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, 2004
                                                --------------------------------

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)


                                       1

<PAGE>



Item 5.           Other Events

     On February 23, 2004, 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,  2004 --  Applebee's  International,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB)  today reported  comparable  sales for the four-week  period ended
February 22, 2004.

Comparable sales for company  restaurants  increased 8.4 percent,  reflecting an
increase in guest traffic of approximately  7.5 to 8.0 percent,  combined with a
higher  average  check,  which  includes the impact of a menu price  increase of
approximately  1.5%  taken  in  early  January.   System-wide  comparable  sales
increased  7.8  percent  for the  February  period,  and  comparable  sales  for
franchise restaurants increased 7.6 percent.

February  comparable sales were negatively impacted by approximately 1.0 percent
due to a shift in the timing of the Super Bowl from the January fiscal period in
2003 to the February fiscal period in 2004.  February 2003 comparable sales were
negatively  impacted  by  1.5 to  2.0  percent  due  to  severe  winter  weather
experienced over the President's Day weekend.

Comparable sales for company restaurants for the  quarter-to-date  period (eight
weeks) have increased 8.4 percent,  with  system-wide  and franchise  comparable
sales up 8.1 percent and 8.0 percent, respectively.

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 22,
2004, there were 1,594 Applebee's restaurants operating system-wide in 49 states
and  nine  international   countries.   Additional   information  on  Applebee's
International can be found at the company's website (www.applebees.com).


                                      # # #


                                       2
<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:     February 23, 2004                 By: /s/  Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 ------------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



                                       3