Not sure which locations will be affected.
As many as 160 Applebee's and IHOP locations to close - USA TODAY
https://apple.news/AVaFYf1hlS5mqjQR0QWAp9A
Applebee's really isn't someplace I'd go by choice. My MIL loves it, but she's an idiot. The food is poor, and the servings are hardly enough for a bird. I get better cheaper in a real diner.
STV100-2
I was never really a fan of Applebee's either. Ate at one when it was the only casual dining restaurant in the area (Tilton, NH). Atmosphere was ok (kind of quiet on the night that I went), service was fine, but the food wasn't that great. I prefer Friday's or Chili's to it. As far as IHOP, I haven't eaten in one in about 4 years when I went there after a movie on a date. There are much better local establishments for breakfast in my area, and when I passed by the IHOP in my town today, it was pretty much empty (as it was in the latter days of it being Ruby Tuesday's).
I'm fine with Applebee's, but I like other places better, and most time, they're cheaper.
I've never been to a IHOP, owing to the fact there are none for about 30 miles from where I live.
My dad recently said to me that he doesn't like Applebees because they are always changing the menu - you find something you like, then the next time you go it isn't on the menu any more.
Personally I avoid Applebees due to the number of times I've gotten sick after eating there.
Quote from: spooky on August 11, 2017, 09:05:41 AM
Personally I avoid Applebees due to the number of times I've gotten sick after eating there.
I eat out way more than I should. I usually never have an issue wherever I go. Applebees was the one place where I always got sick afterwards though. I didn't go back for years. More recently, I went because of a group outing, and managed to survive this time!
I sometimes go to iHop, but almost never to Applebee's. Applebee's puts sugary goo in all their vegetables, which ruins both the taste and the good nutrition of the vegetables.
I will say that Denny's is far cheaper than iHop.
Interestingly, I know a place where both are visible from the same location. I-495 at Exit 38, which is MA 38.
It's interesting that iHop owns Applebee's, which is the inverse of Apple making the iPod, iPhone, iPad, iParty, iCarly, iMax, etc.
Quote from: 1 on August 11, 2017, 09:11:58 AM
I sometimes go to iHop, but almost never to Applebee's. Applebee's puts sugary goo in all their vegetables, which ruins both the taste and the good nutrition of the vegetables.
I will say that Denny's is far cheaper than iHop.
Interestingly, I know a place where both are visible from the same location. I-495 at Exit 38, which is MA 38.
It's interesting that iHop owns Applebee's, which is the inverse of Apple making the iPod, iPhone, iPad, iParty, iCarly, iMax, etc.
You know it's IHOP, not iHop, right?
Applebee's - Not my favorite. Most of the food seems to be microwaved or otherwise pre-fabed. Many other choices in the same segment that a better. They do change the menu too often. Too many gimmick items.
IHOP - The market segment for sit-down breakfast is getting smaller each day. It is not a bad choice, all day, really, but that segment, stuck between fast-food and a table service place with alcohol is really a tiny niche.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 11, 2017, 09:27:29 AM
Quote from: 1 on August 11, 2017, 09:11:58 AM
I sometimes go to iHop, but almost never to Applebee's. Applebee's puts sugary goo in all their vegetables, which ruins both the taste and the good nutrition of the vegetables.
I will say that Denny's is far cheaper than iHop.
Interestingly, I know a place where both are visible from the same location. I-495 at Exit 38, which is MA 38.
It's interesting that iHop owns Applebee's, which is the inverse of Apple making the iPod, iPhone, iPad, iParty, iCarly, iMax, etc.
You know it's IHOP, not iHop, right?
Yes. It was kind of a joke.
Applebee's has lost a lot of their market, especially in the last decade. Three of their locations here have closed, two replaced by local restaurants. The one on US 17 in Mt. Pleasant was replaced by a barbecue place, and the one on James Island was replaced by a local place called The Screen Door. The franchisee here is not very good. None of the locations have a high rating on rating services.
There are several local chains (Fatz Cafe, the Kickin' Chicken, King Street Grille), which have better food and atmospheres than what you can get at Applebee's. IHOP still has a market here, with a new location opened a couple years ago, but it's out of the way from the main highway. It's mostly a breakfast place, with very low numbers at dinner.
Where Applebee's does the best is in rural and smaller population areas. We went in the one in Marietta, OH last week and it was packed. It had very good food and still had all the local stuff on the wall. One problem was the restaurant didn't have ONE HDTV. All the TVs were on analog cable. In 2017, that's almost unfathomable for a large bar/restaurant not to have HDTV.
