News & Trending Shopping & Deals News

8 Reasons to Never Eat at Applebee's

Is it still good to eat in the neighborhood?

By Amanda Machado , Edited by Calista Headrick

Updated Sept. 21, 2026

Add Us On Google

Stocks don't necessarily correspond to a delicious meal, but when Applebee's stock is down 70% over the last five years, something is up. Their restaurants are closing across Indiana, Missouri, and New York, and more are expected. And while this comes with a corresponding plan to open more dual-branded restaurants, there's no denying that the reviews aren't great.

If you're trying to stretch your restaurant budget, you don't want to waste money on meals that aren't living up to expectations. Does Applebee's fall into that category? Here are eight reasons to skip eating at Applebee's.

Earn $100 cash rewards bonus with this incredible card

The Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card (Rates and fees) has no annual fee and you can earn $100 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

Cardholders can also earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

The best part? There's no annual fee.

Click here to apply now.

Poor food quality

The food is what matters at a restaurant. And, at Applebee's, the general consensus is that it's just not good.

According to Redditor r/timetobeatthekids, "It's too mediocre to justify going out for. If I'm gonna go out, I want either something I can't just make, or something better than I can do. They do neither."

"The food is generally mediocre microwaved crap," adds Redditor r/the_original_cabbey.

Meanwhile, Redditor r/Medium2Rare notes that while they can't cook a steak to save their lives, the quesadilla burger is a hit.

Make Money: 8 dumb ways to make money (almost anyone can do this)

Bad value for the price

Applebee's is known for its deals, like all you can eat boneless wings or the fan favorite 2 for $25 entrees. But, according to diners, the 2 for $25 quickly turns into 2 for $30 or more after upcharges start to add up.

Redditor r/recca01982 reports that on a recent trip to Applebee's, nine out of the twelve entrees offered on the 2 for $25 menu had upcharges. When 75% of entrees involve spending more than $25, it starts to sound like false advertising.

Cold dishes

Dishes coming out cold are a major faux pas in the restaurant industry, and dishes coming out as if they've been made using last week's food is even worse.

Redditor r/in-a-microbus explains that they've had dishes where the fries were cold and the burger bun was stale. While Redditor r/Pudie notes that, as a former cook at Applebee's, all they would do in the case of a customer complaint about cold food was pop it back in the microwave.

Earn as much as $1K doing simple online tasks

A company called Freecash has compiled all sorts of quick cash tasks from about a dozen advertisers and market research companies thirsty for more data. Freecash has paid out over $13 million to users since 2019, and has over 50,000 five-star reviews on Trustpilot.

Slow service

Looking for a speedy sit-down meal? Applebee's is not the spot. Its service has a reputation for being notoriously slow.

According to Redditor r/ThisWormWillTurn, multiple servers passed by their table without stopping to take their order, despite an overall slow evening. They note, "Waitress after waitress passed us without so much as a glance in our direction."

Long wait times

Even if an Applebee's location isn't bustling, some diners report wait times that don't make sense with the empty tables they see around them.

According to Redditor r/bigbrothersag, they were told they would need to wait 15 minutes for a table even though they were staring at an empty bar. Meanwhile, Redditor r/Espionage_21 did manage to get a table, but after 20 minutes waiting for someone to come take their order, they gave up and ordered off a tablet.

For the record, they do note that a server did show up…after 30 minutes.

Issues with cleanliness

No matter how good the food is, it's hard for a restaurant to overcome issues with cleanliness. Redditor r/in-a-microbus says that they've found issues like a bloody paper towel on a bathroom sink and funky smells that can't be explained. It doesn't get any better in the food prep areas. Redditor r/HibigimoFitz says that employees aren't washing their hands or changing their gloves between ingredients.

Don't miss: 8 clever ways to save money so you can still afford to eat out

Inconsistent locations

The beauty of chain restaurants is knowing what to expect. But with Applebee's, that can't be said. Food could be great at one location, while service is friendly at another. As Redditor r/Mammoth_Election1156 says, "Applebee's is consistently inconsistent. Sometimes it's great, other times it's like a microwaved frozen entree. The fun is you never know which it'll be…"

Larger corporate issues

Behind all of the issues with food and service, there's a larger problem looming. Their sales have stayed flat year-over-year while other similar restaurants, like Chili's, have grown. Same-store numbers are down, and stocks are reflecting those issues in their downward trends. That's impacting the overall perception of the chain and trickling down to in-restaurant problems.

Bottom line

Applebee's opened its first location in 1980, and it had 100 locations by 1989. Today, there are over 1,600 locations across the globe. Some locations garner better feedback than others, but if you're looking for consistent service, read the reviews carefully.

Know that low-quality food, incorrect orders, and meals served at a snail's pace are par for the course. But keep in mind that, according to Redditor r/Espionage_21, they do serve the perfect margarita, so you could still have a nice cocktail on a Friday night while you lower your financial stress with the famous Dollarita, Applebee's iconic $1 margarita, which is not always available so always worth asking your local spot.

More from FinanceBuzz: