9 Frequent Customer Complaints About Applebee's

Applebee's is one of the country's largest sit-down chain restaurants, with nearly 1,500 locations. The sheer size of the company might lead you to think the brand is doing well, but the business is facing overall declining sales and closing multiple locations as part of a strategic withdrawal. There are many reasons for this, including customers simply not wanting to go out to eat as often, but it's really much simpler than that — many people just don't enjoy their experience when they dine there. 

Among the complaints guests have about the restaurant, things like the quality of the food, dirty location interiors, and incorrect orders pop up. To be fair, not every location receives poor reviews, but one of the reasons for the company's decline is that most of its restaurants are franchises, meaning the central corporation doesn't have as much control over them. Poorly performing locations make the entire brand look bad, and at this point, the outlook is grim indeed.  So, here are some of the most frequent customer complaints about Applebee's. If you decide to visit one, hopefully you won't run into any of the issues below. 

Applebee's has never been known for having the highest quality or tastiest food out there, but most fans had at least one go-to item on the menu. Those items are becoming harder and harder to find for some people, thanks to rumors and reports of pre-packaged and microwaved foods being served. Other guests have trouble with overcooked meals, such as one patron who received bone-dry chicken. Another person was served chicken Alfredo with two different kinds of noodles, no sauce, and an overdone steak. 

A guest noted the food's quality at their local Applebee's has been consistently declining, and they were served a Caesar salad covered in cheddar cheese. Patrons at different locations have also said they've received chicken tenders that tasted as if they'd been fried in expired or dirty oil, while one person spent nearly $100 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for portions they felt were incredibly small.

Applebee's, like many other chain restaurants, is trying to remain viable by offering value deals to compete with fast food's rising prices. For instance, Applebee's has a $10 burger the company believes can rival any quick-service brand's quality and cost. However, the company is struggling to prove its value as its sales declined throughout 2024. The chain has blamed rising gas prices for some of its financial troubles, claiming that its usual customers are particularly susceptible to price-of-living adjustments. But those same increasing costs didn't negatively affect Chili's, which has actually increased its sales revenue. 

Many Applebee's customers are frustrated with low-quality food, poor service, and prices that still seem high for what they receive. For instance, a family of four was surprised by the upcharges built into the chain's " 2 for $25" deal. With prices for virtually everything seeming to go up and staying there since the pandemic, it will be survival of the fittest in the historically competitive restaurant market. 

Good service is one of the hallmarks of a positive restaurant experience. Even if the food isn't the greatest, a welcoming and attentive server can make all the difference in turning the overall experience into a memorable one. While there are basic ways for customers to be polite and earn the server's goodwill, some waiters and waitresses simply don't feel being friendly with the patrons is very important in the long run. 

Some guests report Applebee's poor service begins before they've even been seated. One location in Harrison County, West Virginia had multiple customers note that the host would make eye contact and then proceed to ignore them. Another guest at the same location had trouble with a server who went on break after taking $40 for a $21 bill and keeping all the change, despite being inattentive throughout the meal. Other patrons at various locations are unhappy with servers who neglect to bring water or refills after being asked to do so, and one customer was disappointed the person waiting their table was watching a game on TV while their margarita order took 45 minutes to arrive. A family in Lawrence, New York, was neglected during the visit and didn't receive enough silverware for the table. With an organization as large as Applebee's, lapses in service are to be expected, but if they are the norm rather than the exception, diners will dine elsewhere.

Being late is a common pet peeve, just like having to wait on someone is. Servers don't like customers showing up late to pick up takeaway orders because it compromises the food's quality and temperature. So, why would guests waiting in the restaurant feel any different after a lengthy wait for their meal? The simple answer is they don't. While many people recognize factors like the business being short-staffed or very busy with to-go orders that can make the food take longer to cook and reach them, patrons also know that a wait that's too long often indicates deeper issues in the kitchen.

A party of three waited over an hour in a nearly empty Applebee's for two meals, only to have one of them be the wrong order. Multiple customers at the Waycross location cite wait times of an hour or more and noted they'd received drinks that had been left to sit before being brought to their tables. Others faced several long waits after being ignored by the bartender for around 20 minutes before their order was taken. Another 30 minutes passed with the couple not getting their drinks. A group of coworkers on their lunch break were informed there would be a wait as the kitchen was dealing with a catering order. They waited an hour and 15 minutes for their meals, and most of it was inedible by then.

