Editing Applebee's (section)

== History ==
===1980–2006: Founding and going public===
The Applebee's chain was founded by Bill and T. J. Palmer in July 1980. Their vision was "to create a restaurant that had a neighborhood pub feel to it and could offer friendly service along with quality fare at a lower price than most of their competition." The name “Appleby” was their first choice for this concept, but they found that it had already been registered.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rewindandcapture.com/why-is-applebees-called-applebees/|title=Why is Applebee's Called Applebee's? {{!}} Rewind & Capture|last=McDonald|first=Travis|access-date=March 20, 2020}}</ref> They also considered "Cinnamon's" and "Pepper's" before arriving at Applebee's.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/things-to-know-about-applebees-2019-2|title=12 things you didn't know about Applebee's|last=Attride|first=Tiana|website=Insider|access-date=March 20, 2020}}</ref> They opened their first location on November 19, 1980 in [[Decatur, Georgia]], at the time named T.J. Applebee's Rx for Edibles & Elixirs. They opened a second location outside of [[Atlanta, Georgia]], a few years later, and sold the company to [[W. R. Grace and Company]] in May 1983.<ref name="DMMD">{{cite web |last1=Meyers |first1=Dan |title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Applebee's |url=https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/10-things-you-didn-t-know-about-applebee-s |website=The Daily Meal|date=May 22, 2015 }}</ref> As part of the transaction, Bill Palmer was named president of the Applebee's Division, an indirect subsidiary of W. R. Grace and Company. In that capacity, Palmer guided the operation from its entrepreneurial beginnings to a full-fledged franchise system. He became an Applebee's franchisee in 1985. Bill Palmer died in 2020.

In 1986, the name of the concept was changed to Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Allen |first1=Scott |title=Humble origins of 10 favorite restaurants |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/03/04/mf.chain.restaurants/index.html |access-date=November 10, 2019 |publisher=CNN |date=March 4, 2011}}</ref> In 1988, Applebee's International, Inc., became the restaurant chain's franchiser when Kansas City franchisees Abe Gustin and John Hamra purchased the rights to the Applebee's concept from W. R. Grace.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ab.hoovers.com/12395831-1.html?hid=11606243&serv=GGLCHQ2231011760&t=30&num=8662819168&cm_ven=PAID&cm_cat=GGL&cm_pla=CHQ&cm_ite=applebee%27s_headquarters |title=Hoover's – Company Locations and Addresses: Applebee's International, Inc}}{{dead link|date=April 2012}}</ref> In 1989, Applebee's opened their 100th restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.applebees.com/en/our-history|title=Our History|website=www.applebees.com|access-date=March 20, 2020}}</ref>

In the 1990s, Applebee's became one of the largest sit-down restaurant chains in the United States,<ref name="ShiftingScene">{{cite news |last1=Adamy |first1=Janet |title=A Shift in Dining Scene Nicks a Once-Hot Chain |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB118308375479752522 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |date=June 29, 2007}}</ref> and it began [[public company|trading publicly]] in November 1991.<ref>{{cite news |title=Small Stocks High Hopes |date = August 1995|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4AYEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Applebee%27s%22+initial+public+offering&pg=PA46 |access-date=November 10, 2019 |publisher=Kiplingers Personal Finance}}</ref> In 1998, Applebee's opened its 1000th restaurant.

=== 2007–present: Acquisition by IHOP ===
[[File:Applebees-lenexa.jpg|thumb|Former headquarters in [[Lenexa, Kansas]] (now called Restaurant Support Center)]]
On July 16, 2007, [[Dine Brands|IHOP Corp.]] announced that it agreed to buy Applebee's International for about $2.1 billion. Applebee's shareholders would receive $25.50 in cash per share, representing a 4.6% premium to the closing price on July 13, 2007.<ref name="Applebee's-Dec-2007-8-K" />

