Applebee’s

Visited this Applebee’s for the first time. Ordered Chicken Perne. Other then the fact that it was cold when it arrived at my table it tasted okay. Service was friendly but nothing special. When first arriving they immediately started talking about this new computer gizmo that is at each table. Honestly I could care less. Just give me good old fantastic customer service and I’ll be happy. Unfortunately as stated above that did not happen. Not sure if I’ll give this place a second chance.

The food is usually pretty good — every once in a while you get a stinker. Recently we have had pretty good service (haven’t had bad service for a while). Overall I would say they are a pretty good value (decent food /​decent price).

I am in Austin for two and a half days for my annual family visit. I’ve been to a fantastic new Vietnamese restaurant in town called Top Noodle (501 1^st St. NW) twice (5-​stars!!!), and I can see that my white-​bread, meat and potatoes family wants white-​mans food for this meal. Ok, I give up. The suggestion floats out there from my sweet and dear cousin… Applebees.
So, here I am. Ugh. «Can I start you with any drinks?» goes the obligatory question from our waitress. «Sure, I’ll have a Stout or Porter that you have on tap, or bottle, if none on tap.» «What’s a stout?», was the reply.
Fasten you seat-​belt boys, it’s going to be a bumpy ride…
No biggie. Forget the beer. My family tells me they make a great margarita. Great! I love a good margi. I am about to order one, and I ask, «are those made fresh? With fresh limes, and tripple sec, and, of course tequila?» «Yes, they are fresh… they get the powder and mix it, and it is made every day.»
OMG, I try clicking my heals together three times… «there’s no place like home. There’s no place…» Nope. That didn’t work.
So, no beer, and no margarita. That’s okay, I’ll just have a glass of hydric-​acid (water), with my meal.
Oh yeah, the meal. «How would you like your steak prepared for your fajitas?» Medium, please.
So, when the overcooked well done steak-​fajitas arrived, I cut into it, and tasted one part of a slice. Yep, tough and over-the-f**k-over-cooked.
«How is everything?» Came the question within 3 minutes of the food delivery. I explained, and she looked confused like she was thinking… «don’t you know that Minnesotians don’t return food… the chew the hell out of it, and reply ‘yeah, real good… thanks!»
To Applebees credit, when the re-​prepared fajitas came back, it was perfect. The guacamole, on the other hand, was returned.
What the hell was I thinking? This a freak’n Applebees… A real margarita made with fresh limes? Real guacamole made with fresh avocados, limes, garlic, and cumin? Ooops, I forgot where I was. My bad.