How Much Does Applebee’s Cost?

Updated on July 21, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 7 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

Applebee’s menu prices generally run from about $10 to $21 for appetizers, $13 to $27 for burgers, chicken, pasta, seafood, ribs, and steak entrées, $7 to $10 for kids’ meals, and $3 to $9 for desserts and nonalcoholic drinks. A typical dine-in meal with one entrée and a soft drink usually costs about $22 to $32 per person after tax and a 20% tip.

Applebee’s does not use one nationwide price list. Most restaurants are franchised, and the amount shown after selecting a location can vary by city, restaurant, ordering method, and promotion. The ranges below are representative planning figures rather than guaranteed prices at every Applebee’s.

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar is a casual-dining chain owned by Dine Brands Global. Its menu centers on burgers, chicken, pasta, ribs, steaks, salads, appetizers, bar drinks, and rotating value offers. Applebee’s currently operates more than 1,400 restaurants, and local menus may omit items or add regional pricing.

Article Highlights

• Most Applebee’s entrées cost approximately $13 to $27 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 26 to 54 minutes, before taxes) before tax, drinks, and gratuity.
• Appetizers commonly cost around $10 to $21, although shareable combinations cost more.
• The current 2 for $25 offer includes one full-size appetizer and two selected entrées at participating locations.
• The limited-time All You Can Eat offer costs $15.99 and is available for dine-in only.
• Applebee’s says catering can average about $10 per person, but tray prices and availability vary by restaurant.
• A $25 advertised meal for two can become about $42 after two drinks, tax, and a 20% tip.
• Delivery usually costs more than pickup because menu markups, service fees, delivery fees, tax, and driver tips may apply.

Current Applebee’s Price Ranges

Menu category	Typical price	Common examples
Appetizers	$10 to $21 (about 20 to 42 minutes at $30 per hour)	Boneless wings, mozzarella sticks, quesadillas, dips, pretzels, sampler combinations
Burgers	$13 to $18	Classic cheeseburger, Quesadilla Burger, specialty cheeseburgers
Chicken entrées	$15 to $21	Fiesta Lime Chicken, Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp, chicken tenders
Pasta	$16 to $21	Chicken pasta, mac and cheese combinations, seasonal pasta dishes
Steak and ribs	$18 to $27	Top sirloin, Bourbon Street Steak, half or full rib racks
Seafood	$17 to $23	Salmon, fish and chips, shrimp dishes
Salads	$14 to $18	Oriental Chicken Salad, Caesar salad with chicken, seasonal salads
Kids’ meals	$7 to $10	Chicken tenders, cheeseburger, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese
Desserts	$3 to $10	Brownie bites, Triple Chocolate Meltdown, seasonal desserts
Nonalcoholic drinks	$3 to $6	Soft drinks, tea, lemonade, coffee

Prices at airport, tourist-area, and high-cost metropolitan locations may sit above these ranges. Limited-time items can also carry a premium. The most dependable amount is the price displayed after choosing a restaurant on the official Applebee’s menu.

The 2 for $25 Deal

Applebee’s currently promotes a 2 for $25 (about 50 minutes at $30 per hour) bundle with one full-size appetizer and two selected entrées. The official 2 for $25 offer page lists the participating choices and warns that price, selection, and participation can vary.

The advertised cost equals $12.50 per person when two diners split the appetizer and each order one included entrée. That is the food-only figure. Premium substitutions, drinks, tax, gratuity, and delivery charges can change the final bill.

Suppose two diners order the $25 bundle and add two soft drinks at $4 each. Their subtotal becomes $33. At an illustrative 8% sales-tax rate, tax adds $2.64. A 20% tip calculated on the food and drinks adds $6.60. The resulting dine-in total is approximately $42.24, or $21.12 per person.

All You Can Eat for $15.99

Applebee’s brought back its limited-time All You Can Eat promotion in May 2026 for $15.99. The offer includes unlimited Boneless Wings, Riblets, or Double Crunch Shrimp with endless fries, according to the official promotion details.

