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)       January 4, 2005
                                                --------------------------------



                         Applebee's International, Inc.
              ----------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Delaware                   000-17962               43-1461763
  ------------------------------      ------------       -----------------------
 (State or other jurisdiction of      (Commission           (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)       File Number)         Identification No.)

                4551 W. 107th Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66207
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              (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)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

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

[ ]  Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

[ ]  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))

<PAGE>



Item 7.01.           Regulation FD Disclosure

     On January 4, 2005, Applebee's International, Inc. (the "Company") issued a
press release entitled  "Applebee's  International Names Carrington SVP Finance"
The release contained the following information.

                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Laurie Ellison 913.967.2718                Carol DiRaimo 913.967.4109
Communications Executive Director          Vice President of Investor Relations


              Applebee's International Names Carrington SVP Finance

Overland Park,  Kan.,  January 4, 2005 -Steve Lumpkin,  executive vice president
and  chief   financial   officer   (CFO)  of  Applebee's   International,   Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB), today announced H.G. "Carey" Carrington, Jr. as the company's new
senior vice president of finance, effective January 10.

Carrington has extensive  experience in restaurant  finance,  most recently with
California  Pizza  Kitchen  (CPK).  Carrington  served  CPK  as  executive  vice
president  and CFO from 1998 to 2001 and  returned  to the  company  as  interim
president in 2003.  He also served as CFO and chief  operating  officer for U.S.
Restaurant Properties, Inc., and as CFO for Spaghetti Warehouse, Inc.

Prior  to his  work  within  the  restaurant  industry,  which  began  in  1993,
Carrington spent 14 years in investment banking.

"I'm  delighted  that someone of Carey's rare  stature and  achievement  will be
joining  Applebee's in this key position," Lumpkin said. "His record of success,
coupled with his industry-wide reputation for honesty and integrity, makes him a
perfect fit for our culture at Applebee's International."

Lumpkin said the SVP Finance  position was created to help the company build its
management  depth as it  continues  to expand its reach as the  world's  largest
casual dining concept.  Last year, Applebee's  International  announced plans to
grow to at least 3,000 domestic locations;  currently, there are more than 1,600
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in the United States.

Lloyd Hill,  chairman and chief executive  officer of Applebee's,  also stressed
that adding  Carrington  to lead the finance  team will allow  Lumpkin to devote
more of his  efforts  to the  company's  long-term  strategic  goals,  including
acceleration of the company's development and operations internationally.

Carrington  will  report to  Lumpkin  and will be  responsible  for all  finance
functions other than investor  relations.  In addition to oversight for finance,
Lumpkin  will  continue to be  responsible  for  international  development  and
operations, information technology, investor relations and legal.

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
1,672  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:    January 4, 2005                   By: /s/  Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 ------------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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