1. I hate Applebee's too. Mostly I hate them because I've been there a couple of times with a friend in a wheelchair, and their layout is such that you can sit at the tables around the bar (too high for a wheelchair) or you can try to get the wheelchair up two stairs to the regular tables. It is the least ADA friendly restaurant I've ever seen. And then there is the food.



So that's a funny story, though I'm sure it wasn't funny for the mom. Hope she gets a good settlement.

Posted at 2:43PM on Jan 9th 2006 by Jenny

2. I made a grave error by going to the Crapplebees in Jacksonville, florida regency square location. First off the place was like a walk in freezer, we asked the server 3 times then the manager to turn it off, the freezing air never was turned off the whole hour we stayed. next the margaritas i ordered were horrible tasting and had zero alcohol, rot gut at its finest.
Then we ordered the $20 deal and got spinach dip which came out with a pube on the dish. Disgusting!!! No silverware or napkins were brought to the table till after we had received the entrees. Now the Riblets are some kind of unidentifiable meat, I figure its possum back or some kind of very small forest-dwelling wallabies also known as pademelons (genus Thylogale)!!!!!!!!!! And since i am not used to eating such a creature i was up all night burping and passing gas! No i say to anyone asking me to go to Applebees, neigh i mean,NEVER AGAIN!! Please avoid that place like your life depends on it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 9:59AM on Apr 19th 2009 by Jeff

3. I've been there once and I don't like it either. Overpriced for families, much too noisy, the seats are way too high for we vertically challenged folk and here, at least, the service isn't great.



Ours sits closer to Walmart than Target.

Posted at 4:40PM on Jan 9th 2006 by Ann Adams

4. Gosh, I just don't like Applebee's because of the crappy, overpriced food. Don't get me started on the service.



What I don't understand is that these places are so McDonald's-ized (e.g. everything is so streamlined and assembly line like) and yet, the orders still get messed up, the food still gets over or undercooked, the service is bad, etc. There would've been no Applebee's 50 years ago and the service and quality of food for your real neighborhood diner was probably unparalleled (although it may have been a heart attack on a plate...but that's a good thing!).



How in the hell does one mistake a long island iced tea for a friggin' apple juice?! You've gotta be real smart to do that...

Posted at 5:50PM on Jan 9th 2006 by Missy

5. Wow, I kinda like Applebee's so I guess I'm in the minority, but I guess I would think twice about going to a restaurant that served a drink like that to a 5 year old! :-) Yeah, the waiter screwed up, but maybe mom had a cold, 'cause that's about the only way she couldn't have smelled a Long Island iced tea across a table with all that alcohol in it!

Posted at 6:04PM on Jan 9th 2006 by Phil

6. I could never smell a drink from across atable, especially if I'm dealing wiht kids. And I HATE Applebee's. The food is gross and decor is dumb. Luckily there are literally hundreds, if not a thousand restaurants within a 10 mile radius of my home so I never have to there.

I hope she wins enough money to put them out of business! Wishful thinking...

Posted at 7:57PM on Jan 9th 2006 by meg

7. LOL Then you haven't smelled a good Long Island :-) Yeah, the waiter would need to lose his job over this, but trying to put the restaurant out of business? Don't think so. Yeah, there needs to be definite accountability on the part of the restaurant, but if I was the parent, I'd feel pretty stupid not noticing that there might be something wrong with the huge glass being given to my child. Assuming they made the drink right, a Long Island Iced Tea looks nothing like apple juice.

Posted at 1:00AM on Jan 10th 2006 by Phil

8. How about a $75,000 fine for the delinquent mother keeping her 5 year old out till 10pm and taking him to a resteraunt where he was "acting up" (and annoying the hell out of other patrons, I'm sure. Drunk from 2 "sips" of a LI Iced Tea? Bull! What does her kid weigh. 2 1/2 pounds?? His eyes were glazed over bcause his mother was likely making as ass of herself in public. By the way, I don't like Applebees food, but like stupid people even less!

Posted at 12:30PM on Jan 10th 2006 by Jerry

9. Huh? Is it a crime to take kids out past their bedtime? I`ve taken my kids out after midnight, when they were jetlagged.



I Googled this story to find out more -- apparently, the waiter served it to him in a kiddie cup. It doesn`t sound like an innocent mistake to me. It sounds like the waiter spiked the kid`s drink.

Posted at 1:54PM on Jan 10th 2006 by L.

10. Not to defend Applebees, but this story sounds about as true as the Wendy's/finger-in-the-chili story. Maybe the wait staff (waiter and bartender) are stupid enough to consciously do something like this, but that's really pushing it. My first take is that Mom is trying to cash in at Applebee's expense.

Posted at 3:03PM on Jan 10th 2006 by d_odds

11. TO the person who made the statement about the mother smelling the drnk, first klet the record show the cup was covered, 2ndly isn't the waiters/waitress job to ensure the right drinks ae being served before they hand them iver to the customer. lastly why isn't the person who prepared the drink being named, the waiter delivered not prepared it.

