Entrees and Main Dishes at Applebee’s: Prices and Guide

When you sit down at Applebee’s for dinner, the entrees and main dishes are the heart of the experience. These are the full plated meals that anchor the evening: a generous protein, your choice of sides, and the kind of satisfying portions that have made this chain a neighborhood staple for decades. Understanding applebees entrees main dishes prices helps you order with confidence, because you will know before you walk in what a chicken plate, a rib platter, or a sizzling skillet typically costs in most markets.

This guide from The Menu Vault breaks down applebees entrees main dishes prices across every major category, from bourbon street chicken to double crunch shrimp, with honest typical ranges rather than promises. Prices at Applebee’s move around because nearly every location is independently franchised, so think of these numbers as a planning guide. For the full picture, see our Applebee’s menu prices overview and the Applebee’s hub.

Applebee’s Entrees and Main Dishes: Typical Prices

The short version of the story on applebees entrees main dishes prices: most full dinner plates typically run $11 to $20 in many markets. Chicken entrees usually sit at the friendlier end of that range, pasta dishes land in the middle, and rib platters, steak combinations, and seafood plates reach toward the top. Combination plates that pair two proteins, like steak and shrimp, typically run $15 to $22.

Several things move applebees entrees main dishes prices up or down. Location is the biggest factor. A restaurant in a major metro area often prices a dollar or two above a suburban or small town spot, because rent and labor cost more. Time of day matters less here than at lunch driven chains, since Applebee’s dinner menu runs all evening, but the lunch combos offer smaller portions of many entrees at lower prices during midday hours. Promotions also shift the math constantly. The famous 2 for 20 deal bundles two entrees with an appetizer at a fixed price, which usually beats ordering the same plates separately.

What drives the price of an entree

Protein is the main cost driver behind applebees entrees main dishes prices, and understanding this helps you read applebees entrees main dishes prices like a pro. Chicken is the most economical protein to serve, so chicken entrees anchor the value end. Pork ribs take longer to prepare and cost more per plate. Steak carries the highest food cost, which is why steak entrees and steak shrimp combos sit at the top of the menu board. Shrimp and other seafood fall somewhere in the middle to upper range depending on the preparation.

Preparation style matters too. A simple grilled chicken breast costs less to put on the plate than the same chicken with a bourbon street glaze, which is why applebees entrees main dishes prices reward simpler preparations, crispy breading, or a specialty sauce that requires extra steps. Sizzling skillet presentations, which arrive on a hot iron platter, sometimes carry a small premium over their non sizzling counterparts because of the theater and the extra handling involved.

How entrees compare to the rest of the menu

Against the broader menu, applebees entrees main dishes prices sit squarely in the middle. Appetizers and bar snacks typically run $7 to $13, so an entree costs meaningfully more but delivers a complete meal. Handcrafted burgers typically run $10 to $15, overlapping with the lower end of entree pricing, which makes the burger versus entree decision a real one for value hunters. Salads with protein typically run $10 to $14, so they compete directly with chicken entrees on price.

The happy hour menu, where offered, discounts appetizers and drinks rather than entrees, so evening diners focused on main dishes should look to the 2 for 20 and other entree promotions instead. That deal remains the single best lever for lowering what you pay for dinner plates.

Most Popular Entrees and Main Dishes

Applebee’s entree lineup leans on familiar American grill classics with a few signature twists. Here are the categories that define applebees entrees main dishes prices, with the typical ranges you will see in most markets.

Bourbon Street chicken and shrimp

The bourbon street lineup is the signature of the entree menu. Bourbon Street Chicken features a grilled chicken breast with sauteed onions and mushrooms in a savory Cajun inspired sauce, typically served over rice or with sides. The chicken version usually runs $12 to $16. Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp adds crispy shrimp on top and typically runs $15 to $19. When you compare applebees entrees main dishes prices across the menu, these plates sit right in the sweet spot: distinctive enough to feel special, priced like everyday dinner.