In my immediate area we were down to 1 Applebees (in the "Plant" shopping center) and 1 IHOP (at the corner of Almaden and Capitol expressways); as of 4 months ago the IHOP is now a Denny's, but as of yesterday the Applebees is still hanging in there. Never see too many cars in that section of the center's parking lot adjacent to the restaurant; wouldn't be a bit surprised if it was on the closing list. Haven't been in one for at least 5 years and counting; neither my GF nor myself particularly care for its offerings -- never mind that there's a Famous Dave's right next door, and she likes their BBQ sauce, although I have doubts (usually expressed!) about how real any BBQ chain actually is (with the notable exception of Buster's in Portland, my patronization of which, when I was residing there, predates our relationship!). Applebees -- your (presumed) passing will not be mourned in these quarters!
Good riddance.
If Applebees is closing a ton of locations, everyone needs to be prepared for the microwave market to completely collapse. With that many industrial grade used microwaves hitting the market all at once, prices are going to plummet.
I don't care for Applebee's either. No matter how many thousand times they change their menu, nothing ever grabs my attention. Our location, in Ruston, LA, stays busy...but I blame the fact that there are 2 colleges in the area. Their food will make a turd...but that's really all I can say about it.
The closest IHOP is 25 miles away in West Monroe. They stay very busy most of the times I have gone by there. Their food is ok (it, too, will make a turd), but I strongly prefer Waffle House or Huddle House any day.
I'm not a huge Applebee's fan. I don't often eat at that type of restaurant but I prefer Chili's because their chicken strips are awesome.
The comments about the menu changing often are spot-on. Several years ago Scott Kozel hosted a Richmond, Va. meet and lunch was at Applebee's. They had a pretty tasty burger, but the next time I went to an Applebee's, a few years later, it was off the menu.
If IHOP here in Bel Air, Maryland closes I won't be happy. Located at U.S. Route 1 Business and Route 24, it's actually a repurposed Ruby Tuesday, which then became a seafood place, "Marlin and Ray's", before being handed to IHOP.
We also have Applebee's at Route 22 and Moores Mill to the east of downtown Bel Air. I like that particular one and would hate to see it go.
I went to an Applebees once, in Greenfield MA, coming back from a field meeting. Forgot exactly what I ordered, but I remember it wasn't particularly good and I felt it was misrepresented in the menu. Have never gone back since.
I don't understand why so many people dislike Applebee's. I ate there regularly, and though it was pretty good.
Quote from: epzik8 on August 12, 2017, 09:30:53 PM
We also have Applebee's at Route 22 and Moores Mill to the east of downtown Bel Air. I like that particular one and would hate to see it go.
There's an Applebee's on MD-178 (Generals Highway) north of MD-450 (West Street) on a pad site at Annapolis Mall in Anne Arundel County that's always been pretty good.
Quote from: Brian556 on August 12, 2017, 10:40:51 PM
I don't understand why so many people dislike Applebee's. I ate there regularly, and though it was pretty good.
Many of the mass market American chain restaurants are guilty of this, but Applebees leads the pack. Almost everything you order is precooked, frozen, and reheated to order in a microwave. You're literally eating shit from the frozen appetizer section of your local supermarket and paying restaurant prices for it.
Quote from: Brian556 on August 12, 2017, 10:40:51 PM
I don't understand why so many people dislike Applebee's. I ate there regularly, and though it was pretty good.
I think Applebee's is decent too.
Quote from: 7/8 on August 13, 2017, 10:19:15 AM
Quote from: Brian556 on August 12, 2017, 10:40:51 PM
I don't understand why so many people dislike Applebee's. I ate there regularly, and though it was pretty good.
I think Applebee's is decent too.
Applebee's isn't bad, but I find it can vary by restaurant. Some are much better run than others.
Those pesky millennials, killing everything that the boomers hold sacred. Golf, Applebee's, paper napkins, diamonds. Good riddance. I'm an Xer but I don't care for most of the things they're supposedly "killing" in all these articles written by bitter boomers. I had a hamburger at Applebee's in 2000 and remember it being quite good, but it's hard to fuck up a hamburger with A1 sauce.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on August 11, 2017, 09:27:29 AM
Quote from: 1 on August 11, 2017, 09:11:58 AM
I sometimes go to iHop, but almost never to Applebee's. Applebee's puts sugary goo in all their vegetables, which ruins both the taste and the good nutrition of the vegetables.
I will say that Denny's is far cheaper than iHop.
Interestingly, I know a place where both are visible from the same location. I-495 at Exit 38, which is MA 38.
It's interesting that iHop owns Applebee's, which is the inverse of Apple making the iPod, iPhone, iPad, iParty, iCarly, iMax, etc.
