Applebee’s Group Project Part 1
Strategic Communications Research 3251
Executive Summary
In 1980, Bill and T.J Palmer opened up the first Applebee’s restaurant. Little did they
know that within 20 years Applebee’s would have become the largest casual dining chain
worldwide. They take pride in creating “…a friendly, welcoming, neighborhood environment
for both the staff and guests that makes everyone enjoy their Applebee's experience”
(Applebee’s). In 2008, Applebee’s became a part of DineEquity Inc. in hopes to broaden their
brand.
By offering a wide variety of foods on their menu combined with low prices, Applebee’s
has been able to please a broad category of consumers which has helped bring people in the
doors. Even though Applebee’s is the largest casual dining chain they are ranked the 4th largest
within the full-service industry with a 0.9% market share. This is due to their widespread, 2,000,
franchises ranging from Latin America and the Middle East to their first restaurant in Atlanta,
Georgia.
Applebee’s core consumers are men and women, between the ages of 21-49, and have an
income of over $75,000 per year. Even though this demographic information is very important to
Applebee’s, it is very similar to their competitor’s core consumers as well. TGI Friday’s, Chili’s,
and Ruby Tuesday’s are Applebee’s main competitors all falling into the casual dining category.
After reviewing the data, it is very hard to differentiate between the competitors. Because of this,
it has left a great opportunity for Applebee’s to tune into a specific niche market and take even
more market control. With more research and planning this should be a task that has a very
successful outcome.
Background
The "apple" in Applebee’s is actually an acronym for: atmosphere, personality,
performance, lightning speed and excellent food (Applebee's Official Site). This is
whatApplebee’s strives for everyday in all their locations, making them the largest casual dining
chain in America. Applebee’s mission is, “to contribute to the growth, joy and enrichment of all
the lives we touch,” according to Hospitality Jobs Online.
Its long-standing theme, “Eatin’ good in the neighborhood,” is emphasized by the many
pictures and memorabilia that adorn the walls of the restaurants. According to a New York
Times article by Douglas Quenquia, Applebee’s started to rebrand itself in October of 2007 to
target a younger age demographic. Their new theme was “together is good,” wanting people to
come to Applebee’s with family and friends for “flavors that bring people together,” (Quenquia).
Applebee’s was founded in 1980 by Bill and TJ Palmer under the name T.J. Applebee's
Rx for Edibles & Elixirs in Atlanta, Georgia. The name was later changed to Applebee’s
Neighborhood Bar & Grill in 1986. In 1996 there were already 819 Applebee's restaurants open
in 45 states, Canada, the Caribbean, Germany and the Netherlands. In 1998, only 18 years after it
was started, Applebee's Neighborhood Bar & Grill opened its 1,000th restaurant in Aurora,
Colorado.
In 2004, Applebee's joined with Weight Watchers to create a menu of low-fat, calorieconscious entrees. That same year Applebee's also introduced their "Carside To Go," service that
became very popular with customers who were too busy to dine in. In 2008, ServSafe Alcohol
awarded Applebee's the Best Chain Responsible Beverage Alcohol Service Training Program;
this gave the restaurant the support of organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD), who condoned a restaurant that served alcohol in an ethically responsible way.
Current Marketing Situation
DineEquity Inc., Applebee’s “mother” company, is one of 190,931 enterprises that make
up the category of full-service restaurants. Full-service restaurants make $176,020 billion in
total market revenue and DineEquity Inc. is ranked 4th in highest percentage of market share,
coming in with 0.9%. Brinker International, which owns Chili’s, ones of Applebee’s biggest
competitors, is ranked second with a market share of 2.1% (IBIS 2009).
As for the full-service restaurant industry, the economic recession has decreased their
sales substantially. It has had a significant impact on the industry’s performance; causing
declining revenue in both 2008 and 2009. For 2009, the full-service industry is expected by IBIS
World to generate revenue of $176 billion, in contrast 2009, representing a sharp decline of
3.9%. This decline is a direct result of the deepening economic recession, and the increasing rate
