UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 Current Report




                PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
                              EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)       October 21, 2004
                                                --------------------------------



                         Applebee's International, Inc.
              ----------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Delaware                   000-17962               43-1461763
  ------------------------------      ------------       -----------------------
 (State or other jurisdiction of      (Commission           (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)       File Number)         Identification No.)

                4551 W. 107th Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66207
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                                 (913) 967-4000
              ----------------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                      None
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ]  Written  communications  pursuant  to Rule  425  under  the  Securities Act
     (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ]  Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

[ ]  Pre-commencement  communications   pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  Pre-commencement  communications   pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

<PAGE>



Item 7.01.           Regulation FD Disclosure

     On October 21,  2004,  Applebee's   International,  Inc.   (the  "Company")
issued  a press  release  entitled  "Applebee's International to Broadcast Third
Quarter 2004 Earnings Conference Call Over the Internet."  The release contained
the following information.


                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Carol DiRaimo,
          Vice President of Investor Relations
          (913) 967-4109


            Applebee's International to Broadcast Third Quarter 2004
                   Earnings Conference Call Over the Internet

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  October  21,  2004  --  Applebee's  International,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB)  will be releasing  third quarter 2004  earnings  after the market
closes on Wednesday,  October 27, 2004, and will be hosting a conference call to
review the results on Thursday morning,  October 28, 2004, at 10:00 a.m. Central
Daylight Time (11:00 a.m.  Eastern  Daylight Time).  The conference call will be
broadcast live over the Internet.

To listen to the conference call, please go to the Investor Relations section of
the  company's  website  (www.applebees.com)  at least 15  minutes  prior to the
commencement of the call to register,  download, and install any necessary audio
software. A replay will be available shortly after the call.

Applebee's International,  Inc., headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., develops,
franchises and operates  restaurants under the Applebee's  Neighborhood  Grill &
Bar brand,  the largest casual dining concept in the world.  There are currently
1,633  Applebee's  restaurants  operating  system-wide  in  49  states  and  ten
international countries.  Additional information on Applebee's International can
be found at the company's website (www.applebees.com).


                                     # # #

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<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                              APPLEBEE'S INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                                              (Registrant)


Date:    October 21, 2004                  By: /s/  Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 ------------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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