GlobalBX

USA Today featured an interview with Mike Archer, president of Applebee’s. Archer took over the helm of Applebee’s four years ago. The Applebee’s casual dining chain is over thirty years old and Archer is instituting changes to keep up with consumers and the times. Among the changes are the menu, the restaurants’ looks and marketing. For each store, the changes cost $175,000 to $200,000. It has also allied itself with WeightWatchers for its under-550-calories menu. It also claims fresh ingredients and new flavors in its 85% new or improved menu. Its new slogan, “See You Tomorrow”, signifies the breadth and depth of its menu. Its top selling food items are steak and the $1 Brownie Bites.

Applebee’s is changing everything. It’s changing its food — with a focus on fresh ingredients. It’s changing the look of its stores — with more contemporary designs. And it’s changing its marketing — with a new campaign rolling out Monday. But change does not come easily to the largest casual dining chain on the planet. And signs of middle age — from dated design to a stilted menu — began to set in several years ago at the 32-year-old chain with 1,865 locations in 49 states.

Enter Mike Archer, former president at T.G.I. Friday’s and now president at Applebee’s.

Q: What’s the most important change you’re making at Applebee’s?
A: The food. We’re focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients and improving flavor profiles. We’re signaling the change by revitalizing the stores. And we’re communicating the change with a campaign about the freshness and food quality.

Q: How will Applebee’s look different?
A: We’ve redone everything to create a sense of arrival — from the stonework out front to the awnings. As you walk in, you’ll be struck by what we’ve done to the bar. It now sits dead in the center of the room and is the focal point to the building. And it has high tables for gathering now. And we created a unique mural for every restaurant that reflects the community.

Q: What did these changes cost?
A: About $175,000 to $200,000 per restaurant. We’ve done about half the restaurants. We’re talking about $200 million by the end of this year and about $350 million, in three more years, when we’re done.

Q: What’s new on the menu?
A: You’ll see fresh flavors of the season. Fresh ingredients and bright flavors. Over the past four years, 85% of our menu items are new or improved.

Q: What’s with the new advertising?
A: We’re changing our messaging. The new slogan will change (from “There’s No Place Like the Neighborhood”) to “See You Tomorrow.”
It’s based on the proposition that because of the breadth and depth of our menu, we could see guests on an everyday basis. …

Photo by hollycclark