You know it's IHOP, not iHop, right?
Did apple create the interstate highway system too?. i95.. i10 maybe so
LGMS428
I won't mourn Applebee's much, but having a 24-hour breakfast establishment like IHOP around is nice to have. The former had a few good items here and there, but no "gotta have it" items. Most everything tastes greasy, but in that industrial-grade, cloying aftertaste sort of way.
There's better prices on most breakfast fare, but for the handful of times a year I need a 4am breakfast, IHOP > Dennys. The breakfasts are pretty good, but the rest is usually average.
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:16:16 AM24-hour breakfast establishment
Multiple places already adopted 24-hour breakfast menus, one of which being
McDick's I mean McDonald's.
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on August 14, 2017, 10:28:38 AM
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:16:16 AM24-hour breakfast establishment
Multiple places already adopted 24-hour breakfast menus, one of which being McDick's I mean McDonald's.
But they're not all
open 24 hours.
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:29:51 AM
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on August 14, 2017, 10:28:38 AM
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:16:16 AM24-hour breakfast establishment
Multiple places already adopted 24-hour breakfast menus, one of which being McDick's I mean McDonald's.
But they're not all open 24 hours.
Ok,
23-hour breakfast.
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on August 14, 2017, 10:32:06 AM
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:29:51 AM
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on August 14, 2017, 10:28:38 AM
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:16:16 AM24-hour breakfast establishment
Multiple places already adopted 24-hour breakfast menus, one of which being McDick's I mean McDonald's.
But they're not all open 24 hours.
Ok, 23-hour breakfast.
Store hours are posted next to No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service/ Service Animals Permitted signage.
Denny's in Lawrence, MA is open 24 hours per day, and they have breakfast all day (except when they run out of any particular item, which is quite common). Nothing has been said about which of the 25 hours they will be closed on November 5, 2017 and November 4, 2018. They have closed for other reasons, including when something causes the building to be unsafe, or when the power goes out.
As I said before, Denny's is much cheaper than iHop IHOP.
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on August 14, 2017, 10:28:38 AM
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:16:16 AM24-hour breakfast establishment
Multiple places already adopted 24-hour breakfast menus, one of which being McDick's I mean McDonald's.
Except that Mickey's has a limited all day breakfast menu, and the all-day menu items vary from restaurant to restaurant (think the old "price and participation may vary" disclaimer). Which means that, at most places, you can't get plain sausage biscuits (IMHO the only item on the McD's breakfast menu worth purchasing) outside of normal breakfast hours - which also vary from restaurant to restaurant.
But if I want pancakes, regardless of the time of day or how desperate I am for them, the last place I'd think of going is McDonalds.
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on August 14, 2017, 10:28:38 AM
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:16:16 AM24-hour breakfast establishment
Multiple places already adopted 24-hour breakfast menus, one of which being McDick's I mean McDonald's.
McDonald's is the last place I'd go. Ever. Ick.
We have a Perkins and a Denny's open 24 hours in my area. Many Perkins have discontinued 24-hour service recently and I hope the one in my town doesn't ultimately do that too.
Quote from: 1 on August 14, 2017, 01:53:17 PM
Denny's in Lawrence, MA is open 24 hours per day, and they have breakfast all day (except when they run out of any particular item, which is quite common). Nothing has been said about which of the 25 hours they will be closed on November 5, 2017 and November 4, 2018.
Are you kidding?!?? They really close for 1 hour on that day? Then we ought to file a class action suit for false advertising for only offering breakfast for 23 hours on the second Sunday in March.
Denny's in my town is open 24/7. IHOP closes at 10 Sun-Thu and midnight Friday + Saturday.
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on August 14, 2017, 04:20:14 PM
Quote from: 1 on August 14, 2017, 01:53:17 PM
Denny's in Lawrence, MA is open 24 hours per day, and they have breakfast all day (except when they run out of any particular item, which is quite common). Nothing has been said about which of the 25 hours they will be closed on November 5, 2017 and November 4, 2018.
Are you kidding?!?? They really close for 1 hour on that day? Then we ought to file a class action suit for false advertising for only offering breakfast for 23 hours on the second Sunday in March.
Denny's in my town is open 24/7. IHOP closes at 10 Sun-Thu and midnight Friday + Saturday.
They don't actually close for one hour on 25-hour days. It was another joke.
Guilty pleasure: a mid-day Sausage, egg, and cheese McGriddle.
It's really the only thing keeping me interested in McDonald's a handful of times of year (usually road trips with my kids).
Living in Jersey, we have diners. Diners beat IHOPs and Dennys any day, to the point we really don't have that many of either restaurant in this state (IHOP is starting to add a few locations though).
