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)       December 12, 2003
                                                --------------------------------

Commission File Number:    000-17962


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

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

          4551 W. 107th Street, Suite 100, 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)


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<PAGE>



Item 5.           Other Events

On December 12, 2003,  Applebee's  International,  Inc. (the "Company") issued a
press  release  entitled  "Applebee's  International  Declares  Increased Annual
Dividend and  Stock Repurchase Authorization." The  press release  contained the
following information.





                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:  Carol DiRaimo,
          Executive Director of Investor Relations
          (913) 967-4109

                   Applebee's International Declares Increased
               Annual Dividend and Stock Repurchase Authorization

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  December  12,  2003 --  Applebee's  International,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB) has declared an annual dividend of 7 cents per share. The dividend
is payable  January 23, 2004, to shareholders of record as of December 26, 2003.
This is the  company's  14th  consecutive  annual  dividend  and  represents  an
increase of 17 percent over last year's dividend of 6 cents per share.

In addition,  the  company's  Board of Directors  has  authorized  an additional
repurchase of  $80,000,000  of common stock,  subject to market  conditions,  in
addition  to the $19.8  million  which  remains  available  under the  company's
existing stock repurchase authorization.

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.  As of December 12,
2003, there were 1,575 Applebee's restaurants operating system-wide in 49 states
and  nine  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:    December 12, 2003                 By: /s/  Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 -----------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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