Wrapping Up the Month of June at Applebee’s

Apparently this summer has been more hectic than I realized.  I sat down on June 30 to write this up, but July proved to be just as hectic as June!  Hence, a mid-July publication!  

The month of June kept my family busy, our calendars packed, and my schedule quite busy!  First, we renovated the kids’ bathroom,  not because we were sitting idolly by looking for something to do, but because the tub -which was easily over 20 years old- was starting to feel springy when the kids stepped in it, and the shower faucet had developed a steady leak.  Thankfully, when we redid the other two bathrooms in our house a few years ago, we went ahead and bought a sink, tub, toilet, sink faucet, and shower faucet for all three bathrooms because we knew we would eventually have to tackle this bathroom, AND because a family friend got us the products for about half off.

I digress.  So while we were re-doing the bathroom, I stayed home to ensure things were going as they should.  Months earlier, my mom had enrolled the kids in VBS at her church, and my son had three days of Kindergarten camp midweek.  (Yes, my littlest baby is off to kindergarten in the fall!)

The following two weeks of June, I was tied up in Orton Gillingham training.  Orton Gillingham is a systematic and explicit method of teaching reading for people with dyslexia.  I found a way to put back on my special educator hat, brush off my masters degree, and wear another ha in the process.  I took a leap of faith and decided to do this, as it’s been something I’ve toyed with for well over a year.  The two week training was just the first step, but it was an intense two weeks.  Class was from 8:30-3:30 over 30 minutes away.  Thankfully, my parents were on board for helping me out – God bless their generous hearts!

So, essentially, my parents and my kids spent three weeks together.  They’d done something amazing for me, and I knew I wanted to find at least a small way to thank them for their time and energy.  So when I got a dinner invitation, I knew I’d found a perfect solution.

Applebee’s hosted my kids, my parents, and I for dinner recently, to try out their Big and Bold Grill Combo dinner.  I’ll be honest, it had been a while since I had eaten at Applebees, but I can tell you that the experience left us far from disappointed!

Let me start by first complimenting the staff at the Tucker location.  Everyone was super friendly, and happy to help and answer any questions we had about the menu.

We sat down in a corner booth, the kids got to color on and read over the kids menu, and the adults got to look at the special Big and Bold Grill Combo menu.  The kids decided on the mac and cheese, and my parents and I decided to split two Big and Bold Grill Combos amongst the three of us.  This worked well for us, since I only care for the chicken, but my parents are shrimp and ribs people.

First, we were brought an order of chips and salsa.  My kids and I have seldom met an order of chips and salsa we didn’t like.  The chips were lightly salted, and the salsa was freshly made.  Then, the kids order came out.  They indulged in what they described as delicious mac & cheese.  (Did you know Applebee’s has a house Mac & Cheese on their kids menu, that has chicken in it??)  It was served with applesauce, so they were good to go.

The main entrees came out, and -oh my LORD!- they were amazing!  I had the chicken with pico de gallo, which proved to be amazingly tender and flavorful.  The shrimp and ribs were equally fantastic, according to my parents.

But here’s what amazed me most: the sides.  We had bacon-encrusted green beans, broccoli, and “endless fries”.  My favorite, by far, was the broccoli.  It was steamed and seasoned, and I simply couldn’t get enough of it!  The beans were quite tasty – the bacon was a nice touch.  And, well, I could eat fries all day everyday if my waistline wouldn’t betray me in the process.  It was all so daggum tasty, and I tried hard to join the clean plate club, to no avail, and not for lack of trying!

…..and then, my dad ordered dessert for the kids (and himself).  Yep.  Applebee’s even hit dessert out of the park.  The kids enjoyed a blue ribbon brownie to share, and my parents had hot fudge sundae shooters.  Knowing I was there to do a review of Applebee’s, I knew it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t know what each entree was like, right?  So, I sampled each of the desserts, all for the sake of review.  😉

All in all, I was beyond pleased with our trip to Applebee’s.  I highly recommend you find your nearest location, and head over there for lunch or dinner.  Or both.

Also, make sure you sign up for their email club to get started on great rewards, including a FREE birthday treat.   Check with your specific location to find out what weekly specials they might have, like if they participate in a kids eat free program.  The Tucker, GA location offers $5.99 burgers on Mondays from 4pm to close, and 99¢ kids meals on Tuesdays from 4pm to close. (This is current as of June 29, 2017 when we visited – please call to confirm these or any specials before going!)

Would you like to try out some of Applebee’s entrees?   Enter for a chance to win a $25 Applebee’s gift card.  First, simply comment below telling me which items you want to try.  Then, fill out the form below.  Giveaway will run until 7/29/17.  Winner will be randomly selected.  Good luck, y’all!