When people go out to eat, they generally expect their food to be served hot. Blowing on a spoonful of soup or a fresh out of the fryer onion ring is a common practice. And while the meal shouldn't be dangerously hot, it should be warm enough to be both safe and to help you appreciate the food's flavor. Numerous Applebee's guests, however, report either portions or the entire meal arriving cold, and sometimes uncooked altogether. 

Guests say they've had food, like one customer's shrimp and fries, come to the table already too cold to eat without anyone fixing the mistake. Another placed a to-go order and waited longer than the estimated pickup time, only to find the meal already cold when it was brought out. At a Stafford, Virginia location, guests were served multiple cold dishes, including unseasoned and overcooked chicken. In Bonney Lake, Washington, a plate of chicken tenders hadn't been heated properly, so all the meat was cold inside. At one undisclosed location, a person was served uncooked, frozen rice, while at another franchisee, a patron received an ice-cold steak. 

Eagerly anticipating your food's arrival after ordering it either in the restaurant or for delivery can be both joyful and frustrating. On one hand, you've been thinking about that burger or pasta for hours, but on the other, you can be disappointed if it doesn't arrive hot and correctly prepared. Unfortunately, some Applebee's customers reported the latter experience without anyone rectifying the mistake. 

One guest ordered the chicken wonton tacos, but instead of getting nicely filled appetizers, they got plain wontons with no filling whatsoever. That's quite a mistake. Another ordered a steak with toppings, only to get home and discover that neither item was in the bag. Upon contacting customer service, the guest received a coupon, but no refund for the meal they didn't receive. Numerous others have gotten completely wrong orders, and one couple had to have their dinner remade multiple times, only to end up with raw burgers. That couple isn't the only person who's been affected, with a lone diner having the wrong meal brought to their table twice. If you find yourself in this position, here are a few tips on how to send an incorrect order back without making an enemy of the server. 

One common complaint from Applebee's customers has to do with their bill being incorrect. Whether it's being overcharged for a meal, having items they didn't order added, or having servers adjust the tip being left, guests are often unhappy to discover they have to take extra time to have the problem fixed. The restaurant chain is even facing a class action lawsuit accusing it of charging two separate delivery fees in California, while disguising one of them as a mandatory state fee. That's on top of a service fee, and none of the three charges are disclosed until the customer is ready to pay. 

This latest controversy echoes a judgment from a U.S. District Court in New York ruling the company had to disclose its tipping policies upfront instead of having customers pay a mandatory tip at the end of the meal. Another incident involved the Times Square location, where guests were reportedly charged full price for what they believed would be half-price appetizers. When they received the bill, they were shocked to discover the location only offered the deal at the bar. Yet another person said she and her husband were overcharged $25 when the server changed the tip they had left. The couple were able to have the tip returned but remained surprised by the situation overall. 

Restaurant management is a hard but necessary job. General and kitchen managers have to be able to deal with the employees and guests fairly. They also have to ensure the restaurant is clean and the food is being prepared to company and safety standards. That's one reason Applebee's customers get so upset when their concerns aren't taken seriously, or worse, the manager is outright rude. 

Numerous guests report being disappointed by the way managers have treated them in the restaurant.  One infamous social media incident took place when a manager believed twin brothers were using faked identical ID's, despite the fact their identification had different names and numbers. Another poorly handled encounter involved a group of patrons leaving a large tip for their server. The manager insisted the signer for the group of 10 leave their name and number instead of simply confirming the diners had meant to leave a $150 tip.    

Cleanliness at a restaurant is imperative for several reasons. Not only does it show the staff cares and is regularly wiping tables and cleaning their stations, but it also ensures that everything is sanitary. From the kitchen to the bathrooms to the dining room, health inspectors and customers take how dirty a restaurant is seriously. 

Numerous Applebee's guests have reported bad smells inside the establishments, as well as a general feeling of uncleanliness. Several have been temporarily closed due to health code violations, such as one in Mesa, Arizona that had five infractions severe enough to make the local news. Another in Pinellas Park, Florida had to close while it took care of an insect problem in the kitchen. Perhaps the worst was in Tamarac, Florida, where the local Applebee's received a whopping 20 health violations, including mold, insects, and slime. If you're unsure whether you want to eat at a particular franchise, these tips will help you know whether a spot is worth your time and money.

To determine which were the most common complaints people had about Applebee's, I began by scouring social media, local user review sites, online forums, and published articles. The complaints that were made most often across those platforms were chosen for this list. If you have a complaint you'd like Applebee's to know about, you can call the company from Monday to Friday at (888) 592-7753.