Applebee’s Stuns With New All-You-Can-Eat Option

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At a period when it appears that the value you receive decreases with your spending, Applebee’s aims to change this trend by introducing an all-inclusive, eat-as-much-as-you-want offer across all their establishments.

Strut confidently into Applebee’s, knowing you’re the boss, while you anticipate the mouthwatering array of riblets, chicken tenders, crispy fried shrimp, and a heap of French fries that await your indulgence.

For just $15.99, you can indulge in The Takeout’s return of their popular all-you-can-eat deal, offering an unlimited selection of a main dish and French fries!

But wait, there’s more!

You have the freedom to choose a combination – you can opt for all three main dishes. After enjoying your grilled ribs, feel free to transition swiftly to fried shrimps and later indulge in the realm of chicken tenders.

No one has yet attempted the ‘duration and quantity’ dilemma, but it’s likely that this fun test will soon trend on social media.

As a film enthusiast who appreciates a good meal, if someone close to me questions the healthiness of our planned visit to Applebee’s for their hearty feast and suggests changing my mind, I would gently remind them that there are vegetables hidden within the menu, specifically in the form of creamy and crunchy coleslaw.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d stride in famished, only to find myself straining against my trousers as they cinch tighter and tug at me, leaving telltale indentations on my midriff – all thanks to the captivating visual feast unfolding on screen.

Popular Restaurants That Have Faded Away

All-Star Cafe

The global triumph of Hard Rock Cafe paved the way for a trend of imitation themed eateries. However, restaurants centered around trinkets proved less durable than those emphasizing quality cuisine, leading most Hard Rock rivals to vanish within a few years.

One such example is the Official All-Star Cafe, a spin-off from the Planet Hollywood chain, which boasted sports stars like Shaquille O’Neal, Ken Griffey Jr., and Wayne Gretzky as investors instead of movie celebrities. The first branch opened in New York City in 1995, but the franchise failed to thrive. It could be that the link between sporting events and expensive, unappetizing fare might have played a role in its downfall. The chain closed in 2007.

Beefsteak Charlie’s

Over time, a restaurant based in New York City grew significantly, eventually establishing itself as a well-known institution across the Tri-State region with numerous branches. Their ads promoting their steaks and endless salad bar became common sights on TV. The chain and its catchphrase “You’re gonna get spoiled!” were satirized in an early SNL sketch featuring a similarly named restaurant, “Pre-Chewed Charlie’s.” Despite enjoying widespread recognition, the chain experienced a gradual decline and ultimately closed down completely by the late 2000s.

Burger Chef

Back in the day when the first “Star Wars” movie hit theaters, it wasn’t McDonald’s that partnered up for the initial merchandise deals. Instead, it was Burger Chef, a popular burger chain with over 1,000 locations during the 1970s peak of its business. Despite a decline throughout the 80s, Burger Chef remains significant in fast food lore; they introduced their “Funmeal,” which resembled the Happy Meal, more than five years before McDonald’s did.

Chi-Chi’s

In the ’70s and ’80s, a restaurant chain called Chi-Chi’s flourished, named after one of its founders’ wives. By the ’90s, they had over 200 locations, with Hormel using their name for a profitable line of tortilla chips and salsas. Today, these products can still be found on store shelves, but the restaurants closed down in the mid-2000s, not long after being associated with a significant hepatitis outbreak. It seems that people generally avoid dining at restaurants tainted by such health concerns.

Dive!

Steven Spielberg: Renowned movie director and… sandwich maker for a brief period. In the 1990s, Spielberg ventured into running his own Los Angeles sandwich shop called Dive!, with an underwater theme featuring a large yellow submarine as part of its exterior design. The sandwiches on offer at this shop included a soft shell crab sandwich and a “Nuclear Sicilian Sub Rosa,” which was a mystery to many. However, despite opening a second Dive! in Las Vegas, both stores eventually closed by the early 2000s.

Known for his incredible filmmaking skills and… sandwich-making abilities? That’s right, he once ran a sandwich shop. In the 1990s, Spielberg opened Dive!, an underwater-themed sandwich store in Los Angeles, complete with a massive yellow submarine as part of its exterior design. The sandwiches on the menu included a soft shell crab sandwich and a “Nuclear Sicilian Sub Rosa,” which left many puzzled. Despite opening another Dive! in Las Vegas, both stores ultimately shut down by the early 2000s.

Don Pablo’s

If you’ve never dined at Chi-Chi’s, it’s likely that you visited Don Pablo’s instead. In the late 1990s, Don Pablo’s was the second largest Mexican and Tex-Mex chain in the country, but its success didn’t endure. Despite offering a variety of tacos and fajitas, the company filed for bankruptcy in the 2000s, and the last remaining restaurant closed in 2019.

Fashion Cafe

At approximately the same period as the All-Star Cafe, a band of supermodels agreed to front a chain of Fashion Cafes. Unfortunately, their venture didn’t thrive despite being backed by Elle Macpherson and Naomi Campbell, plus an extensive seven-page menu. Their flagship store in New York City opened and closed within three years.

