Applebee’s doubles down on value for summer promotionsApplebee’s doubles down on value for summer promotions

Applebee’s is offering late-night half-price appetizers to its customers throughout the summer. The company announced the promotion this week, which is available for dine-in guests only.

“Applebee’s is the ultimate after-hours spot. We love giving our guests the opportunity to indulge in their favorite late-night bites at a value that can’t be beat,” CMO Joel Yashinsky said in a statement.

Additionally, the chain has launched its $6 Summertime Sips, including a new tropical mana margarita featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s ultra-premium Teremana Blanco Tequila with triple sec and a blend of pineapple, lime and orange juices and topped with a pineapple gummi. The Sips lineup also includes the blue Bahama mama, with Captain Morgan and Malibu Coconut Rums, blue curacao and a proprietary blend of passion fruit, pineapple, cherry and lime topped with a pineapple gummi.

The Summertime Sips are also available to-go at participating locations.

These two promotions fall in line with the brand’s value “DNA.” During parent company Dine Brands’ Q1 call in May, Applebee’s president Tony Moralejo said the Applebee’s brand is “built on abundant value for our guests.”

“t’s one of our core tenants. It’s in our DNA. So when the economy struggles or there’s uncertainty, we double down on what our guests need to make sure that our relationship is front and center,” he said, adding that the company’s Q1 promotions, including an all-you-can-eat for $14.99 deal, yielded “tremendous results.”

“(Applebee’s) is essentially a brand that’s built on abundant value for our guests. It’s one of our core tenants, so when the economy struggles or there’s uncertainty, we double down on what our guests need to make sure that our relationship is front and center,” he said.  

That value proposition is extended to a dinner-and-a-movie deal. Applebee’s just launched a promotion offering customers a free Fandango movie ticket to see Disney and Lucasfilm’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” in theaters June 30. For a limited time, customers who spend $35 at an Applebee’s will receive one free movie ticket, while those who spend $70 or more in one transaction will receive two free movie tickets. The offer is good for dine-in or to-go customers and could appeal to a broad range of customers.  

In a recent interview, Yashinsky said the brand has expanded its demographics in recent quarters to include younger and more diverse customers due, in part, to some of the brand’s marketing efforts.

“We’ve been able to do some things in the last five years that has put us back on the map,” he said. “There’s a number of features driving the younger, more diverse audiences. Some of the efforts we’ve incorporated into our marketing components I think have really resonated. We’re having a lot of fun.”

In addition to its Indiana Jones partnership, Applebee’s also recently partnered with niche brand Winky Lux for a “Saucy Gloss” campaign featuring lip gloss based on its wing sauces and has ramped up its presence on TikTok.

Yashinsky said the brand is trying to raise the experience for those who only get the chance to go out once or twice a month and “take that care they have for where they spend their dollars and make sure we’re providing that experience.”

“We know abundant value is important to Applebee’s guests and we need to make sure we’re always conveying that we’re the place for those on a tight budget,” he said. “We’re continuing to evolve how we connect with our guest … it’s really about providing our guests something they can’t get elsewhere.”

Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]