This deal is intended for dine-in customers and has restrictions. Refills may be served in smaller portions, sharing is not permitted, and local participation can vary. Drinks, tax, and gratuity are excluded.

With a $4 soft drink, 8% illustrative sales tax, and a 20% tip, one guest’s $15.99 promotion would produce an estimated total of about $25.59. The meal still costs much less than repeatedly ordering full appetizer portions, but the checkout amount is roughly 60% above the headline price after the drink, tax, and tip.

Appetizer Prices

Most Applebee’s appetizers fall near $10 to $16. Larger combinations can approach or exceed $20. Current choices include Boneless Wings, Mozzarella Sticks, Chicken Quesadilla, Crunchy Onion Rings, Brew Pub Pretzels with beer cheese, Riblets, shrimp, fries, and seasonal items.

Applebee’s also markets a build-your-own appetizer sampler that lets customers select three items and sauces. The current sampler menu confirms the available categories, although the final price depends on the restaurant selected.

For a group of three, a $21 sampler works out to $7 per person before tax and tip. It may be a better value than ordering three separate appetizers at roughly $12 to $16 each, but portion sizes and eligible choices differ.

Burgers, Chicken, and Pasta

Burgers are among the lower-priced full entrées, usually around $13 to $18 with fries. Specialty burgers with extra cheese, bacon, sauces, or unusual bread tend to sit at the upper end. Additional patties, upgraded sides, and delivery pricing can add to the displayed amount.

Chicken dishes generally cost $15 to $21. The range includes grilled chicken, chicken tenders, Fiesta Lime Chicken, and Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp. A tenders basket may cost less than a full platter because the portions and included sides differ.

Pasta entrées often cost approximately $16 to $21. Applebee’s rotates pasta products through its regular menu and value bundles, so an item shown in a national promotion may disappear or change after the promotional period.

Readers comparing similar casual restaurants can also review current pricing for Pluckers or the broader sports-bar menu at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse.

Steak, Ribs, and Seafood

Applebee’s steak and rib entrées commonly run from approximately $18 to $27. A smaller sirloin or half rack usually costs less than a larger steak, full rack, or steak-and-shrimp combination. Most entrées include sides, but premium substitutions may cost extra.

Seafood entrées usually range from about $17 to $23. Options vary but may include salmon, shrimp, fish and chips, or mixed-protein dishes. Seafood selection can differ more by market than burgers and chicken.

A diner ordering a $24 steak, a $4 drink, and an $8 dessert starts with a $36 subtotal. At 8% tax and a 20% tip, the estimated final check reaches $46.08. That is a useful planning figure for a full three-item meal.

Kids’ Meals and Desserts

Kids’ meals usually cost around $7 to $10, depending on the entrée, side, drink, and location. Typical choices include chicken tenders, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, and other familiar items.

Desserts range from a small brownie serving costing a few dollars to large shareable desserts approaching $9 or $10. A shareable $9 dessert divided among three people costs $3 per person, which may be more economical than buying individual desserts.

Kids-eat-free nights and other family promotions are usually local rather than permanent national offers. Customers should verify the day, age limit, required adult purchase, and whether dine-in service is required.

Catering Costs

Applebee’s says customers can budget approximately $10 per person for catering, with no universal minimum order. The official Applebee’s catering page offers party trays of entrées, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, sides, and desserts.

A basic meal for 20 people at the advertised planning level would start near $200. Tax, delivery, gratuity, beverages, premium entrées, serving supplies, and extra sides can raise the total. At an all-in planning level of $14 per person, the same gathering would cost about $280.

Tray descriptions should be checked carefully because one package may serve six people while another serves eight. The meaningful comparison is price per expected guest, not merely the tray price.

The Hidden Delivery Price

Pickup normally stays closer to the restaurant’s listed menu price. Delivery can include a higher item price, delivery fee, service fee, small-order charge, tax, and driver tip. Applebee’s confirms that delivery availability depends on the nearby restaurant through its delivery ordering page.