But, over the recent several years, some diners that have been 24/7 diners forever have changed their hours and now close overnight. Some may open 24/7 on the weekends but close midnight - 5 or 6am on the weekdays. I guess the costs (and maybe safety) just don't warrant staying open all night every night.
Quote from: roadman on August 14, 2017, 02:35:00 PM
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on August 14, 2017, 10:28:38 AM
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:16:16 AM24-hour breakfast establishment
Multiple places already adopted 24-hour breakfast menus, one of which being McDick's I mean McDonald's.
Except that Mickey's has a limited all day breakfast menu, and the all-day menu items vary from restaurant to restaurant (think the old "price and participation may vary" disclaimer). Which means that, at most places, you can't get plain sausage biscuits (IMHO the only item on the McD's breakfast menu worth purchasing) outside of normal breakfast hours - which also vary from restaurant to restaurant.
When McDonald's rolled out their 24-hour breakfast menu, it included either sausage biscuits or Sausage McMuffins, depending on location. I wasn't really happy about that, because in the south biscuits are king while in more northern climes, the McMuffins are more popular. I prefer the muffins to biscuits because the biscuits are flaky and crumbly and tend to be a little messy when you're eating and driving. Of course, I live in biscuit country. But they've since expanded the menu and now most McD's I've seen have Sausage McMuffins on the 24-hour menu.
Since the Sausage McMuffins are generally part of the value menu, two or three of them for $1 or $1.19 each can make for a decent breakfast.
It should be noted that Sausage McMuffins are supposed to have cheese on them, but I've gotten them before when the cheese wasn't included.
The really nice thing about IHOP is that they will also serve non-breakfast items during breakfast hours. This is not something a lot of restaurants will do. However, if you work third shift and get off at 9 AM, usually the last thing you want to eat when you get off is breakfast food. So you learn really quickly which establishments will give you a real dinner and which have the mandatory breakfast.
Quote from: Scott5114 on August 15, 2017, 07:26:28 PM
The really nice thing about IHOP is that they will also serve non-breakfast items during breakfast hours. This is not something a lot of restaurants will do. However, if you work third shift and get off at 9 AM, usually the last thing you want to eat when you get off is breakfast food. So you learn really quickly which establishments will give you a real dinner and which have the mandatory breakfast.
Unfortunately this is one of the areas where chains have mom and pop beat as I don't like most breakfast foods and would rather have lunch/dinner foods available at any time.
Burger King and Sonic are two fast food places that serve lunch items during breakfast hours (I believe Sonic is a full menu all day).
Quote from: Scott5114 on August 15, 2017, 07:26:28 PM
The really nice thing about IHOP is that they will also serve non-breakfast items during breakfast hours. This is not something a lot of restaurants will do. However, if you work third shift and get off at 9 AM, usually the last thing you want to eat when you get off is breakfast food. So you learn really quickly which establishments will give you a real dinner and which have the mandatory breakfast.
Not always I've worked 11-7 for years, and when I get off, I get breakfast.
STV100-2
Quote from: hbelkins on August 15, 2017, 03:39:26 PM
Quote from: roadman on August 14, 2017, 02:35:00 PM
Quote from: ColossalBlocks on August 14, 2017, 10:28:38 AM
Quote from: formulanone on August 14, 2017, 10:16:16 AM24-hour breakfast establishment
Multiple places already adopted 24-hour breakfast menus, one of which being McDick's I mean McDonald's.
Except that Mickey's has a limited all day breakfast menu, and the all-day menu items vary from restaurant to restaurant (think the old "price and participation may vary" disclaimer). Which means that, at most places, you can't get plain sausage biscuits (IMHO the only item on the McD's breakfast menu worth purchasing) outside of normal breakfast hours - which also vary from restaurant to restaurant.
When McDonald's rolled out their 24-hour breakfast menu, it included either sausage biscuits or Sausage McMuffins, depending on location. I wasn't really happy about that, because in the south biscuits are king while in more northern climes, the McMuffins are more popular. I prefer the muffins to biscuits because the biscuits are flaky and crumbly and tend to be a little messy when you're eating and driving. Of course, I live in biscuit country. But they've since expanded the menu and now most McD's I've seen have Sausage McMuffins on the 24-hour menu.
Since the Sausage McMuffins are generally part of the value menu, two or three of them for $1 or $1.19 each can make for a decent breakfast.
It should be noted that Sausage McMuffins are supposed to have cheese on them, but I've gotten them before when the cheese wasn't included.
