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)                        March 11, 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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (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 March 11, 2005,  Applebee's  International,  Inc.  announced that it
         will file a Form 12b-25 for a  fifteen-day  extension  of the March 11,
         2005 filing  deadline for its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
         year ended  December  26,  2004.  The  Company  now expects to file its
         Annual  Report  on Form 10-K on or before  March  28,  2005.  The press
         release is attached as exhibit 99.1 hereto and  incorporated  herein by
         reference.

         The Company had previously announced that, like many other companies in
         the restaurant,  retail and other industries,  the Company is reviewing
         its  accounting  treatment  for  leases  and  depreciation  of  related
         leasehold improvements.  The Company has discussed its lease accounting
         practices with its audit  committee and consulted with its  independent
         registered  public   accountants,   Deloitte  &  Touche  LLP,  and  has
         determined it will correct its  accounting  practices in this area. The
         Company  has  not yet  made a final  determination  as to  whether  the
         corrections  will be  made as a  cumulative  adjustment  in the  fourth
         quarter of 2004 or as a restatement of historical financial statements.

Item 9.01.        Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)      Exhibits.  The following exhibit is filed herewith:

                  99.1              Press Release dated March 11, 2005.




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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:  March 11, 2005

                                       APPLEBEE'S INTERNATIONAL, INC.


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




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<PAGE>

                                  Exhibit Index


Exhibit
Number         Description
-------        -----------------------------------------------------------------
99.1           Press Release dated March 11, 2005.








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