of unemployment in the United States (IBIS 2009). Also in 2009 the continuing decline in
industry revenue, as demand falls and customers seek more affordable value meal deals, as well
as rising competition, is slashing industry profit margins. Not only is competition rising from one
full-service company vs. another, but competition is also rising from fast food restaurants. Fast
food restaurants can offer lower prices, with increased credibility in their food quality, which is
making them an increased option for consumers who are trying to save more and spend less on
out-of-home food (IBIS 2009).
Applebee’s not only finds itself as a part of the full-service restaurants but also can be
found in the category of casual dining restaurants. Being very similar to full-service restaurants,
casual dining as also been effected by the economic condition, it has suffered more than the fast
casual and quick service restaurants due to higher price points. Growth for casual dining chains
has ground to a halt, from 9% in 2006 to flat in 2008. While, growth of quick service restaurants
sales and fast casual chains continue at healthier rates of 4% and 8% (Mintel 2008). Mintel
predicts that casual dining will continue to be one of the weakest parts of the foodservice
industry, turning in an outright decline of 1.5% in sales for 2009. Mintel also conducted a
survey between June and September 2008 showing that at least 60% of consumers say that they
are eating out less, while only 15% say they are eating out more. For this report, 40% say that
they are spending less at casual dining restaurants, while 21% say that they are spending more.
Despite these statistics, the frequency of visits to casual dining chains has remained steady at
3.8-3.9 times in the last 30 days since 2002 (Mintel 2008).
Along with full-service restaurants, casual dining is also being challenged by fast casual
dining. Fast casual continues to expand in units and same-store sales; whereas casual has not,
and has intensified the competition as food quality is now comparable to casual dining concepts.
Consumers want to get their food faster rather than ambience. But in response to this, causal
chains have focused on the value proposition of speed that is offered by fast casual chains. This
has been a strong attempt at lunchtime, where restaurants like Applebee’s have fought back with
targeted TV marketing, promoting lunchtime specials, to lure back lunchtime visitors (Mintel
2008). Competition is also large within the casual dining category; consumers find it hard to
differentiate between many of the casual dining restaurants, one because of the large number of
them, but more so because of the similarity of the food that is offered among them (Mintel
2008). If you were to see a commercial only showing the food that is offered at Applebee’s, you
might confuse it with its largest competitors Chili’s or TGI Fridays.
Because full-service restaurants and casual dining chains are very similar some trends
have emerged within both. These restaurants have developed a few “desirable demographics,”
which lead to higher chance for growth, these demographics are as follows: the under 35 age set
who are likely to be single and lead active and social lifestyles that involve meeting friends/dates
at restaurants and higher earners ($50K+) who are less likely to feel the pressures from the
struggling economy and who find dining out to be an enjoyable leisure activity (Mintel 2008).
Along with developing a desirable demographic, casual dining chains have also been using one
of two general business strategies to deal with the current economic pressure: emphasis on value
pricing, such as the two for $20 deal at Applebee’s. These low-margin offerings are unlikely to
contribute to long-term growth but may help loss of guest traffic until economic conditions
improve. The other business strategy is to stand firm on prices and renew focus on quality. The
chains that choose this strategy need strong brand loyalty and often have to have strong
representation of their desirable demographics in their consumer bases (Mintel 2008).
Another popular trend developing is that of increased consumer awareness of health
issues including food handling and preparation, weight and obesity, and the need for a healthy
lifestyle. There have been market changes and some demand for healthier foods and alternatives
