Applebee's Nutrition Facts and Calories

The Number That Matters Most at Applebee's Isn't Calories

Most people read calories first. At Applebee's, read sodium first.

Boneless Wings in Classic Hot Buffalo sauce are 1,080 calories. That's a lot, but it's a shared starter. The sodium is 4,720mg, and the FDA's Daily Value is 2,300mg. One appetizer holds more than two days of sodium.

It isn't a one-off. Fiesta Lime Chicken has 3,630mg. Brew Pub Pretzels & Beer Cheese Dip, 3,540mg. Hand-Battered Fish & Chips, 3,500mg. Bourbon Street Steak, 3,430mg. Sodium on this menu follows the sauce, the glaze and the cheese, not the calorie count.

So the lightest item isn't always the least salty. Steamed Broccoli is 100 calories and 200mg. The House Salad is 160 calories and 610mg. Both are light, and one has three times the sodium of the other. If you're managing blood pressure, read the sodium column before the calorie column.

Where Allergens Hide on the Applebee's Menu

Our data covers seven allergens: milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish and tree nuts. No item we track flags peanuts or sesame, the other two FDA major allergens, so ask the kitchen about those directly. For a filterable table, use the allergen menu.

Milk

The most common one. Beyond the obvious cheese dishes, both Top Sirloin steaks flag milk even though they read as plain grilled beef. Don't assume an order modification removes it. Ask the kitchen what carries the milk.

Soy

The one people miss. It's in 25 of our 30 items, including dishes with no obvious soy in them. The half rack of Baby Back Ribs lists soy as its only allergen, and Classic Fries flag it too.

Wheat

In every breaded appetizer, every bun and every pasta. 19 of 30 items. The Hand-Battered Fish & Chips carries it along with fish, soy and milk.

Fish, shellfish and tree nuts

Three dishes catch people out. The Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad flags fish, from the dressing. Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp flags shellfish in what reads like a chicken plate. And the crispy Oriental Chicken Salad contains tree nuts. With a nut allergy, skip that salad rather than asking for it without nuts.

Eggs

Less common. The Garlic Parmesan Boneless Wings flag eggs and the Classic Hot Buffalo version doesn't, so the sauce is the difference.

If your allergy is serious

Applebee's kitchens share grills, fryers and prep surfaces. Ask for the manager, say plainly that it's an allergy and not a preference, and ask for clean utensils and a clean pan. With celiac disease, treat anything fried as exposed to wheat unless the kitchen tells you its fryer is dedicated.

Vegetarian and Vegan Options at Applebee's

Vegetarians have more to work with than at most steak-and-burger chains. Items flagged vegetarian include Spinach & Artichoke Dip (990 calories), Mozzarella Sticks (860), Brew Pub Pretzels & Beer Cheese Dip (1,160), Tomato Basil Soup (210) and the Impossible Cheeseburger (1,090). The Impossible is the only real vegetarian entrée, and at 39g of protein and 12g of fiber it eats like one.

Vegans have one flagged item: the House Salad with fat free Italian, at 160 calories. Steamed Broccoli and Garlicky Green Beans list none of the major allergens, so they're the obvious sides to add, but ask how they're cooked before you count them as vegan.

Highest and Lowest Calorie Items at Applebee's

Behind the Fish & Chips, the heaviest entrées are the Quesadilla Burger (1,620), Honey Pepper Chicken Tenders (1,610), the Whisky Bacon Burger (1,590) and the crispy Oriental Chicken Salad (1,560). A salad in the top five is the one that surprises people.

How to Order at Applebee's for Your Goal

These are menu numbers, not medical advice. If you're managing a condition, take them to your doctor or dietitian.

High protein

Start at the grill. The 8 oz. Top Sirloin has 55g of protein for 830 calories and the 6 oz. has 43g for 760. The Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad reaches 57g at 950 calories, but carries 2,200mg of sodium. For high protein with less salt, the half rack of Baby Back Ribs has 44g and 1,300mg.

Fewer calories

Build the plate from parts instead of hunting for a light entrée. A 6 oz. Top Sirloin (760), House Salad (160) and Steamed Broccoli (100) come to 1,020 calories and 52g of protein. That's fewer calories than most single burgers, with three dishes on the table. Don't trust the word "salad": the crispy Oriental is 1,560.

Watching sodium

The hardest goal on this menu. Almost every sauced entrée lands above 2,000mg. The lowest items in our data are the Brownie Bite (190mg), Steamed Broccoli (200mg), Garlicky Green Beans (550mg), House Salad (610mg), Classic Fries (800mg), Tomato Basil Soup (1,260mg) and the Baby Back Ribs (1,300mg). Get sauces and dressings on the side.

Managing blood sugar

Read carbs and sugar, not calories. The Four-Cheese Mac & Cheese with Honey Pepper Tenders has 160g of carbohydrate and 44g of sugar, the most carbs on the menu. The 8 oz. Top Sirloin has 45g of carbs and 7g of sugar. Add Steamed Broccoli for another 7g of carbs, and unsweetened iced tea from the drinks menu for none.

Counting points or macros

Every tracking app scores food its own way, so use the raw numbers above. Four words on this menu reliably mean more fat, more sugar or both: crispy, hand-battered, glazed and loaded.

Applebee's Kids Menu Nutrition

The kids menu items below run from 90 calories for applesauce to 510 for macaroni and cheese. The Kids Classic Cheeseburger, not in this table, is 680.

Order the Kids Grilled Chicken. It has 32g of protein for 180 calories, which is more protein than the Kids Chicken Tenders (24g) at less than half their 420 calories.

Watch the mac and cheese. At 1,350mg of sodium it's 90% of the 1,500mg daily limit for a child aged 4 to 8, in one bowl. And the drink matters more than the entrée: swap the soda for milk or water and you remove more sugar than any food swap would.

Applebee's Drink and Cocktail Calories

Drinks are the easiest way to add a second meal without noticing, especially from the cocktail menu.

A frozen Mucho Margarita is 650 calories with 75g of sugar. That's 12g short of the Triple Chocolate Meltdown, in a glass. The Oreo Cookie Shake, at 840 calories, is heavier than the 8 oz. Top Sirloin.

A 16 oz Miller Lite draft is the lightest alcoholic option in our data at 130 calories and no sugar. Blue Moon is 220. Frozen and blended drinks are where the numbers jump.

Applebee's Nutrition FAQs