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 10, 2004
                                 -----------------------------------------------

                         APPLEBEE'S INTERNATIONAL, INC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


           DELAWARE                   000-17962                43-1461763
------------------------------     ----------------     ------------------------
 (State or other jurisdiction        (Commission            (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)             File Number)         Identification No.)


   4551 W. 107th Street, Overland Park, Kansas                    66207
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)



                                 (913) 967-4000
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              (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  satiify the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

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

[ ]  Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 17a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  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))



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Item 8.01           Other Events

     On December 10, 2004, Applebee's International,  Inc.(the "Company") issued
a press  release entitled  "Applebee's  International  Declares Increased Annual
Dividend." The press release is included below.



                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

           Applebee's International Declares Increased Annual Dividend

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  December  10,  2004 --  Applebee's  International,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB) has declared an annual dividend of 6 cents per share. The dividend
is payable  January 21, 2005, to shareholders of record as of December 24, 2004.
This is the  company's  15th  consecutive  annual  dividend  and  represents  an
increase of 29 percent over last year's  dividend of 5 cents per share (adjusted
for a three-for-two stock split in June 2004).

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
1,654  Applebee's   restaurants  operating  system-wide  in  49  states  and  12
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 10, 2004                  By:/s/ Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 -------------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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