Applebee's

"Any search for the American Dream should begin at the Applebee’s in Times Square. This two-floor outpost of the mythic chain isn’t currently feeling its best, but it’s still a land of promise. Please, enjoy a $12 cocktail with more calories than a Big Mac, accompanied by an appetizer platter that looks exactly like its picture. The artichoke dip isn’t as bad as its snotty texture suggests, and the mozzarella sticks do almost taste like mozzarella. So let loose. Have a little fun. Just know that your fun will have a hint of melancholy. The carpets are fraying, the servers look bored, and—through the soiled, streaky windows—you can see Dallas BBQ across the street, where the cocktails are even bigger, and the food tastes slightly less frozen." - Bryan Kim

"Applebee’s saw massive sales growth in 2021 and 2022." - Amy McCarthy

"Applebee’s is adding drive-thru windows, but will it save the casual chain? The line between fast food and “casual dining” continues to blur, and may not exist for much longer. In an effort to compete with fast-food chains, Applebee’s has announced that it will add drive-thru windows to at least 15 of its locations by the end of the year. If that sounds like a death knell for Applebee’s reputation as a sit-down restaurant, that’s because it probably is." - Amy McCarthy

"Mining the kind of down-home relatability that makes both country music and chain restaurants a staple in American life, it celebrates finding joy in the less-fine things in life — eating a Bourbon Street steak at Applebee’s, sharing an Oreo milkshake topped with whipped cream with your date, then going out to do some ill-advised drunk driving with your paramour and a cooler full of Natural Lights in tow. The song has been so influential for Applebee’s, in fact, that it was forced to actually put the Oreo shake back on the menu." - Amy McCarthy