to casual dining foods that are high fat, high salt, and super-size meals (IBIS 2009). Attitudes
toward diet seem to trend more with the category of over age 55, who are more likely to have
heart problems than younger people, and are more likely to be eating heart-healthy foods such as,
chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables. However, it is ages under 35 who are more willing to pay
extra for healthy menu items, making the younger consumers a better target for health fad
offerings (Mintel 2008).
At the end of September 2008 Applebee’s had 1,997 restaurants with 480 of which are
company owned, and 1,517 franchised and for the fiscal year of 2008, their total revenue was
$1.61 billion (IBIS 2009). Same-store sales at declined by 0.6% in the first half of 2008, while
system-wide sales grew by 1.6% (Mintel 2008). Applebee’s does not appear to skew strongly
toward either end of the age spectrum of consumers under the age of 65 and most of the chain's
customers are from higher level incomes. The Applebee's menu includes a wide variety of
entrees, including beef, chicken, seafood, and pasta items; prepared in assortment of dishes, as
well as appetizers, salads, sandwiches, specialty drinks and desserts. (IBIS 2009).
Being the largest casual dining chain, Applebee's is in the midst of a period of renovation,
as new management strives for differentiation and rejuvenation of the brand without alienating
older customers. New management has tried to slim down the chain’s expansive menu, which is
expected to build a stronger sense of brand identity (Mintel 2008). Applebee's introduced new
menu covers to showcase new and improved grill and bar offerings as a part of the chain’s effort
to renew the focus on their bar which is the biggest source of income for the restaurant. To focus
on corporate lunch meetings during the day, Applebee's has added 18 lunch-only items to the
menu in 2008 (Mintel 2008). And finally Applebee’s launched a rebranding campaign in
October 2007, consisting of TV spots, internet ads, a new logo, new employee uniforms, and a
menu redesign. Applebee's target was not necessarily just young consumers; their positioning is
based on the concept of being surrounded by neighbors which can appeal to a broad age range
(IBIS 2009). Because Applebee’s will always be: “Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood.”
Core Consumers
After examining a few different sources we were able to find the demographic and
psychographic information of the core consumers for Applebee’s. The main databases used were
SMRB and Mintel which provide insights into consumer demographics and statistics. The
databases show that Applebee’s main consumers are men and women between the ages of 21-49
with a household income of over $75,000 per year.
Even though the demographic data for men and women varied slightly they should both
be included in the main consumers group. 45% of Applebee’s users were men and 55% were
women (SMRB). Women were slightly more likely to go to Applebee’s with an index value of
107 whereas men had a smaller index of 93 (SMRB). There was not a strong enough variance in
the data between men and women for one group to be excluded from the main consumers.
According to SMRB the main consumer market for Applebee’s are between the ages of
21-49 years old. 57% of Applebee’s consumers are between the ages of 21-49 years old and are
about 9% more likely to go to Applebee’s over the consumers that fall into the other age ranges.
This data can be very beneficial seeing as though it describes the main target audience for
Applebee’s. New creative campaigns must focus on this data to really market towards the
consumer.
When analyzing the SMRB data there was a demographic skew in household income;
46% of Applebee’s users made over $75,000 a year and are 29% more likely to go to Applebee’s
than the average person. This data is something to focus on when developing a new campaign
because it shows that people with higher income levels still choose to eat at Applebee’s.
According to Mintel, “The chain’s strong draw from upper-income groups suggests that the
reliance on its value pricing strategy might not be necessary” (Mintel 2008). This data could
potentially lead to new suggestions for how Applebee’s advertises the brand.
When comparing Applebee’s to the main casual dining competitors, TGI Friday’s,
Chili’s, and Ruby Tuesdays, there were few differences in the demographics. Like Applebee’s,
