Address:
Applebee’s
105 Chestnut
Ames, IA 50010
515-233-6452
www.applebees.com
The Dish:
Appetizer Sampler (split)
House Sirloin (Tress)
Bourbon Street Steak (Me)
2 Diet Pepsi’s
$23 (tip and tax included)
(Actual subtotal was $43.70, we applied a $25 gift card we had)
Grade: 1 Fork, 1 Spoon
Thanks to my hard public work at a library, we received $50 worth of Applebee’s gift cards (two $25 cards) from the board of this library which we appreciated and used twice as indicated. Plus it was somewhat of a date night, so we took full advantage of the time and meal.
Ambiance: Almost everyone knows what Applebee’s is all about. If you don’t, it is a restaurant decorated with old (calling it junk is not fair but it was someone’s junk) stuff, movie posters, and local sports teams, be it high school, college, or professional. The day we visited just happened to be the coach call in show for the Iowa State Cyclones. Because of that it was packed, and we waited a considerable amount of time to get in.
Menu/Price: Think broad, as that is what Applebee’s tries to accomplish. They try to have a few specialty items for each standard category you would find in any night fare around the country. Additionally there was a new weight watchers section that gave the point values of the particular dishes. Good idea, but it is also a marketing ploy to make more money, which in the capitalistic sense I support. However take it a step further and just put the points on everything. Pricing is moderate by today’s standards, but I do recall a time when the house sirloin was $8.99. It was at $11.99 today, which really is not farfetched, had they been the same size and all. Portions have been cut (more on that later), which is also a way to increase revenue. Again very capitalistic and I support it but keep in mind, I have to support myself first.
Meal: Portions have dramatically shrunk. You used to get a plate that had no room on it whatsoever. Our plates had enough room to run a figure eight school bus race through. It is possible that they were running low on clean plates and just used what was available, but the plates appeared to be the same size they always were. Most places if they shrink the size they invest in smaller plates to give the illusion that the portions are the same. If you have not figured it out I am a capitalist, and this is defiantly capitalistic… enough of that though. The taste of the food however, was beyond great. Perhaps it was because we were pretty hungry or maybe it was just that good that day. Nothing could have tasted any better. Despite price and portions, Applebee’s is probably one of the better places, if not the best to get a steak at unless you’re going to a true steakhouse.
Service: It was busy but our waiter paid attention to us. The appetizer came out with lightning speed, but our main courses took a while. Not necessarily our waiters fault or even the kitchens. But it was worth the wait. The wait to get the bill took a bit longer than it should have. Given the number of people in house and people waiting, you would think they would try to get people moving in and out a bit quicker, you know more money = capitalistic…
Overall: If you have never been to an Applebee’s I am surprised you are reading this on the internet, as Applebee’s is as common as McDonalds and Burger King. Coming from a town where the only decent place to eat out on a date was Applebee’s I would find it hard to believe that most people have not been at one. It’s possible though, either way I do recommend trying it out if you have not and revisiting to someone who has not been there for a while. For the next visit, I am going to try the pulled pork slyders I saw but did not try.