Fiesta Lime Chicken

Fiesta Lime Chicken is one of the longest running favorites: a grilled chicken breast with zesty lime sauce, melted cheese, pico de gallo, and tortilla strips. It typically runs $12 to $16 and comes with rice and your choice of side. Fans of this dish often compare it favorably against chicken entrees at competing casual chains, where similar plates can run several dollars more. It appears regularly in promotional bundles, so watch for it in limited time offers.

Riblets platter

The riblets platter brings Applebee’s barbecue heritage to the table: slow cooked pork riblets slathered in honey barbecue sauce, served with fries and coleslaw. The full platter typically runs $14 to $18, while the riblet basket, a smaller portion, usually lands between $11 and $14. When you line up applebees entrees main dishes prices side by side, riblets deliver some of the best flavor per dollar, which explains why they have survived decades of menu changes.

Double Crunch Shrimp

Double Crunch Shrimp features crispy battered shrimp with a sweet chili or Asian inspired sauce, served with rice or fries. It typically runs $13 to $17. Shrimp dishes carry slightly higher prices than chicken because seafood costs more, but the portion here is generous enough to satisfy. It pairs well with a side salad for a lighter feeling meal.

Chicken tenders platter

The chicken tenders platter is the safe pick that never disappoints: golden fried tenders with honey Dijon or barbecue sauce, fries, and coleslaw. It typically runs $11 to $14, making it one of the most affordable full entrees on the board. Kids and picky eaters gravitate here, but plenty of adults order it too because the value is honest.

Grilled chicken breast plates

Simple grilled chicken plates, sometimes listed as lemon chicken or herb grilled chicken, typically run $11 to $15. These are the lightest entrees in this section and the easiest to fit into a balanced dinner. They come with two sides, so loading up on broccoli and rice keeps the plate satisfying.

Steak entrees

Steak appears in several forms: sirloin plates, steak and shrimp combos, and occasional limited time cuts. A sirloin entree typically runs $16 to $21, while steak and shrimp combinations typically run $18 to $24, the highest regular prices in this section. When you study applebees entrees main dishes prices, steak is the clear premium tier, priced for date nights and celebrations rather than Tuesday dinners.

Pasta and seafood plates

Pasta dishes like chicken penne or shrimp pasta typically run $12 to $16, while seafood plates beyond shrimp, when offered, usually land between $14 and $18. The pasta and seafood entrees page has the full breakdown. These plates are filling and reheat well, which matters for the leftovers strategy below.

Best Value in Entrees and Main Dishes

If you want the most food per dollar among applebees entrees main dishes prices, start with the 2 for 20. Two entrees plus a shared appetizer at a fixed price almost always beats ordering separately, and the eligible entrees include many of the most popular plates. It is the best deal in the building for dinner.

Among regular priced entrees, chicken tenders and grilled chicken plates give you the most plate for the money. The tenders platter at $11 to $14 with fries and slaw is hard to beat for sheer volume. Pasta dishes are the sleeper value: a $12 to $16 chicken pasta plate is enormous and makes excellent next day lunch.

Riblets deserve special mention. At $14 to $18 for the full platter with two sides, the flavor and portion punch above the price. Regulars know this, which is why riblets have outlasted trendier items that came and went.

The worst value, strictly by the numbers, is ordering premium steak combos at full price with no promotion. They are delicious, but at $18 to $24 you are paying for the occasion, the one spot where applebees entrees main dishes prices stop feeling like a bargain. Save those for when the craving is real or a promotion softens the price.

How to Save on Entrees and Main Dishes

A few habits consistently lower what you pay without lowering what you enjoy. These stack with the typical ranges for applebees entrees main dishes prices above.

Start with the bundle deals

Always check the current bundle before ordering from the regular menu, because bundles rewrite applebees entrees main dishes prices in your favor. The 2 for 20 is the famous one, but Applebee’s runs rotating offers like all you can eat deals, date night bundles, and limited time platters. If your first choice entree is eligible for a bundle, take the bundle.