The acquisition was completed on November 29, 2007,<ref name="Applebee's-Dec-2007-8-K">{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/1034/110465907086923/filing-main.htm |title=Applebee's, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Dec 5, 2007 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =January 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Acquisition">{{cite press release|url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=104384&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=1082773|title=IHOP Corp. Successfully Completes the Acquisition of Applebee's International, Inc.|publisher=IHOP Corp.|date=November 29, 2007|access-date=April 10, 2012}}</ref> after which IHOP Corp. was renamed [[Dine Brands|Dine Equity]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pdf.secdatabase.com/632/0001104659-08-037204.pdf |title=DineEquity, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Jun 2, 2008 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =January 11, 2013}}</ref> The combined company became the largest full-service restaurant company in the world, with more than 3,250 locations.<ref name="Acquisition" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/1076/110465907053976/filing-main.htm |title=Applebee's, Form 8-K, Current Report, Filing Date Jul 16, 2007 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =January 11, 2013}}</ref> A major goal for the new ownership was to revitalize the chain, as well as shift towards a franchise model for the majority of its locations.<ref>{{cite news|last=Adamy|first=Janet|date=October 31, 2007|title=IHOP's Tall Order: Reviving Applebee's|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/article/SB119376561362776405?mod=dist_smartbrief|accessdate=July 12, 2019}}</ref>

In 2013, the chain faced an uproar on the Internet after firing a waitress who posted a picture of a customer's receipt that had a rude note written on it objecting to a required gratuity, and then poorly handling their response to the incident.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/applebees-social-media-faux-pas-learning-experience-1B8251556|title=Applebee's social media faux pas a 'learning experience'|last=Weisbaum|first=Herb|date=February 5, 2013 |publisher=[[NBC News]]|access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref>

On August 11, 2017, DineEquity announced that Applebee's would close between 105 and 135 locations by the end of the year. Same-store sales decreased 7% in the previous quarter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2017/08/10/applebees-closing-105-restaurants/|title=Applebee's Will Close at Least 105 Restaurants This Year|last=Abrams|first=Abigail|website=Fortune|access-date=August 11, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/applebees-is-ditching-millennials-2017-8|title=Applebee's is ditching millennials after they forced hundreds of restaurant closures|last=Taylor|first=Kate|website=Business Insider|access-date=March 20, 2020}}</ref>

In-late 2017, Applebee's began to place an increased focus on promotions involving low-cost [[cocktails]], including a $1 [[margarita]] promotion dubbed the "Dollarita" in October, and $1 [[Long Island iced tea]] (promoted as "L.I.T.s") in December. The drinks would serve as a [[loss leader]], with customers subsequently upsold towards higher-priced food products. Despite hesitation by some franchisees to participate, the promotions were associated with a major increase in traffic at some locations, and prompted the chain to offer similar promotions later on. Dine Brands' new CEO Steve Joyce credited the promotions with having helped influence a major financial turnaround at the company, noting that almost all customers who ordered one also ordered food, and that some customers also moved towards the other cocktails on its menu.<ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Kate|date=November 10, 2018|title=The CEO behind Applebee's reveals how the Dollarita played an essential role in the chain's turnaround|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/applebees-dollarita-sparked-turnaround-ceo-says-2018-11|access-date=March 23, 2020|website=Business Insider Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Kate|title=How the CEO behind Applebee's and IHOP pulled off a shocking turnaround in just a year|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/applebees-ihop-dine-brands-ceo-comeback-interview-2018-11|access-date=February 25, 2022|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=December 12, 2017|title=Are Applebee's $1 Cocktails Really a Good Idea?|url=https://www.eater.com/2017/12/12/16747622/applebees-1-dollar-long-island-iced-teas-dollaritas-cocktail-economics|access-date=February 12, 2018|website=Eater}}</ref>

As of December 31, 2019, there were 1,787 restaurants operating system-wide in the United States and 15 other countries, including 69 that are company owned and 1,718 that are franchised.<ref name="10K" /> United States locations have steadily declined in recent years and as of December 26, 2022, there were 1,586 locations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=A data company |first=ScrapeHero |date=December 26, 2022 |title=Number of Applebees International stores in the United States in 2022 |url=https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/Applebees%20International-USA/ |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=ScrapeHero |language=en}}</ref>

In March 2024, Dine Brands announced it was exploring Applebee’s-IHOP dual-branded restaurants that might launch within 12-24 months, after the successful introduction of prototypes in international markets. CEO John Peyton said the restaurants were the same size as standalone restaurants of each brand but generated twice the revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A combination Applebee's-IHOP? Parent company wants to bring dual-brand restaurants to the US |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2024/03/03/ihop-applebees-combination-restaurants-us/72831601007/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-29 |title=Co-branded IHOP/Applebee's restaurants may come to the U.S. soon |url=https://www.nrn.com/franchising/co-branded-ihopapplebee-s-restaurants-may-come-us-soon |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=Nation's Restaurant News |language=en}}</ref>