Chili’s main consumers are between the ages of 25-34 years old (Mintel 2008) and also have a
large percent of consumers who make over $75,000 each year. “The chain [Chili’s] has an even
stronger grasp on the over-$75K group, and especially the $100K+ group, than Applebee’s or
any of the other top-10 chains. This helps explain its relative success in the past two years”
(Mintel 2008). TGI Friday’s main consumers are typically under 35 years old which is similar to
both Applebee’s and Chili’s. TGI Friday’s consumers tend to make around $25,000 and $75,000
a year which is slightly less than the other brands (Mintel 2008). Overall, there were strong
correlations between all four restaurants in all of the demographic categories which is not
surprising seeing as though they have similar traits to one another.
After examining Applebee’s consumer demographics we also found interesting data
describing consumer psychographics as well. According to the SMRB database, Applebee’s
consumers are likely to participate in a physical fitness program three-four times a week, go out
to bars/nightclubs, own or lease a vehicle, and have consumed light beer three to four times in
the past 30 days.
Data shows that Applebee’s customers have a higher likelihood to work out and take care
of their body and 27% of their consumers work out three to four times a week. They are also
20% more likely to go to Applebee’s over the general public (SMRB). These statistics were 4%
higher than the total casual dining audience. This gives some insight into what kind of person
goes to Applebee’s. It is a very useful tool to examine for thinking of creative ideas for new
campaigns like healthy options on the menu. This ‘health conscious’ data could tap into a new
segment of target consumers for Applebee’s.
According to SMRB 27% of Applebee’s consumers have gone out to bars or nightclubs
in the past 12 months. They are also 29% more likely to go to Applebee’s over the general public
(SMRB). Even though there is a good portion of consumers who have visited a bar/gone out in
the past 12 months it is still a very broad category which could be tapped into more. This data is
very useful in determining how to promote Applebee’s, either as a family restaurant or bar.
One piece of data that seemed especially significant was that 96% of Applebee’s
consumers own or lease a vehicle. They are also slightly more likely to go to Applebee’s than the
general public. Knowing what kind of transportation your consumers have access to is a good
advertising tool when thinking of new ways/places to reach them. This also could lead to new
insights into marketing consumers, like what Applebee’s has done in the past with the “to-go”
menus.
Many think of Applebee’s as being the ‘neighborhood bar’ and by looking into their
drinking habit it will gives us a good insight. 6.91% of Applebee’s consumers have consumed
three to four light beers in the past 30 days. They are also 40% more likely to go to Applebee’s
than the general public (SMRB). Even though this data is not as strong as other categories it
shows the type of people Applebee’s consumers are. According to Mintel 2008, “New menu
covers showcase new and improved grill and bar offerings, part of the chain’s efforts to renew
focus on bar operations, one of the few well-performing areas of the chain’s sales.” This shows
that the ‘bar’ aspect of Applebee’s could be a marketable factor for new campaigns.
Just like the data showed with the demographic information, Applebee’s is very similar to
their competitors in psychographic data as well. The trends in lifestyles are virtually the same
and prove that these companies are not very different from one another. Even though Applebee’s
has a greater market share than these other casual dining restaurants, it shows the need to set the
bar and separate themselves from their competitors.
Advertising and Public Relations Communications
According to Hoovers, TGIFriday’s, Chili’s, and Ruby Tuesday’s are the top three
competitors with Applebee’s chain of casual dining restaurants. The following information has
been gathered from various databases and mass media to compare and contrast the advertising
and public relations campaigns for each company:
1.
Applebee’s:
Based on 2008 data from Advertising Redbooks, the company worked with five
different advertising agencies to build their logo, website, and gain other media exposure,
and their taglines include, “Eatin’ good in the neighborhood” and “Eatin’ right never