Consider a $17 entrée with a hypothetical 10% delivery-menu markup. The adjusted food price becomes $18.70. Adding a $3.99 delivery fee, $2.50 service fee, 8% tax, and a $4 driver tip produces an estimated total of about $31. In this example, delivery raises the effective cost by roughly 82% compared with the original menu price.

Fees vary, so customers should compare the Applebee’s website, the restaurant’s pickup option, and third-party platforms before placing an order. A low-cost entrée may no longer be a value purchase after off-premise charges.

How to Spend Less

The strongest savings usually come from a current national bundle, a local limited-time offer, or pickup instead of delivery. The 2 for $25 bundle is particularly useful when both diners want qualifying entrées and would have ordered an appetizer anyway.

Other savings methods include joining Club Applebee’s for promotional messages, checking local restaurant offers, splitting a large appetizer or dessert, ordering water instead of a paid drink, and comparing the per-person cost of catering trays.

A promotion does not automatically create savings. A diner who adds premium upgrades, alcohol, multiple desserts, or delivery charges may spend more than someone ordering a standard entrée directly. Compare the final cart rather than only the promotional headline.

Prices Vary by Restaurant

Applebee’s repeatedly states that price, participation, and item selection may vary. That matters because the chain is primarily franchised, and operators face different wage, rent, tax, food, and utility costs.

Menu prices can also differ between dine-in, the Applebee’s app, and third-party delivery services. Airport and tourist-area restaurants may be higher. Before traveling for a promotion, select the intended location and confirm that the offer appears in its ordering system.

Readers comparing another neighborhood sports-bar format can check Miller’s Ale House menu prices, where wings, burgers, steaks, and shareable appetizers create a similar overall bill structure.

A Short Applebee’s History

Bill and T.J. Palmer opened T.J. Applebee’s Rx for Edibles & Elixirs in Decatur, Georgia, in 1980. The business adopted the Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar name in 1986, went public in 1989, and later became part of Dine Brands Global. The company’s official history timeline records the brand’s expansion, national delivery launch, catering program, and first U.S. dual-branded Applebee’s and IHOP restaurant.

The current Applebee’s corporate profile describes a network of more than 1,400 locations. That is substantially below the roughly 2,000 restaurants claimed in many older menu articles, so the former figure should not be carried forward.

What We Verified

• Checked: Applebee’s currently promotes one appetizer and two selected entrées for $25.
• Confirmed: The 2026 All You Can Eat offer costs $15.99 and is limited to dine-in service.
• Cross-referenced: Applebee’s presents catering as costing approximately $10 per person, with local variation.
• Verified: Applebee’s does not publish one fixed nationwide menu price for every restaurant.
• Checked: The company’s official profile now describes more than 1,400 locations rather than approximately 2,000.

Answers to Common Questions

How much does a meal at Applebee’s cost?

Most guests should budget about $22 to $32 per person for an entrée, nonalcoholic drink, tax, and a 20% tip. Appetizers, alcohol, desserts, and delivery increase that amount.

Does Applebee’s still have 2 for $20?

The current nationally promoted bundle is 2 for $25. It includes one full-size appetizer and two selected entrées. Price, choices, and participation can vary by restaurant.

What is Applebee’s cheapest current meal deal?

The 2 for $25 bundle equals $12.50 per person before drinks, tax, and tip. The limited-time $15.99 All You Can Eat offer can also provide good value for one dine-in guest.

Are Applebee’s menu prices the same everywhere?

No. Prices vary by location, franchise operator, market, ordering method, and promotion. Select the restaurant you plan to visit before relying on a quoted amount.

How much does Applebee’s catering cost?

Applebee’s suggests budgeting around $10 per person for catering. Premium trays, drinks, delivery, tax, supplies, and gratuity can make the final per-person cost higher.

Does Applebee’s charge more for delivery?

It can. Delivery orders may include menu markups, delivery fees, service fees, tax, and a driver tip. Pickup usually remains closer to the displayed restaurant price.

What time does Applebee’s open and close?

Many locations open around 11 a.m., but closing hours vary considerably. Check the official location page for the restaurant’s current daily schedule.