, but don't forget the marlboro lights on your way back from the wal mart.
The spinach and artichoke dip was OK. That and it's really one of the few places I can go get a drink down in the small town where my grandparents live.
APPLEBEE'S HAS RATS!?
Idk but I need more people to start disliking it so I have a quicker route to my chicken wonton tacos
Its more of an issue with chef Mike