Media Contact:                                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Laurie Ellison (913) 967-2718
laurie.ellison@applebees.com

Applebee's  International  Wins Two National  Awards for  Excellence in Investor
Relations

OVERLAND  PARK,  KAN.,  March  30,  2007  - For  the  fourth  consecutive  year,
Applebee's International, Inc. (Nasdaq:APPB) has won the Grand Prix for the best
overall investor  relations (IR) team of any small-cap company in America.  Also
for  the  fourth  year in a row,  Carol  DiRaimo,  vice  president  of  investor
relations for Applebee's,  was recognized as the best investor relations officer
for any small- to mid-cap U.S. company.

The awards were  presented  last night at the annual IR  Magazine  awards in New
York City.  Held in association  with The Wall Street Journal and Barron's,  the
awards  celebrate  the best  performing  companies  in the field of  shareholder
communications.  More than 2,900  portfolio  managers,  buy-side  and  sell-side
analysts, and retail investors vote for the top companies and best IR teams.

"Applebee's  International is in tune with what shareholders are looking for and
asking about," wrote one analyst on the survey ballot.

DiRaimo is "all over the industry and is accessible 24/7," wrote another.

In  addition to DiRaimo,  Applebee's  investor  relations  team  includes  Chief
Executive  Officer Dave Goebel,  Chief  Financial  and  Strategy  Officer  Steve
Lumpkin, and Investor Relations Specialist Mindy Jack.

"Our  investor  relations  program is built on candor and trust,"  Goebel  said.
"When we talk with our shareholders, our goal is to listen carefully and then to
address our successes and challenges with equal amounts of candor.  We know that
in the short- and long-run,  the best investor relations program is one built on
trust."

Applebee's has a well-earned  reputation  for excellence in investor  relations.
Last year,  the company  was voted the "Most  Shareholder  Friendly"  restaurant
company by Institutional  Investor Magazine. The same magazine named Lumpkin one
of America's  Best CFOs in 2006 and named former CEO Lloyd Hill one of America's
Best CEOs in 2005.

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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.