Interesting. In all my road trips where I've eaten Sausage Biscuits while driving, I've only had one instance of the biscuit being so crumbly that it fell apart (the 1988 Prelude 'exploding biscuit' incident I've previously mentioned in other posts). Plus, unlike with the McMuffins, I don't have to specify 'no cheese' and run the risk of them getting the special order wrong.
IHOPs in my area, Greater Philly, have been gone for a while (the one nearest to me along Baltimore Pike changed to an independent restaurant years ago). Applebee's have only been around here for about 10-15 years. The one nearest to me along MacDade Blvd. opened about a decade ago.
I've eaten at several Applebee's over the years and had no real issue w/them; although I haven't been in one for at least two years... simply due to schedule & other people's/companions' preferences. So I don't know/recall whether the menu changed since I last ate at one.
Quote from: hbelkins on August 15, 2017, 03:39:26 PM
Since the Sausage McMuffins are generally part of the value menu, two or three of them for $1 or $1.19 each can make for a decent breakfast.
Three McMuffins? I could eat maybe one of them if I were really hungry. 3 would last me all day.
Quote from: bugo on August 17, 2017, 04:55:14 AM
Quote from: hbelkins on August 15, 2017, 03:39:26 PM
Since the Sausage McMuffins are generally part of the value menu, two or three of them for $1 or $1.19 each can make for a decent breakfast.
Three McMuffins? I could eat maybe one of them if I were really hungry. 3 would last me all day.
My typical road breakfast is two Sausage Biscuits - that normally satisfies my hunger until late afternoon.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on August 15, 2017, 09:28:33 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on August 15, 2017, 07:26:28 PM
The really nice thing about IHOP is that they will also serve non-breakfast items during breakfast hours. This is not something a lot of restaurants will do. However, if you work third shift and get off at 9 AM, usually the last thing you want to eat when you get off is breakfast food. So you learn really quickly which establishments will give you a real dinner and which have the mandatory breakfast.
Unfortunately this is one of the areas where chains have mom and pop beat as I don't like most breakfast foods and would rather have lunch/dinner foods available at any time.
Burger King and Sonic are two fast food places that serve lunch items during breakfast hours (I believe Sonic is a full menu all day).
The BKs around here did not during the time I worked 3rd (may have changed since then). Sonic, Whataburger, and Jack in the Box were the holy trinity at the time.
Quote from: Otto Yamamoto on August 16, 2017, 02:03:05 AM
Not always I've worked 11-7 for years, and when I get off, I get breakfast.
Depends on your mood and diet, I guess. On occasion, I would want pancakes or waffles or something after work, but most of the time when I got off I wanted something heavier, with more protein.
Joe's Crab Shack just closed around 40 of their restaurants, including all of their remaining locations in IN and MI.
http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/08/16/joes-crab-shack-closes-all-indiana-locations/571850001/
Quote from: 1 on August 11, 2017, 09:11:58 AM
I sometimes go to iHop, but almost never to Applebee's. Applebee's puts sugary goo in all their vegetables, which ruins both the taste and the good nutrition of the vegetables.
I will say that Denny's is far cheaper than iHop.
Interestingly, I know a place where both are visible from the same location. I-495 at Exit 38, which is MA 38.
It's interesting that iHop owns Applebee's, which is the inverse of Apple making the iPod, iPhone, iPad, iParty, iCarly, iMax, etc.
I live 2 miles down the street from that pair on 38. I've NEVER been in that IHOP (and never intend on it - the Motel 6 next to it is a complete disaster) and the Applebee's maybe not for at least five years or so. I'd only be upset if they left just for the hit on the tax base, but otherwise, blah. I remember when there was a bowling alley and drive-in theater where those two now are, and I have no doubt that 25 years from now it'll again look completely different.
Ironically, while visiting in the North Shore (MA) this past weekend; I noticed that there's a fairly new (within the last few years) IHOP in Salem just off MA 107 at the Trader's Way/Marborough Rd. intersection. I never noticed it until my brother brought it to my attention.
The IHOP on Wolf Road in Albany refuses to die.
Heard today that the Applebee's in Richmond, Ky., abruptly closed.
The Applebee's in Ludington, MI seems to do very well. There are times I've seen the parking lot quite full. Applebee's has no real competition (the closest competition is Big Boy and Ponderosa). It also happened to be completely rebuilt in 2014 following a fire and was updated to include HDTVs
Quote from: ftballfan on June 09, 2018, 11:32:25 AM
Applebee's has no real competition (the closest competition is Big Boy and Ponderosa).
It has competition in the form of pretty much every other sit-down chain, even if they aren't that similar in food choices.
Unless you're referring to that specific Applebee's location, in which case, I misunderstood.