Applebee’s

This is a tough review to write. It’s one of those experiences that it’s hard to describe. First I will say — my lemon chicken was good. But beyond that, it went downhill. I think I will list the «little things» that equalled a negative experience.
1. They don’t really have a hostess station — so the hostess and the waitresses just kind of hang out at a table by the door. Unfortunately, we were seated at the table on the other side of the partition right next to where they hang out and overheard all the bitchen’ about their tables.
2. Sitting at this table also meant our table got to have the nasty rag they used to wipe tables right at the elbow of one person in our party. Made us realize how when they cleared tables it was probably unsanitary because that white towel they continued to grab and use was pretty stanky.
3. My husband’s Hog Wild sandwich was missing a main ingredient — the meat! Yes, it had a slice of bacon and 2 slices of processed ham — but those were condiments to a pulled pork sandwich… of which there was none! We asked the hostess on the other side of the partition if we could see a menu to make sure he ordered the right thing… OMG, you would have thought it would take some effort to hand us a menu over the partition. Finally, one of the waitresses came over to hang out with her and we asked her for a menu, and luckily her arm was long enough to be able to reach over and hand us one… realize the hostess wouldn’t have even had to of moved from her leaning spot to have done this. Our waitress brought a container with pulled pork for my husband to put on the sandwich, with a «Gee, they must have overlooked this»
4. No visit from a manager, if you leave the main item off a plate a good manager stops by and says «I’m sorry» maybe even comps one beer or appetizer… but just the I’m sorry would have been appropriate.
5. Finally, the new menu is confusing! Even our waitress agreed, she said they had a lot of people order wrong because it’s extremely unclear what’s included and what’s a premium side with a $ 3.49 up-​charge.
Cookie cutter, nothing spectacular, would have been okay if service was better… and service meaning more than our server as she was adequate. Service being — everyone aware of how their job impacts the whole experience.

OMG! Inever expected the food to be so amazing. My friend and I used the 2 for $ 25 offer and with that we got 2 appetizers and we bought a third which we got free because of the Unilocal coupon. I got the French onion soup and he got a salad and then we shared spinach artichoke dip which was filled with «spectacularness»… they make their own corn crisps.
Then we got shrimp on the one free Bar appetizer from the Unilocal coupon.
For dinner I had the Bourbon Steak which was absolutely perfectly prepared and yummy as can be and my friend got a chicken dish which he also said was great. At the end we were too full for dessert and very happy with the price. We will go there again for sure.

I’m surprised there are so few reviews since this location has been open quite a while and is in a busy location. Admittedly I’ve been here dozens of times. It’s convenient to where we live and shop. Things I like: menu changes on a regular basis adding new items to try, never a wait, quick service 90% of the time. This visit we arrived around 3 on a Friday afternoon. Were seated right away. Our server took quite a while to stop by our table. Not sure what the hold up was… A small group of servers and the manager where just chatting at the bar. Eventually she showed up to get our drink order. Got a couple bar drinks which took a pretty long time considering how busy or should I say how not busy they were. Ordered some happy hour apps, only $ 3 each, nice… but apparently for $ 3 you get just 4 cheese sticks, not sure that nearly $ 1 a cheese stick is a good deal, but anyway. Meals, clubhouse grill– good, I like that they have started using real turkey versus pressed lunch meat. Hubby had a burger and said their new burgers were much improved. I wasn’t super impressed with this visit, but simply based on location I imagine we’ll be back by at some point.

This is the same Restaurant identified as Applebee’s. The Manager, Kathleen Honeycott, after hearing my complaint about a young child incessantly screaming with ear piercing shrieks, explained that it was a «Family Restaurant» and it was to be expected. I guess for a «Family» of alcoholics, this might be appropriate, but for children to be eating in a Bar (self described” would certainly question «family friendly»! My recent review of my experience is as follows:
Recently had a very bad experience here but over the past year, bad experiences I have had at Applebee’s have been becoming more regular. A few days ago, we had a party of 7 and one of our party was served very late and another, the server forgot her order entirely. Okay, a mistake that can be made anywhere.
A few days later we returned with a party of 6. After ordering, our food took over 35 minutes to be served (this we have found to be a common problem at many Applebee’s we have been). That was the best part of our evening. A few tables away, two men in tee shirts, an older lady, a young boy and a toddler were sitting. The toddler was a «screamer». No, not a cryer or a loud talker, a «screamer» (130 decibel average). Intermittently, he would be screaming to get what he wanted (mostly attention) but the man sitting with him would stick a glass in front of him with a straw and continue with his conversation with his friends. So far, so bad but where does Applebee’s become part of this?
I indicate to our server, Brooke, that this child’s vocal chords could shatter glass and was causing havoc on our hearing. However, the child continued to serenade the section we were in, not with music but with screams that rattled our plate settings. Now I love kids and as a Psychologist who has been in practice 49 years, I am usually very patient. And I certainly wasn’t angry with the child as he was doing what any stray and undisciplined dog would do, expressing himself the way he was taught! His parents (or father) lacked any parenting skills.
When the «manager» stopped by with her «courtesy» questions, I pointed out our distress over our bursting eardrums but she moved on as if we were enjoying our total experience. The very loud screaming continued and we noticed some people nearby leaving, some squirming at each outburst, and others changing tables. Our party of six, had no where else to go to get away from what sounded like a lone artillery barrage from screeching missiles.
Now the coupe d’état; at the end of our meal (a very distressing eating out experience), I asked to speak to the «manager» (Kathleen Honnicutt) again. I wanted her to know that by not intervening by at least telling the parent that other patrons were being disturbed by his child’s outburst, our continuation as regular customers will be changed. She then proceeded to tell me (as well as the rest of my party) that she just read an article about a restaurant asking a child like that be removed and the manager got «bashed» and she would not do this! She pointed out that this was a «Family Restaurant» and therefore inferred this was acceptable. I didn’t ask her what would happen if I gave off ear piercing screams in the restaurant of if I talked so loud to others that ears would be ringing what she would do, as she made it clear it was I who was not welcome and that no one else complained (most others in the section were intimidated) and her server wasn’t complaining! In other words, she would rather accept the other’s behavior then maintain me as a regular customer. What a twist on customer satisfaction.
So much for management of the restaurant, dealing with customer satisfaction and sensitivity. It will be the very last time I enter an Applebee’s and should be fair warning of how this «Family Restaurant» with a huge Bar in the middle, sets its priorities! As all in our party left with ears ringing and total disgust at the «manager’s» response, and they, their friends and family as well, will be most hesitant before going to an Applebee’s again. The potential for an enjoyable dining experience here will be rare.