Join the rewards program

The Applebee’s rewards program earns credit toward free food on every visit, slowly chipping away at applebees entrees main dishes prices over time. Entrees earn at the same rate as everything else, and the points add up fast if you dine here monthly. Birthday rewards and surprise offers land in the app throughout the year.

Order lunch portions at lunch

The lunch combos serve smaller versions of dinner entrees at meaningfully lower prices, a handy back door around full applebees entrees main dishes prices. If your schedule allows a midday visit, you get the same flavors for less. This is the easiest win on the list.

Take leftovers seriously

Applebee’s entree portions are generous. Planning for leftovers effectively cuts the per meal cost of applebees entrees main dishes prices nearly in half. Pasta, chicken plates, and riblets all reheat well. Order with tomorrow’s lunch in mind and the value math changes completely.

Applebee’s Entrees Across the Day

Applebees entrees main dishes prices do not change much between lunch and dinner for the core menu, but the value equation shifts because of the lunch combos. At midday, smaller portion versions of dinner plates appear on the lunch menu at prices that typically run $3 to $5 below their evening counterparts. The chicken tenders, bourbon street chicken, and fiesta lime chicken all have lunch expressions that deliver the same flavors in slightly smaller builds.

Evening is when the full applebees entrees main dishes prices apply and when promotions do their heaviest lifting. The 2 for 20 runs during dinner hours, date night bundles appear on select evenings, and limited time platters like all you can eat riblets or endless tenders show up as evening events. If you are deciding between a lunch visit and a dinner visit for the same craving, lunch wins on pure price while dinner wins on promotion depth.

Late night brings another angle. Many Applebee’s locations stay open later than the surrounding restaurants, and the late night menu sometimes features discounted appetizers and burgers rather than entrees. Entree prices hold steady, but the bar menu discounts make a tenders platter plus a late night appetizer a reasonable budget dinner for night owls.

Weekday versus weekend pricing

The menu board does not change prices between Tuesday and Saturday, so applebees entrees main dishes prices are stable across the week. What changes is promotion availability. Weekday evenings are the most likely time to find bundle deals and limited time offers, because restaurants use them to fill tables on slower nights. Weekends lean on full price volume. A value hunter with a flexible schedule eats the same bourbon street chicken for less on a Wednesday than a Saturday, not because the menu price moved but because the promotions did.

Seasonal and limited time entrees

Several times a year, Applebee’s adds limited time entrees that temporarily reshape applebees entrees main dishes prices at the top end. These are often premium builds: a specialty steak, a loaded shrimp plate, or a collaboration style dish with extra toppings. They typically run $2 to $4 above the regular entree range, which positions them as treats rather than everyday orders. They also tend to be generous, so the per bite value is often better than the sticker suggests. When a limited time entree catches your eye, it is worth trying once; the regulars who track these releases rarely regret it.

Feeding a Family on Entrees

Families feel applebees entrees main dishes prices differently than solo diners, because the bill multiplies. The good news is that the menu is built for sharing more than it first appears. Two adults and two kids can eat very well without ordering four full entrees, and the savings are real.

The kids menu is the obvious starting point, with smaller portions at lower prices, but the smarter family play is strategic sharing. One riblets platter plus one chicken tenders platter, supplemented with an extra side or two, comfortably feeds two adults and a smaller child. The portions are generous enough that splitting does not feel like skimping. Add the 2 for 20 for the adults and a kids meal for the child, and a family of three eats dinner for roughly what two full price entrees would cost.

Side strategy matters for families watching applebees entrees main dishes prices. Ordering entrees with filling sides like mashed potatoes, rice, and fries stretches the meal further than lighter sides. Kids who fill up on fries and tenders leave the riblets for the adults, and everyone leaves happy. Doggy bags are part of the culture here; servers expect it and pack leftovers cheerfully, which stretches applebees entrees main dishes prices across two meals.