tasted so good”. Of the casual dining industry leaders listed in this report, Applebee’s
spent the most money in 2008 on advertising with $155,490,000. They spent the most of
their advertising budget ($102,861,000) on reaching consumers via network television.
Due to a recent decline in the company’s revenue and in the casual dining market
in general, Applebee’s invigorated their brand from the all-American family restaurant
known for “Eatin’ good in the neighborhood” to targeting a younger demographic with
the tagline, “Together is good”. To help with the company’s rebranding, they also made
their uniforms more modern and launched commercials that showcase a loud apple
cartoon which is intended to appeal to a younger age demographic (Quenqua).
2.
Chili’s:
Chili’s, like Applebee’s, responded to the decline in restaurant sales during the
current economic recession by revamping their brand. However, instead of changing their
tagline, like Applebee’s, the company went back to their old “baby back” jingle they
were famous for in the past. The chain has also attempted to set themselves apart from
competitors in the rough economic climate by revitalizing some of the key items on their
menu such as burgers and ribs, by up-grading the quality of the meat used and offering
specials such as, “three-courses-for-$20” (Advertising Redbooks). Chili’s is not only
attempting to appeal to those tightening the grip on their wallets, but also people who are
in a rush by knocking 15 minutes off the typical 45 minute lunch by utilizing Blackberrylike devices that are directly connected to the kitchen and the front desk. The chain is still
testing these devices in hope to implement them soon (Horovitz).
Chili’s spent $134,701,000 on advertising expenditures in 2008, as reported by
Adspender. Of this money, the largest portion of it was spent on network television
advertising ($59,999,000).
3.
T.G.I.Friday’s:
In 2008, to combat the decline in casual dining revenue, T.G.I. Friday’s launched
a new deal with the tagline “Right Portion; Right Price”, which featured less expensive entrees
for $6.99 for those who still enjoy dining out but are on a limited budget (Horovitz). According
to Adspender the company spent $90,185,000 last year on advertising, and of that expense, the
most money was spent on advertising on network television (the company spent a little over $44
million).
4.
Ruby Tuesday’s:
Ruby Tuesday’s approach to marketing in 2008 was the most non-traditional and
effective of all the casual dining restaurants listed. Aside from traditional commercials featuring
their new mini-burgers and print ads for their restaurant, the company used viral marketing and
made a YouTube video showing the Senior Vice President of marketing “accidentally” blow up a
competitor’s restaurant on the film.
This public relations/marketing stunt was successful and garnered much attention from
the Wall Street Journal and raised stock prices by 9% the day after the video dropped on
YouTube and cost the company very little in comparison to traditional advertising methods
(BurgerBusiness). In fact, although Ruby Tuesdays had such a success with this form of
advertising, they spent the least in 2008 on advertising, as reported by Adspender, they spent
$28,336,000. And this restaurant invested nearly their entire advertising budget on cable
television ($26,451,000). What they did not spend on advertising, $70 million, they used to buy
new wardrobes to reinvent their brand in 2008. The company also redesigned the inside of their
restaurants to have a more modern feel. (Horovitz).
Apart from Applebee’s three main competitors in the casual dining industry, fast food
chains such as McDonalds and Burger King are flourishing as far as sales go due to offering the
same kind of products but at a lower price. Fast food industries have also invested more money
recently in to marketing products in print ads and on television that are bigger without an
increase in price such as Burger King’s “the Angus Burger”(Bryson). Through these
advertisements, fast food restaurants are making “value” their main message to consumers who
will be more likely to choose the same food item for only a fraction of the price at a fast food
chain (Bryson). Another reason for the increase in success for fast food restaurants is an increase
in marketing LTO’s (limited time offers) and value meals which make it quick and cost-efficient
for families to eat a meal together (Wray).
SWOT Analysis
Strengths

