Applebee's Hours: What Time It Opens and Closes

Applebee's Standard Opening and Closing Times

Why 11:00 AM, everywhere

Opening time is the most consistent thing about Applebee's scheduling. Almost every standalone location opens at 11:00 AM, seven days a week.

The reason is that Applebee's doesn't serve breakfast. There's no breakfast menu, no breakfast prep, and no reason to staff a morning shift. Opening at 11:00 lands just ahead of the lunch rush without paying for the hours before it.

This is why searches for Applebee's breakfast hours come up empty. The meal doesn't exist on the menu. See the full menu for what is served.

Closing times vary more than opening times

Closing is where franchising shows. Staying open late costs a full kitchen crew, a bartender, and the utilities to run a large building. A franchise owner in a quiet suburb where nothing else is open at 11 PM will close earlier than one across from a stadium.

Urban locations and college towns commonly run later than the baseline. Rural locations commonly run earlier. Neither is unusual, and neither is wrong. Both are local decisions.

Confirm your restaurant's actual hours through the location finder.

The Kitchen Closes Before the Restaurant Does

This is the detail that catches people out, and it's the most useful thing on this page.

Posted closing time is when the doors lock, not when you can still order. Kitchens begin breaking down and cleaning equipment before close, so the last food order goes in earlier than the sign suggests, commonly around half an hour before.

Bar last call comes earlier too. Alcohol service stops in advance of closing so drinks can be finished before the restaurant shuts, and in many areas local law sets that boundary rather than the restaurant.

Practical rule: Arriving within thirty minutes of posted close means you may get drinks but not a full meal, or a limited menu. Arriving an hour before close is the safe margin for a normal sit-down meal.

This also affects promotions. The half price appetizer window runs until close, but the kitchen stopping early sets the real end.

Applebee's Holiday Hours

Holidays are where standard hours stop applying entirely. Each franchise decides independently, so the patterns below are tendencies rather than guarantees:

Is Applebee's open on Thanksgiving?

Many locations open on Thanksgiving, though usually on a shortened schedule, opening later in the afternoon and closing earlier than normal. Applebee's doesn't typically serve a traditional holiday menu; the regular menu runs.

The demand is real but specific: travelers, people who aren't cooking, and the evening crowd. Whether your restaurant opens is a local call, so check before assuming either way.

Is Applebee's open on Christmas Eve?

Almost always open, and almost always closing early. December 24th is a busy trading day, but most locations shut in the evening rather than running to normal closing time so staff can get home.

If you're planning a Christmas Eve meal, plan it early and confirm the closing time first.

Is Applebee's open on Christmas Day?

Most locations are closed on Christmas Day. A small number in tourist areas or attached to hotels and travel hubs may open, but closure is the safe assumption.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day

New Year's Eve commonly runs later than a normal Friday or Saturday, since it's one of the busiest bar nights of the year. New Year's Day usually returns to standard hours.

Summer holidays

Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day usually run standard hours. Lunch trade tends to be quieter and evening trade busier, but the schedule generally doesn't change.

Why Some Applebee's Locations Open Before 11:00 AM

A small number of locations operate as combined Applebee's and IHOP restaurants sharing one kitchen and one building. Because IHOP serves breakfast, these open considerably earlier than a standalone Applebee's.

At those locations the menu is organized by daypart. Breakfast items in the morning, the full Applebee's range later. Sitting down at 8:00 AM is possible; ordering a steak at 8:00 AM generally is not.

Scale: The first US dual-branded restaurant opened in Seguin, Texas in February 2025. Dine Brands had 45 open in the US at the end of June 2026 and is aiming for 80 by the end of the year. With 1,439 Applebee's in the US, the chances your local restaurant is one are still low.

The your local restaurant directory shows which format a restaurant runs.

How to Check Your Local Applebee's Hours

Search engine listings are the least reliable source on holidays. Map listings pull from a mix of scraped data and user submissions. If a manager decides on the day to close early, the listing usually doesn't reflect it.

The restaurant's own listing is more current, because it connects to the store's system rather than a third-party index.

Calling is the only real guarantee, and it's the right move for holidays, for late-night visits, and for anything where a wasted trip matters. Direct numbers for every restaurant are in the find your restaurant finder.

Two things worth asking when you call:

• What time the kitchen stops taking orders, not what time the restaurant closes
• Whether the holiday schedule differs from what is published

Ordering hours are shorter than restaurant hours

Takeout and delivery ordering windows close before the restaurant does, because an order placed at closing time still needs cooking and collecting. Details on each: see our guides on takeout and delivery.

Applebee's Hours: Frequently Asked Questions