Something I Like: Applebee's 2 for $20

I go to Applebee's once a year. Every spring my son and I volunteer to referee at a local soccer tournament. It's an AYSO event, which usually means that there are no fees for refs, but since this is a tournament and teams pay to be in it, there is some compensation for refs. We get a shirt, some ref gear (not much), and all we want to eat from the concession stand (my son's favorite benefit.) ;-) In addition, we get a $5 Applebee's gift card for every game (per person) we ref.

This year we left the tournament with $65 in Applebee's gift cards. So a couple weeks later our family went to lunch on a Saturday to spend them. Our intention was to spend them all in one shot -- even buying things we normally wouldn't get (like drinks and desserts.) Our thinking was that we'd probably spend $50 or $55 anyway, so why not just go all the way and spend it all so we wouldn't be left with $10 in gift cards we'd have to come back and spend (and pay $30 or so ourselves for meals just to spend the gift cards.)

When we got there, we discovered that Applebee's had this "new" (at least it was new to us) offering called "2 for $20". You get an appetizer and two entrees for $20. They had a good selection and something everybody liked, so we went with two of the meals -- four entrees and two appetizers total.

By the time we finished the appetizers, we knew we weren't getting any desserts (we had skipped the drinks too.) We were too full already. Then our entrees came and they were HUGE. I finished mine (of course) though I must admit it was almost too much (I had the pasta). The rest of our group all had some leftovers which we took home for a meal the next day. When all was said and done, we had spent $46 (including tip) or so and had roughly $20 left in gift cards. A couple weeks after that, my wife and I visited Applebee’s again and had the 2 for $20 ourselves. With tip, we got our two meals for only $5 after gift cards.

Now I'm the first person to complain about bad products and poor service (as you all know), so I thought it was fair to share a good experience this time (for those who are skeptical, no, I am not being paid by Applebee's -- though if they'd like to send me something, I'd take it. ;-) ) I just wanted to share a positive experience with you all. The food was tasty and plentiful, and even if we had had to pay for it ourselves, it was a good deal. I think we may be visiting Applebee's more than once a year from now on.

Anyone else out there had the 2 for $20? What did you think of it?

Comments

[Nate]

Random fact: Applebee’s is owned by IHOP!

Actually just went there the other night with the wife. We had a gift card as well (and BTW - if you sign up to receive emails on their website - you get a free appetizer coupon. We did this before going to the restaurant). So we ended up getting 2 entrees AND 2 appetizers HAHA! We are still full 3 days later... It was a good deal.
I think we would actually consider going there again. We normally don’t go anywhere without a coupon – but the 2 for $20 is genuinely a good value.

[Budgeting in the Fun Stuff]

We love the 2 for $20 and Applebee's food. We took advantage when we lived closer to one, but now it's too long of a drive. It really is a fair deal.

[Rae]

We do the 2 for $20 probably 70% of the time we go there. The rest of the time we're usually there during happy hour, which this summer is 1/2 priced appetizers (at least for the same ones available for the 2 for $20) and $5 burgers. So, I get one of the burgers I like and my other half gets the pasta dish he loves that isn't on the 2 for $20 and it still comes out to about $20 or so.

[Mike]

Just had it last night! We love the Applebee's 2 for $20! My favorite is the Fiesta Lime Chicken. We always get the Spinach Artichoke Dip appetizer. Yum!

[JM]

If Applebee's actually cooked their food before serving it, maybe I would like it. Every single time my husband has gone there in the past few years (generally when on the road or a business lunch), his food has been cold because they haven't microwaved it enough (they don't cook most items there, they're precooked and then sent to the restaurants microwaved). The last time he was there, there were still little icicles in his pasta; it was literally still frozen! Never again. I'd rather pay a local joint a few extra dollars more and get real, fresh food that wasn't cooked hundreds of miles away.

[Tracy]

I've done the 2 for 20 at Apple Bees before. Apple Bees just doesn't have the best of food and doesn't usually cut it for service. The staff is decent at best sometimes. I just really appreciate good service.

[MC]

My town too---eat at Applebee's at your peril! Sorry, even with a coupon I won't go there anymore. The food is awful (undercooked), the restaurant is dirty, the waitstaff is surly.

