Applebees is a classic chain restaurant where you can count on a tasty meal of burgers, chicken tenders, riblets or steak. This "Neighborhood Bar and Grill" is the place to go for a dependably delicious meal of pub grub in a welcoming, casual atmosphere. However, for those who prioritize health alongside tastiness, there are some items on the Applebee's Menu that are best to be avoided.
Applebee's is a popular chain restaurant across the world, with over a thousand locations worldwide. This chain has come a long way from its first location in Atlanta, Georgia back in 1980. It's ubiquitous no matter where you are and has even been featured in a number of popular songs and movies. You can enjoy it as dine-in or takeout depending on your plans for the night. To see more about its story and menu, check out www.applebees.com.
The casual feel of Applebee's and menu of carb-filled fast food are some of its biggest draws, bringing in regulars who know what to expect when they walk through its doors and have favorite specials and appetizers. However, a menu of diner food has its drawbacks, not least of which being that many of its dishes pack a punch when it comes to calories, carbs and sodium. Fortunately, you can enjoy this American neighborhood restaurant without ruining your meal plan for the day or inflicting a food coma on yourself.
For those who want to hit up their local Applebee's restaurant without eating an overabundance of unhealthy ingredients and calories, we've compiled a list of the items to avoid on the Applebee's menu. Here are 8 of the worst menu items at Applebee's, to be avoided unless you're prepared to ruin your day of eating and feel like crap for the rest of the night.
1. Quesadilla Burger
Combine the words quesadilla and burger and you've won over many people looking for a tasty, carb-filled bite to eat. However, since neither of these dishes is healthy on its own, it's no surprise that the combo of both isn't the healthiest choice. This creation includes pepper jack cheese, Mexi-ranch sauce, Applewood-smoked bacon, pico de Gallo, and lettuce.
These ingredients combine to equal 1,650 calories, 3,790 mg of sodium, and 102 g carbs. To put it into perspective, the average calorie intake recommended for a man is 2,500 and for a woman is 2,000. (Although this depends greatly on the person and how many calories they're burning.)
2. Oriental Chicken Salad Wrap
Another menu item to steer clear of is the Oriental Chicken Salad Wrap, which includes crispy breaded chicken tenders alongside rice noodles, almonds, and fresh Asian greens, all in a flour tortilla. It's also served with fries and Oriental vinaigrette as the sides. This is an Applebee's favorite, and it does seem like it would be healthy- it's just chicken, some veggies, and fries after all.
However, this beloved entrée is surprisingly high in calories. One of the biggest dangers of this item is that people often select it because it sounds healthy, thinking that they're making a nutritious choice for lunch or dinner. However, this meal stacks up to 1,890 calories, 2,880 mg sodium, and 175 g carbohydrates.
3. Whisky Bacon Burger
Another burger to avoid if you value your health is the Whisky Bacon Burger. This yummy dish is everything you want in a burger, featuring pepper jack cheese, crispy onions, Applewood-smoked bacon, Fireball Whisky-infused steak sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles on a Brioche bun. It comes with fries as well, making it an irresistible combo of comfort foods. However, this burger isn't worth the excess of calories and sodium it possess. The Whisky Bacon Burger on Applebee's menu clocks in at 1,890 calories and 2,880 mg sodium, so you might be better off going for the Classic Cheeseburger.
4. Applebee's Nachos
Who doesn't love a yummy appetizer to enjoy before a tasty meal at your neighborhood Applebee's? The Applebee's Nachos can be enjoyed as beef nachos or chipotle lime chicken nachos, but neither choice will do your health any favors. This popular dish includes tortilla chips, a generous amount of cheese, jalapeño peppers, some veggies, your meat of choice, guacamole, and a large dollop of sour cream.
It's undeniable that this appetizer is delicious, but it adds up to 1,830-1,940 calories and 4,440-4,910 mg sodium depending on which kind you get. The fact that this is only the beginning of your meal, and you'll likely be eating at least another 1,000 calories for your main dish makes this appetizer a menu item to avoid at all costs. If you're feeling a starter, try the Chicken Wonton Tacos, Boneless Wings or Spinach Artichoke Dip.
5. Homestyle Chicken Bowl
Another dish that sounds healthy while actually being full of negative nutritional facts is the Homestyle Chicken Bowl. This is one of the Irresist-a-Bowls on the menu, containing breaded boneless chicken breast, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, Applewood-smoked bacon, Cheddar cheese, crispy onions, and gravy.
These ingredients add up to 1,590 calories, 120 g carbs and 3,740 mg sodium, making this menu item far from being a healthy choice. If you're feeling a bowl, we recommend the Southwest Chicken Bowl or Tex-Mex Shrimp Bowl.
6. Oreo Cookie Shake
Some say that dessert is the best part of any meal, whether you prefer citrusy desserts like key lime pie or chocolatey ones like brownies and ice cream sundaes. The Oreo Cookie Shake is no exception with its scrumptious blend of vanilla ice cream, Oreo cookie crumbs, whipped topping and Oreo cookie pieces. However, it also adds up to 870 calories and 420 mg of sodium, which is far too much if you're enjoying it after a plate of Shrimp 'n Parmesan Sirloin or Fiesta Lime Chicken. If you're really feeling a drink, why not get the Flavored Lemonade or Iced Tea?
7. Four Cheese Mac & Cheese With Honey Pepper Chicken Tenders
This menu item is another obvious one to steer clear of, especially when you look at the words "four cheese." We can't deny that cheese is one of the best foods, especially when in the mood for comfort food, but it's also one of the least healthy. This dish features penne noodles, four different cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, and crispy chicken tenders. It's as cheesy and delicious as can be, but its high calorie count makes it hard to justify at 1420 calories and 3,2050 mg sodium.
8. Hand-Battered Fish & Chips
The Fish & Chips are a no-brainer when in search of menu items to avoid. While fish on its own is generally a healthy choice, hand-battering it is just a fancy way for saying frying it. Because of this, this entire meal is composed of heavily fried things, from the fish to the fries.
This does nothing good for your health, especially if you have high cholesterol or are at risk of heart disease. This tasty menu item has 1480 calories, 3,420 mg sodium, and 103 g fat, which is too close to your recommended daily intake of calories to be worth it.
