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)                        February 23, 2005
                                 -----------------------------------------------

                         APPLEBEE'S INTERNATIONAL, INC.
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             (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
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    (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)



                                 (913) 967-4000
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              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                      None
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         (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 8.01 Other Events.

     On February 23, 2005, Applebee's International, Inc. (the "Company") issued
a press release entitled  "Applebee's  International Reports February Comparable
Sales."  The release  contained the following information.


                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


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

           Applebee's International Reports February Comparable Sales

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  February  23,  2005 --  Applebee's  International,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB)  today reported  comparable  sales for the four-week  period ended
February 20, 2005.

System-wide  comparable sales increased 5.2 percent for the February period, and
comparable  sales for franchise  restaurants  increased 6.2 percent.  Comparable
sales for company restaurants  increased 2.3 percent,  reflecting an increase in
guest  traffic  of  approximately  0.5 to 1.0  percent,  combined  with a higher
average check.

February  comparable sales were positively impacted by approximately 1.0 percent
due to the shift in the timing of  Valentine's  Day from  Saturday  last year to
Monday this year, but were negatively  impacted by approximately 0.6 percent due
to the shift in President's Day from the February fiscal period last year to the
March fiscal period this year.

System-wide  comparable  sales for the  quarter-to-date  period through February
(eight weeks) have increased 4.7 percent,  with company and franchise restaurant
comparable sales up 1.7 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively.

If positive comparable sales results for both company and franchise  restaurants
continue  through  March,  the company  expects an upward bias to its previously
stated earnings per share guidance for the quarter ending March 27, 2005.

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 February 20,
2005, there were 1,683 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).

                                   -- more --



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<PAGE>



Certain  statements  contained in this  release,  including  first  quarter 2005
earnings  per  share  guidance,   are   forward-looking  and  based  on  current
expectations.  There are several risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those described,  including but not limited to
the ability of the company and its  franchisees  to open and operate  additional
restaurants profitably,  the ability of its franchisees to obtain financing, the
continued  growth of its  franchisees,  and its  ability to  attract  and retain
qualified  franchisees,  the impact of intense  competition in the casual dining
segment of the  restaurant  industry,  and its  ability  to  control  restaurant
operating  costs which are  impacted by market  changes,  minimum wage and other
employment  laws,  food costs and inflation.  For  additional  discussion of the
principal  factors that could cause actual  results to be materially  different,
the reader is referred to the  company's  current  report on Form 8-K filed with
the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  on  February  9, 2005.  The  company
disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

                                      # # #



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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 hereunto duly authorized.

     Date: February 23, 2005

                                   APPLEBEE'S INTERNATIONAL, INC.


                               By:   /s/ Steven K. Lumpkin
                                   -------------------------------
                                   Steven K. Lumpkin
                                   Executive Vice President and
                                   Chief Financial Officer


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