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)          August 26, 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 August 26, 2003, Applebee's International, Inc. (the "Company") issued a
press  release  entitled "Applebee's  International  Reports  August  Comparable
Sales." The release contained the following information.



                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

            Applebee's International Reports August Comparable Sales

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  August  26,  2003  --  Applebee's  International,   Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB)  today reported  comparable  sales for the four-week  period ended
August 24, 2003.

Comparable sales for company restaurants increased 5.4 percent, including the 21
franchise  restaurants in Washington,  D.C. acquired in November 2002 as well as
the 11 franchise restaurants adjacent to the St. Louis market that were acquired
in March 2003. Excluding the acquired restaurants,  comparable sales for company
restaurants  increased  5.6 percent,  reflecting an increase in guest traffic of
approximately  2.0  to  2.5  percent,  combined  with a  higher  average  check.
System-wide  comparable  sales increased 4.3 percent for the August period,  and
comparable sales for franchise restaurants increased 3.9 percent.

August comparable sales were negatively impacted by approximately 0.5 percent in
both company and franchise markets due to the recent blackout in several states.

Comparable sales for company restaurants for the  quarter-to-date  period (eight
weeks) have increased 5.5 percent,  with  system-wide  and franchise  comparable
sales up 4.1 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively.

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 August 24,
2003, there were 1,538 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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                                   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:       August 26, 2003                By: /s/    Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 ------------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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