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 28, 2003
                                                --------------------------------

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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<PAGE>



Item 5.           Other Events

     On January 28, 2003, Applebee's  International, Inc. (the "Company") issued
a press release entitled "Applebee's  International  Reports  January Comparable
Sales;  Fourth  Quarter  Earnings  Conference  Call  to  be  Broadcast  over the
Internet."  The release contained the following information.


                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


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


           Applebee's International Reports January Comparable Sales;
 Fourth Quarter 2002 Earnings Conference Call to be Broadcast over the Internet

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  January  28,  2003  --  Applebee's  International,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB)  today reported  comparable  sales for the four-week  period ended
January 26, 2003.

Comparable sales for company restaurants increased 4.2 percent, including the 21
franchise  restaurants in Washington,  D.C. acquired in November 2002. Excluding
the acquired restaurants, comparable sales for company restaurants increased 4.1
percent,  reflecting  an increase in guest traffic of  approximately  2.5 to 3.0
percent,  combined with a higher average  check.  System-wide  comparable  sales
increased 3.3 percent for the January period, and comparable sales for franchise
restaurants increased 3.0 percent.



Item 9.           Regulation FD Disclosure

     Applebee's International, Inc. (the  "Company") also  included  information
regarding its fourth  quarter earnings  conference call  in the  press  release.
These comments are included below.

The company will release  complete  fourth  quarter and fiscal year 2002 results
after the market closes on February 12, 2003, and a conference call will be held
on Thursday  morning,  February 13, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m.
Eastern Time).  The conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet and
a replay will be  available  shortly  after the call on the  Investor  Relations
section of the company's website (www.applebees.com).

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 January 26,
2003, there were 1,502 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).

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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 28, 2003                   By: /s/  Steven K. Lumpkin
         ---------------------                 ------------------------
                                               Steven K. Lumpkin
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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