Or:

Simultaneously with the All-Star Cafe, a group of supermodels took up roles as the faces of a Fashion Cafes chain. However, despite their collaboration with Elle Macpherson and Naomi Campbell, along with an alleged seven-page menu, they didn’t achieve much success. The flagship store in New York City opened and shut down within three years.

The Ground Round

Initially started as a spin-off business of the renowned Howard Johnson’s hotel and restaurant chain, The Ground Round was known for its extensive menu of traditional American dishes and the complimentary basket of popcorn provided upon seating at your table. At one point, it boasted over 200 locations, but faced challenges in the rapidly expanding casual dining market. As a result, its corporate owners declared bankruptcy in 2004. Although the chain is mostly defunct now, a few independent Ground Rounds continue to operate – primarily in North Dakota. If you find yourself in the region and craving Cajun tortellini or Caribbean sizzling sirloin tips, try a Google search. I only wish they still serve popcorn with your meal.

Howard Johnson’s

Over the years, the original owners of Ground Round, Howard Johnson’s, have faced similar hardships. Although the company continues to run numerous hotels, it once held the top spot as the nation’s largest restaurant chain. Unfortunately, its restaurant business no longer exists (the last one closed in 2022). If you’re intrigued and have some time, explore Howard Johnson’s Children’s Menu on the internet. You’ll find some unusual dishes they used to offer kids, like the “Humpty Dumpty,” which was a combination of small tuna fish salad, egg, tomato, lettuce, potato chips, roll, butter, ice cream, sherbet or gelatin, and a drink – all for just 95 cents. Quite a treat!

Kenny Rogers Roasters

In the popular sitcom “Seinfeld”, characters Kramer and Jerry became hooked on Kenny Rogers Roasters’ chicken, transforming country music legend Kenny Rogers into a fast-food sensation in the 90s. Despite U.S. branches of his restaurants closing down, there are still over 100 operational outlets internationally. It might be time for Kramer and Jerry to plan a trip to Malaysia!

Lone Star Steakhouse

A notable feature of this steakhouse chain is that each table receives a bucket of roasted peanuts, and guests are even encouraged to toss the shells on the floor for fun, particularly enjoyed by kids. However, it’s questionable whether their parents share the same enthusiasm, considering the restaurant’s tendency to have dirty floors due to this practice. It is said that only one Lone Star location remains open in Guam, while the rest have closed and moved on.

Or in a more conversational tone:

This steakhouse chain is known for a unique quirk: every table gets a bucket of roasted peanuts, and guests can even throw the shells on the floor! Kids find this fun, though it’s unclear if their parents are as thrilled about eating in a restaurant where the floor is often dirty. Legend has it that only one Lone Star still stands in Guam; the rest have long vanished into history.

Marvel Mania

Take a peek at this. Notice where Marvel stood three years prior to the release of X-Men. This was Marvel’s inaugural themed restaurant, nestled within Universal Studios Hollywood. Indeed, that was how the Hulk costumed character appeared during the grand opening. The food at Marvel Mania – a place I implored my parents to take me – was quite ordinary, but the decor, featuring a life-sized Iron Man armor, was like a dream come true back then. Unfortunately, the mediocre food seemed to outshine the captivating Marvel memorabilia, leading to the restaurant’s closure before another branch could be established.

Morrison’s

Back in the day, Morrison’s Cafeterias were abundant across the American South, each boasting a wide variety of dishes. A classic advertisement I came across on YouTube emphasized their fried shrimp, seafood au gratin, baked fillet, fried fish, fried scallops, blackened fillets, and any two vegetables – along with bread and butter. That’s quite a feast! In 1998, they were acquired by one of their rivals, Piccadilly, who closed most of the outlets, but there seems to be one surviving in Mobile, Alabama. Does anyone fancy some seafood au gratin?

NASCAR Cafe

Nothing compares to the aroma of motor oil and diesel fuel, it seems. Yet, despite NASCAR’s enduring fame, the NASCAR Cafe didn’t last long, not even with its iconic location in the Sahara Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, complete with a roller coaster named Speed: The Ride. As for the cuisine, it appears that none of the available menus online feature racing-themed dishes, although the decor was indeed impressive, boasting full-size stock cars lining the walls as part of a track setup.

Old Country Buffet

Few people don’t enjoy an all-you-can-eat restaurant. In the 1980s and ’90s, buffets with extensive menus and affordable prices became popular, with Old Country Buffet being one of the most successful. Regrettably, buffets were not designed to cope with pandemics; they struggled to adjust to a world dominated by food delivery, and their vast food troughs began to appear more like biohazards than attractive features. Consequently, the corporate owners closed Old Country Buffet, along with several other buffets they owned such as HomeTown Buffet, in the early 2020s.

Showbiz Pizza Place

In the 1980s, two prominent figures dominated the pizza/arcade scene: Chuck E. Cheese, still around today albeit undergoing changes with their animatronic characters, and Showbiz Pizza Place, known for its unique animatronic animal band, The Rock-afire Explosion, which has a dedicated fanbase so passionate that they even got a documentary made about them in 2008. After merging in the mid-1980s, Showbiz and Chuck E. Cheese eventually amalgamated, with the Showbiz brand slowly fading away. The show, however, ended long ago.

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2025-05-25 02:25