Lively atmosphere for the happy-hour people (Adamy).

Smaller restaurants and entrée prices below casual dining and fine dining
competitors (Adamy).

People in small towns and cities like having an Applebee’s (Adamy).

Upgraded to whole pieces of lettuce instead of chopped, switched to Jose Cuervo
as the tequila for margaritas, and offered a Merlot that got a 90-point rating from
Wine Spectator magazine (Adamy).

Hired the famous television chef Tyler Florence to create food with bolder, more
diverse flavors (Adamy).

“High/low” strategy. (One side shows classy expensive items and other side of
fold-out shows cheap combinations) (Adamy).

Human Resources Director Rosalyn T. Mallet (Kapner).

Franchise developments (Kapner).

First restaurant approved by WeightWatchers (Gray).

Offers many different kinds of food including the following: Asian, Italian,
Mexican, American and others (Gray).

Has been doing well in rural communities and continues to open restaurants in
these towns. They now have 138 units that are located in communities with
50,000 people or less (Hallinan).
Weaknesses

TJ Palmer, the co-founder of Applebee’s, ate there last fall and said, “I didn’t like
it at all,” she said (Adamy).

Company has falling profits (Adamy).

Biggest problem is that Applebee's doesn’t adapt quickly as competitors. “Stayed
too long with a formula that had worked for it in the past,” (Adamy).

Spends millions of dollars building company-owned businesses (Adamy).

People that were asked why they choose other companies instead of Applebee’s
claimed in a survey that it was because “the food is just OK,” (Adamy).

Lacks “destination items” (items that people would only come to Applebee’s for)
(Adamy).

Tried promoting itself on the show “Friday Night Lights,” but the show has not
done well and has low ratings (Lafaayette).
Opportunities

Since the economy is not doing well and people are on a budget, people are
choosing Applebee’s over fancier, more expensive places to eat.

People are trying to be healthier so they turn to places like Applebee’s with menus
of low-calorie, low-fat items.
Threats

Economic crisis and “difficult times for casual dining restaurants,” (Quenquia).

Brinker International has sold some Chili’s restaurants to franchisees and are
going to build less company owned outlets (Adamy).

Ruby Tuesday has become more upscale with “fully upholstered chairs and
premium wines and beers,” (Adamy).

Changing the stereotype that eating out makes you fat.

Chili’s has added a smaller model for developing communities.

Restaurants like Panera and Starbucks that have “a very different atmosphere of
eclectic music, couches, wireless internet service, and minimalist décor (Adamy).

Increased popularity of fast food chains, along with the changes they have made to be
healthier and classier (Adamy).

Home-cooked meals are more affordable for families that are now on a tighter budget
(Stokes).
Conclusion
Through secondary research we discovered that Applebee’s has the largest market share
for casual dining restaurants and 0.9% market share of full-service restaurants. There are about
2,000 Applebee’s worldwide that employ over 50,000 employees.
Applebee’s targets consumers from 18-49 but we would like to narrow that age group to
21 to 49. This would not only create more effective advertising, but also targets consumers that
are old enough to purchase alcoholic beverages, because Applebee’s makes the most profit from
alcohol sales. The main customers at Applebee’s make over $75,000/year, work out three to four
times a week, and go out regularly to clubs and bars. We are planning to target men and women,
because although the numbers show women visit the restaurant more often, the percentages are
very close and men and women are likely to go out to Applebee’s together.
There are huge opportunities for Applebee’s to change their image; they could attract
customers who have a disposable income and are more likely to choose eating out over a homecooked meal. Another opportunity Applebee’s has to capitalize on is to offer promotions that
attract customers. For example, TGI Friday’s offers a free appetizer or dessert for every $100
spent; Applebee's could run similar kinds of promotions to boost business. Also Applebee's
could have more drink promotions because alcohol has a higher profit margin than food items.
For example, a promotion on draft beer is a good idea to run drink specials on because it is the
most popular drink at the bar and it would be beneficial to promote.
One of the main goals for the Applebee’s campaign is to change the way consumers view
the restaurant. The research conducted has shown that people do not differentiate Applebee’s
from their competition in the casual dining industry and this equals a loss of opportunity with
potential customers. Signature items must be established and marketed to ensure customers will
choose Applebee’s to get specialty food items they cannot get at another restaurants. Consumers
have described Applebee’s food as bland, therefore, this is an opportunity to add bolder flavors
to the menu and stand out from the competition. Through primary research we will find what
consumers want to change about the Applebee’s menu and the restaurant as a whole. It is
imperative to determine whether or not consumers enjoy the “neighborhood” theme of the chain
or if they would like to see a more sophisticated, urbanized, but still casual dining experience.
After taking these steps, it will be necessary to focus on what is working and what is not
effective for this chain and come up with a strategic plan to rebrand Applebee's that will result in
increasing profits and making the restaurant stand out to consumers.
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