FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Investor Contact:
Carol DiRaimo, (913) 967-4109

Media Contact:
Laurie Ellison, (913) 967-2718

                    Applebee's International Provides Update
               on the Strategy Committee of the Board of Directors

OVERLAND  PARK,   KAN.,  March  12,  2007  -  Applebee's   International,   Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB)  and its  Board of  Directors  today  provided  an  update  on the
activities of its Strategy Committee.

The independent  co-chairs of the Strategy Committee are Jack Helms, chairman of
Goldsmith, Agio and Helms, a Minneapolis-based investment banking firm, and Eric
Hansen,  member,  Holman,  Hansen & Colville,  P.C., a Kansas City law firm. The
other members of the committee, all independent directors, include Mike Volkema,
chairman of Herman Miller,  Inc.  (Nasdaq:MLHR),  a leading  global  provider of
office furniture and services;  Burton "Skip" Sack, former Applebee's franchisee
and executive,  former chairman of the National  Restaurant  Association and the
company's  largest  individual  shareholder;  and Pat  Curran,  chairman of Cook
Composites and Polymers, a global leader in gel coatings and resins.

Helms,  Volkema and Sack are the company's  slate of  independent  directors who
will be nominated for re-election to the board at the  shareholder  meeting this
spring.  The company's fourth nominee for re-election will be Lloyd Hill, former
chief executive officer and current chairman of the board.

The  Strategy  Committee  has a broad  mandate  to conduct a  comprehensive  and
independent evaluation of the company's strategic alternatives. The committee is
reviewing both the company's business and financial strategies.

From a business perspective,  the committee is focusing on the company's returns
on capital,  the mix of company-owned  versus franchised  restaurants,  overhead
cost structure and strategies for improving same-store sales.

From a  financial  perspective,  the  committee  currently  is in the process of
reviewing a variety of alternatives to determine its optimal capital  structure,
potential  use of proceeds  from any  additional  borrowings,  and the potential
impact on the company's long-term value as a stand-alone entity. Simultaneously,
the  committee is exploring a potential  sale of the company and has  instructed
its advisors to contact  potential buyers in an organized  process designed with
the help of the committee's financial and legal advisors.

At this time, it is premature to comment on the  likelihood or potential  values
in a  recapitalization  or sale  relative to the other  options the committee is
evaluating.  There can be no assurance that any transaction will be pursued,  or
if pursued, that it will be consummated by the company.

"After  several  months of work,  we are deep into our  review of the  company's
business  plan and have more  recently  begun our  evaluation  of the  company's
financial  strategies," Helms said. "Our advisors are working  productively with
the  management  team,  and the  committee  and full board are  involved  in the
process. Our goal is to develop visible business and financial  initiatives that
maximize value for all shareholders.  We are leaving nothing of significance out
of our scope and have not yet reached any conclusions, preliminary or otherwise,
on which strategy would be in the best interests of shareholders. Members of the
Strategy  Committee  and full board are  substantial  shareholders  in their own
right,  so our work clearly  aligns with the best  interests of our  shareholder
base."

The committee is expected to require  approximately  an additional  six to eight
weeks to conduct  its  preliminary  financial  review.  The  committee  does not
anticipate having a definitive  recommendation at that time but hopes to be in a
position to provide shareholders with more information on its thinking.

                                    * * * * *

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 Feb. 25, 2007,
there  were  1,942   restaurants   operating   system-wide  in  49  states,   16
international  countries,  and one U.S.  territory.  Additional  information  on
Applebee's    International    can   be   found   at   the   company's   website
(www.applebees.com).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Applebee's  International,  Inc.  ("Applebee's")  plans to file with the SEC and
mail to its  stockholders a Proxy  Statement in connection  with its 2007 Annual
Meeting,  and advises its security holders to read the proxy statement and other
documents  relating  to the 2007  Annual  Meeting  when they  become  available,
because they will contain important  information.  Security holders may obtain a
free copy of the proxy  statement  and other  documents  (when  available)  that
Applebee's  files with the SEC at the SEC's web site at  www.sec.gov.  The proxy
statement  and  these  other  documents  may  also be  obtained  for  free  from
Applebee's  by  directing  a  request  to our  Corporate  Secretary,  Applebee's
International, Inc., 4551 West 107th Street, Overland Park, KS 66207.

CERTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING PARTICIPANTS

Applebee's,  its  directors  and named  executive  officers  may be deemed to be
participants in the  solicitation of Applebee's  security  holders in connection
with its 2007 Annual Meeting.  Security holders may obtain information regarding
the names,  affiliations and interests of such individuals in Applebee's  Annual
Report  on Form  10-K  for the year  ended  December  31,  2006,  and its  proxy
statement  dated  April 11,  2006,  each of which is filed with the SEC.  To the
extent holders of Applebee's  securities have changed from the amounts disclosed
in the proxy statement, such changes have been reflected on Statements of Change
in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. These documents are available free of
charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

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