Applebee's system same-store sales drop 1.6% in November

Nation's Restaurant News, Dec 10, 2007

OVERLAND PARK, KAN. -- Just a day prior to the Nov. 29 closure of Applebee's acquisition by IHOP Corp., Applebee's reported a 1.6-percent year-to-year drop in domestic systemwide same-store sales for November.

At U.S. corporate-owned Applebee's restaurants, most of which are slated for sale to franchisees by IHOP under its previously divulged turnaround plan, same-store sales declined 2.3 percent for the four weeks ended Nov. 25. Guest traffic at those locations fell between 3 percent and 3.5 percent from a year ago, but average checks were higher, Applebee's said.

Same-store sales at franchised Applebee's units in the United States fell 1.3 percent.

The Applebee's chain totals about 1,935 restaurants.