7 Mistakes You Should Avoid Making At Applebee's

Drive through a busy suburban area, and you'll see countless casual chain restaurants boasting classic American dishes, all with slight variations between them. But perhaps the most iconic and recognizable of these chains is Applebee's. It's both a family-friendly eatery and a bar, a place to go for a weeknight meal or a game night drink. Applebee's can be found in 17 different countries, with more than 1,600 locations worldwide. And chances are, if you're reading this, you've been to at least one of them.

But even if you're a seasoned Applebee's patron, there's probably a lot about the restaurant you don't know. This can lead you to make mistakes while dining at the popular chain, which can cost you money or prevent you from having the best possible experience there. By reading up on these common mistakes and working to avoid them, you'll guarantee that your next Applebee's experience will be better than ever. By knowing how to save money at the restaurant and which dishes you should try (and which to avoid), you'll be an absolute Applebee's pro in no time.

Sometimes, you want to go out to grab a drink and snack on some appetizers. In those instances, it only makes sense to select a few different heavy appetizers and really dig in. However, if you're planning on ordering an entree from Applebee's, it really doesn't make sense to fill up on a ton of appetizers before your main dish comes out. And since Applebee's appetizers tend to be on the larger, heartier side, it's all too easy to do, especially if you're ordering more than one appetizer for the table.

That doesn't mean you should skip the appetizers, of course. It just means you should choose carefully. For example, you might not want to order the classic combo, which comes with an assortment of classic Applebee's appetizers, if you only have two people in your party. And if you do over-order? You can always ask for a to-go box to take some of those apps home with you. Nobody said you had to finish them at the restaurant if you're already feeling too full before your entree even arrives.

Restaurant membership and rewards programs are often worth signing up for, especially if you visit the restaurant on even a somewhat regular basis. That's certainly true when it comes to Club Applebee's, which is the chain's reward program. This free "club" gives you access to a ton of different perks, so it's worth checking out before your next visit. Join Club Applebee's, and you'll get a free appetizer right away. On top of that, you'll be notified of special deals that you wouldn't otherwise be able to access.

Thinking about celebrating your birthday at Applebee's? Joining this rewards program can even make your birthday a bit sweeter, since you'll get a free dessert on that special day. It doesn't cost anything to join the club, so even if you only find yourself at Applebee's every once in a while, it's a membership that may make sense for your wallet. Plus, when you learn about those special deals, you'll have the perfect excuse to go out for the night.

When you take a look at Applebee's menu, you'll be met with a surprising number of options. Whether you're looking for steak, bowl-based meals, burgers, or salad, you'll be able to find it here. However, there's one part of the menu you might want to avoid if you're looking for the best that the restaurant has to offer: the pasta.

We know, we know. How can you possibly mess up pasta? It seems like most of the pasta dishes on the menu would be safe. However, when we ranked chain restaurant pasta dishes, Applebee's three cheese chicken penne took the lowest-ranked spot. Many people have taken to the internet to complain about the chain's various pasta dishes, showing off soggy-looking noodles and truly criminal-looking mac and cheese plates that are significantly worse than the kind anyone could whip up at home. Since you have so many different menu options to choose from at Applebee's, we think it's a mistake to order most of the chain's pasta dishes.

Do you always somehow seem to drop $100 every time you and your partner go out for a date night, even when you choose a restaurant that shouldn't be that expensive? Depending on where you're going out to eat, you can easily rack up a huge bill just by ordering two entrees, an appetizer, and a couple of drinks. Luckily, though, Applebee's is a great place to go if you want to do date night on a serious budget. That's because the chain offers a Two for $2X deal. Why the X? Well, that's because exact prices depend on your Applebee's location. But at least you know you're going to spend less than $30.

When you choose this deal, you'll get two entrees and an appetizer to share. If you also want drinks (other than tap water), you'll have to pay for those separately. Still, we don't think there are many date night deals that can compare with this one.

Kids have a reputation for picking the blandest dishes on the menu, avoiding anything that has too pronounced of a flavor. Perhaps this is because kids' taste buds are different from adults', and they often have sensitivities to specific flavors. Therefore, it makes sense that most little ones love easy, accessible dishes like chicken tenders. What's not to like? It's just white-meat chicken that's been breaded and fried, which you can then dunk in ketchup or mayo or just enjoy plain.

But just because chicken tenders are a favorite among the younger diners who visit Applebee's doesn't mean they're the only ones who can get in on the fun. Let's be honest: The chicken tenders are one of Applebee's best dishes. Sure, you're not going to get anything super unexpected, but that's what we like about the tenders. They're simple and easy to love. So, if you find yourself craving chicken tenders, don't force yourself to choose something else just because you think they're not for you. Applebee's diners of every age can appreciate what this classic dish has to offer.

If you're not too familiar with Applebee's, you may not know exactly what you're getting into before you set foot in the restaurant. Sure, it's a step up in terms of environment from most fast casual places — after all, it's designed to be a sit-down restaurant — but it's a far cry from anything we would consider remotely fancy. In fact, that's part of the appeal of the place. It's a nice spot to go when you want to get out of the house and enjoy a simple meal, but you don't have to show up in your best going-out outfit to feel like you fit in with the vibe. Jeans and a t-shirt will get the job done, although you can dress smart casual without feeling out of place.

No, the cocktails probably aren't going to be the best you've ever had, and a Michelin reviewer likely isn't going to be stopping by your local Applebee's anytime soon. But when you're craving an affordable meal and a drink that doesn't cost as much as your entree, Applebee's is the place to go.

So, you're going out to eat, but you still want to choose something relatively healthy from the Applebee's menu. The first category you look in is salads. Salads are generally healthy, right? Well, sure, you're getting plenty of veggies into your meal, which is super important. But that doesn't mean that every salad on the menu is all that calorie- or sodium-friendly. If you care about these health factors, you should definitely take a closer look at Applebee's nutritional information before you settle on a salad.

For example, Applebee's Oriental chicken salad with crispy chicken (which, yes, is problematically named) contains 1,560 calories and 1,650 milligrams of sodium. That could be a day's worth of calories for a smaller woman. The crispy chicken tender salad isn't much better (or is actually worse, depending on the metrics about which you're concerned), coming in at 1,230 calories and a whopping 2,040 milligrams of sodium. Of course, that doesn't mean you absolutely shouldn't order these dishes if they're what you're craving. Just don't make the mistake of assuming that you're automatically getting a healthier meal just because you chose a salad.