Posted at 3:26PM on Jan 10th 2006 by Drk

12. Anyone check this out with Snopes? (http://www.snopes.com/) Sounds like the makings of a good Urban Legend.

Posted at 4:49PM on Jan 10th 2006 by Jason

13. I used to work at Applebee's about 3 years ago. The waiters are running around with their heads cut off half the time. The bartender is the one making the drink, even the apple juice. So it's really the bartender's fault. The waiter see's the cup after the bartender tells them their drink is ready. The waiter too much in a hurry, gives the child the drink, then they run off to get 300 napkins for some idiot that nocked their drink over.

Also, at my store, the service is extremely regulated. You have secret shoppers that can fire you on the spot if you mess up too much. So, people are really trying to do the best they can as fast as they can.

Posted at 10:04AM on Jan 11th 2006 by Scott Larson

14. I think its stupid to sue a place over this... Was the kid severly hurt and or killed? NO he wasnt. If this really did happen the person made a mistake, Applebee's admited to the mistake and appologized and the person was fired from what I heard. This should be enough an appology. This is the reason why so many lawyers are getting rich off stupid things like this. There are way to many sue happy people out there!!!!!!

Posted at 10:08AM on Jan 11th 2006 by mike

15. I agree entirely with mike in response #13 - this is a funny story you tell your family later, certainly not a reason to sue. Someone made a mistake with no ramifications whatsoever - get over it. Our society has become so incredibly litigious that everything is someone else's fault and they deserve to pay for it.



Put yourself in their place. How would you like it if you were that server who made the mistake, and someone sued your company for $75,000 because of it? The humiliation and embarrassment of having made the mistake and being fired is enough. By the way, if your response to that question is something like "I wouldn't have made the mistake", then take a step back, open your mind, and consider it again. Everyone screws up. Everyone.

Posted at 2:30PM on Jan 11th 2006 by Scott

16. First off the child told his mom it tasted funny, i think if my son said something wasn't right i think i would smell or taste it not make him drink it and order another one???? And also to leave the store not say anything to anyone and sue a few weeks later sounds really serious. A long island ice tea is hard for me to drink i really seriously hope a 5 year old would know that it wasn't apple juice. And applebee's is just serving what every other place in the world is serving and with so many locations they must be doing something RIGHT!

Posted at 1:46AM on Jan 12th 2006 by lee

17. There was a stupid mistake! If a 5 yr old spoke up with a concern it sounds like the parent dropped the ball. How much did this kid drink? Applebees may not be the greatest place, but people have jobs and no one is perfect. When a child is young, parents should pay attention to their child's food and I guess even more so with their drink to make sure is not sour milk or alcohol!

Posted at 2:36PM on Jan 12th 2006 by Kris

18. OK, I am a server at Applebee's and I have some things to say. First, if this really happened then action needs to be taken. What you need to understand is that the server rings up the drink and the bartender makes it, the server does not handle the making of the drinks. Are food is not over priced at all. We have a great Happy Hour, and if you can not afford $3.50 for some GREAT boneless wings then stay at home. Everyone that works at my Applebee's loves it there, we are a great team, and if something like this really happened then everyone is feeling for the people that were involved. Now, for the mom, you can not tell me that you could not smell the Long Island on the kid...come on now...Applebee's has so many regulars that there is no way that we will ever go out of business...I now have worked at 8 different stores in 4 different states, and every Applebee's is alittle different, but for the most part we are a GREAT place to come to, and to bring your kids....just not past their bed times....kids need to be home...so sue yourself with lack of parenting.....

Posted at 11:28AM on Jan 13th 2006 by Lynn

19. Ok, I work for Applebee's and this is so funny to me..First and formost the cups that kids drinks are in are way different then the Long Island glass...it takes a minute for the bartender to make the drink....you can not tell me that while making the drink that they did not realize that they were making a Long Island for an apple Juice...and if your kid is stating something to you...then listen, this women needs a parenting lesson....and if you think that the service and the food is so bad then stay home.....you are probally one of the people that BITCH no matter what we do for you....you go out to eat looking for free food...we do not like serving you anyway...and ab out us going out of business that will never...WE are a GREAT place to go out to....I have worked in 8 different stores in 4 different states...GIVE ME A BREAK...

Posted at 11:39AM on Jan 13th 2006 by Lynn

20. I love Applebees and the service here in Indy. Mistakes happen get over it! A mistake and you want them fired...just wait till you serve me a quarter pounder the next time I order a McRib from you!



Don't like Applebees don't go there.....we don't want to listen you complain while I enjoy my dinner.



Don't like where Mom is taking you to dinner....go where you want and you pay!





Kids getting drinks... have an idea keep them home until....they are 21 and plaase stay home with them.

Prices....don't ask you cannot affort it.....

crappy food? Why do you go there stay home an cook, PLEASE.

Posted at 8:25PM on Jan 13th 2006 by JAMES D Lawrence