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 28, 2002
                                                --------------------------------

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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Item 5.           Other Events

     On August 28, 2002,  Applebee's  International, Inc. (the "Company") issued
a press  release entitled "Applebee's  International  Reports  August Comparable
Sales." The press release contained the following information.




                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


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


            Applebee's International Reports August Comparable Sales

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  August  28,  2002  --  Applebee's  International,   Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB)  today reported  comparable  sales for the four-week  period ended
August 25, 2002.

System-wide  comparable  sales increased 1.9 percent for the August period,  and
comparable  sales for franchise  restaurants  increased 2.2 percent.  Comparable
sales for company restaurants  increased 0.8 percent,  reflecting an increase in
guest traffic of approximately 2.5 percent, combined with a lower average check.
August  comparable  sales were positively  impacted by the company's All You Can
Eat  Riblets  promotion,  which  began  on  August  12th as part of the  current
Hometown BBQ campaign.

System-wide  comparable sales for the quarter-to-date  period (eight weeks) have
increased 1.7 percent, with franchise and company restaurant comparable sales up
2.0 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.

Applebee's International,  Inc., headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., develops,
franchises and operates restaurants under the Applebee's  Neighborhood Grill and
Bar brand,  the largest casual dining concept in the world.  There are currently
1,449  Applebee's  restaurants  operating  system-wide  in 49  states  and seven
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:    August 28, 2002                    By: /s/  Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 ------------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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