New Survey Reveals America's Favorite Entrée At Applebee's

Applebee's first opened its door in Atlanta, Georgia in 1980. However, Applebee's as we know it didn't burst on to the scene for another three years. According to Business Insider, Applebee's became a household name in the 1990s thanks to its affordable prices, inviting atmosphere, and tasty classics, including the ultimate '90s food: buffalo wings. When the menu basically consisting of popular Super Bowl foods fell out of fashion in the 2010s, the restaurant tried to pivot by changing its menu and offering an ever-expanding array of menu options.

Some of these changes were winners, such as 2010's SkinnyBee Margarita, which, according to Applebee's, was "the industry's first cocktail with fewer than 100 calories." The new cocktail came around the time Applebee's and its competitors were under scrutiny for their menu items' high calorie contents, per The New York Times.

Now, with a pared-down menu that features more of the old classics that made Applebee's famous, the chain is winning back some of its customer loyalty. Here's what 500 loyal fans have to say about their favorite Applebee's entrées.

The most popular isn't always the best. Or is it? While the Double Glazed Baby Back Ribs came in at 29th out of 31 in Mashed's ranking of Applebee's menu items, worst to best, the dish was the most popular with 27.95% of voters in Mashed's 526-person survey. In second place was the whiskey bacon burger, with 21.48% of respondents listing it as their favorite. 

Applebee's fans ranked the four-cheese mac n' cheese with honey pepper chicken tenders as their third-favorite dish, while the Fiesta Lime Chicken came in fourth place. The least-popular choice was the double crunch shrimp, but it still pulled decent numbers, with 76 die-hard fans claiming it as their go-to dish at the popular eatery.

If you're looking for what to order next time you're at Applebee's, the surprisingly even split of those surveyed says any of these would probably make a pretty tasty choice. If Mashed's survey results are any indication, though, you can't go wrong with the classic ribs.