Applebee’s Is Making a Huge Comeback originally appeared on Parade.
Restaurant revenues have taken a turn for the worse over the last few years, leaving them scrambling to win back customers. Value menu items seem to be the big trend of the summer, with nearly every major chain introducing budget-friendly options. Applebee’s joined in, adding new items to its notorious 2 for $25 menu (or as it used to be known, 2 for $20).
The family chain’s strategy appears to be working, as Applebee’s saw its sales grow by nearly 5% this past quarter. And company execs gave credit where credit was due: to the social media team.
🍳 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & fun food news in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter 🍳
If you’re on Instagram or TikTok at all, you may have noticed an uptick in Applebee’s content. In addition to traditional social media ads, the company embraced memes and trends—even making Labubu content. Original stuff aside, Applebee’s also teamed up with a ton of food influencers to create sponsored content. One influencer, Megan Million, went all around New York City handing out Applebee’s gift cards to unsuspecting strangers as she advertised the 2 for $25 menu.
This was a result of Applebee’s shifting to an in-house social media team as opposed to contracting an outside agency. “We brought them in house because it is meeting the moment,” Dine Brands’ CEO John Peyton said suring the company’s latest earnings call, NRNreports. “We know how important social is to driving business right now and we think (in-house) is the best model.”
Since making this major change, the company has seen its TikTok views increase more than 500 percent, and likes by almost 1,000 percent. “These figures show the benefits of our more agile in-house-led approach to social storytelling and the impact of meeting culture in real time where it lives,” Peyton continued.
Applebee’s Is Making a Huge Comeback first appeared on Parade on Aug 7, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