The appetizer as entree trick

Some of the bar snacks and appetizers are substantial enough to serve as a light dinner, especially when paired with a side salad. The neighborhood beef nachos or a full order of boneless wings with fries lands in the $10 to $14 range all in, which undercuts most applebees entrees main dishes prices while still feeling like a real meal. Teenagers and light eaters live in this zone quite happily.

How Applebee’s Entree Prices Compare to Competitors

Putting applebees entrees main dishes prices next to the competition shows where this chain wins. Against Chili’s, the most direct rival, Applebee’s chicken and pasta entrees typically run a dollar or two less for comparable plates, while the 2 for 20 has no exact equivalent in the Chili’s lineup. Chili’s counters with its own burger and fajita deals, but for a classic sit down chicken dinner, Applebee’s usually comes out ahead on price.

Against TGI Fridays, applebees entrees main dishes prices look even friendlier. Fridays positions itself slightly more premium, and its entree range starts higher and climbs faster. A comparable ribs or chicken plate at Fridays often costs $2 to $4 more than at Applebee’s. Against fast casual chains like Chili’s to go or Applebee’s carsidemodels, the comparison flips: fast casual skips table service and trims a few dollars, but you lose the full dinner experience.

The honest summary: for full service casual dining entrees, applebees entrees main dishes prices sit at the value end of the segment without feeling cheap. The food is familiar, the portions are generous, and the promotions are the most aggressive among the big national grill chains. Diners who care about maximizing value per dollar consistently rank Applebee’s near the top of this category, and the pricing is a big reason why.

When competitors beat Applebee’s on price

No chain wins every comparison. Local independent restaurants sometimes undercut applebees entrees main dishes prices on specific dishes, especially in markets with strong local competition. Fast food chicken chains deliver chicken based meals for several dollars less, though the experience is entirely different. And grocery store rotisserie chicken with deli sides remains the ultimate budget play for anyone willing to skip the restaurant entirely. Applebee’s wins on the combination of price, portion, service, and atmosphere, not on raw price alone.

Applebee’s Entrees and Main Dishes FAQs

What are typical applebees entrees main dishes prices?

Most full dinner entrees typically run $11 to $20 in many markets. Chicken and pasta plates sit at the lower to middle end, rib platters and seafood in the upper middle, and steak combinations at the top, typically $16 to $24. Combination plates with two proteins usually fall between $15 and $22.

Do entrees come with sides?

Yes. Most entrees include your choice of sides, commonly fries, garlic mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, coleslaw, or rice. Side swaps are usually free, so pick the sides you will actually eat. Premium side upgrades may cost extra at some locations.

What is the cheapest entree at Applebee’s?

The chicken tenders platter, typically $11 to $14, is usually the most affordable full entree. Grilled chicken plates in the same range compete for the title. For the absolute lowest dinner cost, the 2 for 20 bundle splits to an effective per person price below any single entree.

Are Applebee’s entrees a good value compared to other chains?

Yes, particularly with promotions. Looking at regular applebees entrees main dishes prices, they run slightly below comparable plates at Chili’s or TGI Fridays in many markets, and the 2 for 20 has no direct equivalent at most competitors. Without promotions, prices are competitive rather than standout.

Can I customize my entree?

Absolutely. Side swaps are free at most locations, sauces can usually be changed or served on the side, and toppings are adjustable. Added proteins like extra shrimp or chicken typically cost a few dollars. Ask your server; the kitchen is flexible.

Do entree prices include tax and tip?

No. Menu prices never include sales tax or gratuity, which vary by location. Budget roughly 20 percent above the menu price for the out the door cost of a full dinner.

Keep Exploring

Entrees are just one part of the story. Browse the full Applebee’s menu prices guide for every category, check chicken entrees or steak entrees for deeper dives, see Applebee’s happy hour for drink deals, or return to The Menu Vault homepage to explore every restaurant we cover.