[Stephan]

i love applebees and in my neck of the woods chillis and 99 did something similar last summer. great deal, especially for date nights!
Preferred Financial Services

[Suba @ Wealth Informatics]

I am a vegetarian. Applebee's doesn't have anything in their menu for me, unfortunately.

Chili's has a 3 course menu for 2 for $20 too, it includes 1 appetizer to share, 2 entrees and 1 dessert. So does TGI Fridays, but in TGI its 3 course menu (1 app/1 entree/1 dessert) for $12.99 pp.

[PMT]

We rarely go to applebees but have done that deal before...Chili's and some other chain stores do similar things. Red Robin locally has a dinner/movie deal where you get dinner for two and two move tickets. It costs a little more for the meal ~$5 but you make up for it by not having to spend ~$20 for movie tickets.

What I have found to be an even better deal is getting 80% off gift certificates from restaurant.com. We find we spend slightly less after tip (18% gratuity is required) than normal but overall we get a lot more food. If they are not 80% it's not really a great deal given all the restrictions and minimum purchase.

[CC]

Don't they have sales tax in Michigan? I would assume you gave a 15% tip - $6. So wouldn't it be more like $49?

[FMF]

CC --

I'm not sure. That was a month ago and I wrote from memory. Maybe I spent $49 and actually had $70 in cards. Or maybe left with only $16 on the cards. I can't remember and it doesn't really matter anyway, does it?

[Matt]

There are plently of deals like that out there if you know where to look. Logans has two for something like $15 on mon,tues,wed all day and 3-6 the rest of the week. Granted they are not monster sized but good. Chili's also had the 2 for $20, don't know if they still do.

Personally I like the family run place by us. Keeping it local, out of the corporate world chains and supporting local business.

Alex's has a breakfast that is monster sized and we take at least 1/2 of it home and have it for another meal for $4.75. All dinners are around $9 with all the fixens and good eats. Once again I usually take a lunch size portion home when we go.

[OUFAN75]

Chili's does the same thing (and actually started it a few years ago) and is much better food. Crapplebee's copies everything Chili's comes out with from what I have noticed.

[MC]

Especially these low-end places--I don't see what's the attraction about eating there at all, even if it's discounted.

The atmosphere, food, are not interesting or special, but eating there is still far more expensive (even with a coupon) than eating at home. If they were at least ethnic places, or quaint, but Applebees and chili's are pretty uninteresting.

I prefer to save my money and splurge on a really nice restaurant a few times a year instead of more frequent outings to cheaper places.

[sunil]

agreed with Matt - these deals are very common today and should be taken advantage of while they last. AB i believe launched their promotion after watching the success of Chilli's which was the first to introduce the 2 for 20 which is really 3 for $20. not sure if they still do, but they certainly started a trend in mid class dining out experience.

[mysticaltyger]

Applebees. Ick. Screaming kids. Mediocre food that makes people obese. No thanks.

[teamcurtisfamily]

Applebees is really not that bad. Th 2 for $20 is a nice touch. However, skip the appetizers, try and save room for the Blondie dessert. It is awesome! Yummy...

[Michael D]

I actually grew up in Michigan (where Applebees were everywhere) and at the time, they were my favorite restaurant. But over the past decade or two they have drastically changed their menus - it seemed like every couple years I would see one more of my favorite dishes discontinued. I'm sure there are plenty of great things they offer but as a vegetarian, the only things I could eat were things like the "Baja potato skins" (discontinued 10 years ago) and "tavern chips" (discontinued three years ago). That brings me to today, where there's absolutely nothing left on the menu that I can eat other than fries or onion rings :(

[Greg]

We went to Applebees last night and got the 2 for $20. My wife couldn't finish the steak (so I finished it for her) and I got the Riblets. We also passed on the dessert and instead decided to pick up the tab for the young couple sitting beside us.

We do this often and it is a great feeling and a way of "giving" that has no strings attached as we don't let them know that we are paying their bill (including tip).

[Mike Z]

I want to register a complaint. Applebees has been advertising 1/2 price appetizers after 9pm. My fiancee and I decided to make a trip to Applebees and make a dinner out of the appetizers. When we got there, we were told that the appetizer sampler did not apply to the 1/2 price promotion - although this was not mentioned anywhere in their advertising nor was it mentioned on the big sign outside the restaurant promoting the 1/2 price appetizers. I consider this bait and switch.

We ended up ordering three other appetizers, 2 of which where just tortilla chips with dips. I was not satisfied.