Post by Gary on Apr 7, 2007 14:10:28 GMT -5
Let me just state up front that I have never really been a fan of Applebee's. We generally go about once a year in the hope that "things" will have changed for the better, and generally end up disappointed.
Today we went to the Applebee's on Brainerd Rd to see if our luck would be any different. Well... to out surprise, not only was it improved, but it was improved all across the board - food, service and price.
First of all, Applebee's apparently has finally woken up to the fact that they are getting left behind in the chain restaurant competition and they needed to do some new things. So, they got together with some of the popular TV chefs and created some new menu items.
I had one of these: the Bruschetta Burger. A nice thick piece of Angus beef on focaccia bread with a pesto sauce, bruschetta mix and several big chunks (not slices) of mozzarella, served with a side of garlic french fries topped with shaved parmesan.
Yes, I know, that definitely doesn't sound like a regular Applebee's burger. Best of all, it tasted fantastic.
Star had a veggie patch pizza, which she had the last time we ate there. This time, however, it was about half again as large with heaping piles of cheese and mushrooms, etc. She was also happy to discover that they have a wide variety of flavored iced teas - she ended up with a wild beery mix that she very much enjoyed.
Our server - his name is Chris - was one of those that I would hire in an instant if I ever went back into restaurant management. He was on the ball, very helpful, cheerful, proactive on refills, and just did a good job. I always enjoy seeing someone do a job well and do it with obvious enjoyment.
Best of all, when Chris brought us our check, we were pleasantly surprised to discover our entire meal was less than twenty bucks. With so many other chains inching up their prices seemingly every month, it is nice to find a place that is holding the line.
I spoke with the General Manager (who just took over the place last month) and told him about our experience. He was happy to hear it and said that if we ever wanted to have a Notta Lunch there, let him know and he'll make sure we have table space and whatever else we need.
Bottom line: a place where we used to think about maybe once or twice a year is now something that will be among out first choices (there are number of new menu items that look very good that I want to try).
Today we went to the Applebee's on Brainerd Rd to see if our luck would be any different. Well... to out surprise, not only was it improved, but it was improved all across the board - food, service and price.
First of all, Applebee's apparently has finally woken up to the fact that they are getting left behind in the chain restaurant competition and they needed to do some new things. So, they got together with some of the popular TV chefs and created some new menu items.
I had one of these: the Bruschetta Burger. A nice thick piece of Angus beef on focaccia bread with a pesto sauce, bruschetta mix and several big chunks (not slices) of mozzarella, served with a side of garlic french fries topped with shaved parmesan.
Yes, I know, that definitely doesn't sound like a regular Applebee's burger. Best of all, it tasted fantastic.
Star had a veggie patch pizza, which she had the last time we ate there. This time, however, it was about half again as large with heaping piles of cheese and mushrooms, etc. She was also happy to discover that they have a wide variety of flavored iced teas - she ended up with a wild beery mix that she very much enjoyed.
Our server - his name is Chris - was one of those that I would hire in an instant if I ever went back into restaurant management. He was on the ball, very helpful, cheerful, proactive on refills, and just did a good job. I always enjoy seeing someone do a job well and do it with obvious enjoyment.
Best of all, when Chris brought us our check, we were pleasantly surprised to discover our entire meal was less than twenty bucks. With so many other chains inching up their prices seemingly every month, it is nice to find a place that is holding the line.
I spoke with the General Manager (who just took over the place last month) and told him about our experience. He was happy to hear it and said that if we ever wanted to have a Notta Lunch there, let him know and he'll make sure we have table space and whatever else we need.
Bottom line: a place where we used to think about maybe once or twice a year is now something that will be among out first choices (there are number of new menu items that look very good that I want to try).