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)       September 18, 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)




<PAGE>



Item 9.           Regulation FD Disclosure

     On September  18, 2002,  Applebee's  International,  Inc.  (the  "Company")
issued a press release entitled "Applebee's International to Present at the Banc
of America  Securities  Investment  Conference."  The press  release is included
below.




                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


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


                   Applebee's International to Present at the
                Banc of America Securities Investment Conference

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  September  18, 2002 --  Applebee's  International,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB)  will be presenting at the Banc of America  Securities  Investment
Conference to be held in San Francisco on Tuesday,  September 24, 2002, at 12:45
p.m.  Eastern Time. A webcast of this  presentation  will be available  over the
Internet at http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/BAS/32nd-annual-2002/id12204553.cfm
and will also be available at the Investor  Relations  section of the  company's
website  (www.applebees.com).  The  archived  webcast  will be  available  until
Friday, October 11, 2002.

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
1,455  Applebee's  restaurants  operating  system-wide  in 49  states  and eight
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:    September 18, 2002                 By:/s/ Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 ---------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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