Frequently Asked Questions about franchising with Applebee’s
Yes, Applebee’s Grill + Bar is seeking qualified candidates to develop restaurants in new and existing markets to grow both traditional and non-traditional sectors.
The initial term of the Applebee’s Franchise Agreement is 20 years with four, 5-year renewal options. These agreements can vary based on the lease and/or development type (non-traditional, high density, etc.) and location.
The royalty fee for restaurants is 4% of weekly gross sales.
Restaurants pay 4.25% of weekly gross sales to the Applebee’s Ad Fund, which covers national advertising. Additional advertising fees apply for grand openings. Refer to our FDD for details.
For development, minimum financial net worth of $2.5 million and $500,000 in liquid assets per location. It is recommended that candidates exceed these thresholds to properly capitalize for future growth.
Applebee’s does not offer direct financing; however, we can work with you as you find the right financing partner.
Yes. Prior experience in the restaurant and/or hospitality industry is a requirement that Applebee’s looks for in its candidates. In addition, candidates with multi-unit management expertise in restaurants and a proven ability to grow a business are highly encouraged to apply.
A traditional Applebee’s restaurant is 5,400 square feet. However, Applebee’s has numerous development concepts that utilize smaller square footage based on location. See our real estate page for more details on development options.
Applebee’s offers a full range of franchise support including training, site selection assistance, restaurant-design-planning assistance, restaurant-opening assistance and ongoing operations and marketing consulting.
The term of a development agreement will vary depending on the market, territory and obligations, among other things. This will be discussed as part of the Approval Process.
No. Franchisees do not receive exclusive territories. Your agreement allows you to develop and operate within a specified development area. See Item 12 of our FDD for more information.
