Among health-conscious eaters, one of the biggest trends right now is high-protein foods, with a wide array of groceries, snacks, and drinks offering high-protein variants. Food scientists have pointed out that most people are already getting plenty of protein, but that hasn’t stopped restaurants from getting in on the trend and loudly advertising their newest high-protein offerings.
Of course, just because a restaurant says they’re offering something with more protein doesn’t mean they’re actually offering more than they did before. But with rising gas prices and inflation, giving people a reason to go out for dinner might mean reminding consumers of any possible benefits their food might offer — even if those benefits are tenuous at best.
Applebee’s says high gas prices are making it harder to justify dining out
Dine Brands, the parent company of Applebee’s, IHOP, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, announced its quarterly earnings on May 6. There was some good news, with higher revenue and plans to expand the number of dual-brand locations offering both Applebee’s and IHOP food at the same restaurant, but it was tempered by an acknowledgment that it’s harder than ever for many people to justify going out to eat.
CEO John W. Peyton put it simply: “Our value-conscious, price-sensitive guests are very sensitive to increases in gas prices, the basics, and the cost of living.” For many people, Applebee’s has reliably been an affordable, easy way to eat out.
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It may not be luxury dining, but being able to go to a sit-down restaurant with your whole family and eat a meal together without breaking the bank has had appeal for plenty of people.
However, as gas prices have risen, the cost of going out anywhere has become harder. It doesn’t really matter if the meal you eat at Applebee’s is still cheap if the cost of getting to and from the restaurant has risen dramatically.
It’s no surprise, then, to see Applebee’s leaning into other reasons you might want to go there for your next meal out — and in its newest offering, that reason is protein.
Applebee’s has brought back its all-you-can-eat offer
Applebee’s announced on May 11 that it is bringing back its all-you-can-eat offer, and for the most part, the offer is pretty similar to what diners could get in previous years. The options include boneless wings, riblets, and deep-fried battered shrimp, along with unlimited fries. For $16, it’s an affordable way to have a potentially very large amount of food.
The deal is largely unchanged from previous years; in 2025, the offer came with chicken tenders instead of boneless wings, and some of the sauce options have changed and expanded since the 2024 offer. There’s a note in the latest announcement that refills of boneless wings come without coleslaw, but otherwise, the actual food being offered has changed very little.
What has changed is the way the food is described: the short announcement mentions “Applebee’s savory proteins” and “a wide variety of proteins, sauces, and flavors” back-to-back in one sentence. Later, CMO Michelle Chin is quoted as saying the deal comes with “delicious unlimited proteins.”
That’s not to say that Applebee’s has never mentioned protein before, but each of those two previous announcements only included the keyword once.
It’s unlikely that Applebee’s is at the top of anyone’s mind when it comes to healthy foods. Deep-fried shrimp absolutely does have protein in it, but that’s not why anyone is likely to order it. But Applebee’s seems to be betting that by pushing the needle just a bit and bringing it up as a feature of their latest offer, they’ll convince a few more people that it’s worth the drive.
Related: Applebee’s confirms more closures in 2026 as new concept expands
