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By Suzanne Blake
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Applebee’s is doubling down on indulgent comfort food in 2026.
The casual‑dining chain announced a slate of new menu items, led by an even cheesier version of its viral O‑M‑Cheese Burger, along with five additional dishes rolling out nationwide this spring.
The changes come as Applebee’s looks to maintain momentum in a competitive restaurant market in which value meals and social‑media‑friendly menu items have helped drive traffic.
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The updated menu centers on additional cheese, new entrées and expanded lighter options, including two salads with less than 600 calories.
The updated and new items include the O‑M‑Cheese Burger, now made even cheesier, featuring an all-beef burger topped with American cheese, applewood-smoked bacon and spicy honey mustard, served with classic fries.
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The other new additions:
- Loaded Potato Waves — Thick-cut potato slices smothered in cheddar cheeses, applewood-smoked bacon and served with ranch.
- Sesame Salmon Bowl — Seared blackened salmon over cilantro rice with sweet sesame salad. Topped with avocado cucumber salsa, almonds and cilantro.
- Lemon Parmesan Chicken — Crispy, hand-breaded chicken breast topped with a lemon garlic parmesan sauce. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned broccoli.
- California Grilled Chicken Salad — Grilled chicken, avocado cucumber salsa, tomatoes, crispy applewood-smoked bacon and shaved Parmesan cheese over mixed greens. Tossed in lite Italian dressing and drizzled with balsamic glaze.
- Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad — Fresh greens tossed in lite Italian dressing with garden tomatoes and red onions. Topped with grilled chicken, sliced almonds, fresh strawberries and balsamic glaze.
Applebee’s said the additions are designed to give diners more variety while keeping popular value bundles, including the 2 for $25 menu, in place.
The original O‑M‑Cheese Burger went viral after launching earlier this year, particularly on TikTok and Instagram, where diners shared videos of molten cheese “pools” surrounding the burger. Applebee’s said guest excitement around the item prompted the decision to make it even cheesier.
“An instant fan-favorite, our new O-M-Cheese Burger now has even more cheese,” Michelle Chin, Applebee’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “Our guests have been buzzing with excitement since we first launched the O-M-Cheese Burger, and we can’t wait to see their cheese pulls multiply from their own ‘cheese pool’ in their skillet!”
The strategy reflects broader trends in casual dining, where value pricing and indulgent comfort food have become key to attracting customers amid elevated inflation.
“Over the last year, many restaurant chains have introduced new menu options as a way of generating more interest from customers who have been favoring eating at home over dining out to save money,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek. “Applebee's O-M-Cheese Burger is the latest one of these menu additions that hopes to bring more past patrons back through their doors, and given efforts from similar retailers, the idea may work.”
Applebee’s remains one of the largest casual‑dining chains in the U.S., though its footprint has shrunk in recent years. It operates 1,579 restaurant locations worldwide, and U.S. systemwide sales were about $4.2 billion in 2025. Applebee’s posted positive same‑store sales growth in 2025, signaling improved performance after several challenging years in casual dining.
Applebee’s says the O‑M‑Cheese Burger remains a limited‑edition item, meaning it might leave menus despite its popularity. The company continues to rotate new entrees throughout the year, typically tied to limited‑time promotions.
“We've seen other new item promotions boost sales in recent quarters,” Beene said. “Ultimately, customers are willing to entertain the novelty of a new item but are more invested on the financial savings some of these promotions provide.”
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