Applebee’s has had a pretty flashy 2026 so far. The restaurant chain turned heads at the start of the year when it debuted its O-M-Cheese Burger, which promptly went viral for reasons that aren’t hard to identify: This sandwich arrives at your table in a lake of melted cheese, people.
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Well, now, Applebee’s is doubling down on that burger and debuting a bunch of new menu items to boot. Want a look at everything that’s going on there? We’ve got the breakdown for you.
Applebee’s New Menu Items
The Revamped O-M-Cheese Burger
Okay, so this technically isn’t a new one – but Applebee’s is amping it up. The restaurant has announced that going forward, it’ll be even cheesier, with extra queso and melted cheese on each plate.
The O-M-Cheese is served with classic fries and is priced at $11.99, but for a limited time only, you can grab it with a Fiesta Lime Chicken, plus an app or two side salads, for $25. Bear in mind, though, that the O-M-Cheese remains a limited edition item, so it might not stick around for long, despite the extra cheese now weighing it down.
Loaded Potato Waves
Crispy thick-cut slices of potato, covered in a combination of melted cheddar cheese and applewood-smoked bacon. Oh, and served with ranch. This one is basically a twist on loaded fries, and we’re here for it.
Sesame Salmon Bowl
Seared blackened salmon is served over cilantro rice, and with a sweet sesame salad as an accompaniment. It comes topped with avocado cucumber salsa, almonds, and cilantro, for some extra freshness.
Lemon Parmesan Chicken
A hand-breaded chicken breast is topped with a lemon garlic parmesan sauce and served with garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned broccoli. Applebee’s calls this one “comfort food done right” in its press release for these items. We love comfort food. We love things being done right.
California Grilled Chicken Salad
The first of Applebee’s’ new salads, the California Grilled Chicken Salad is a combo of grilled chicken, avocado cucumber salsa, tomatoes, crispy Applewood-smoked bacon, and shaved Parmesan cheese. These are all piled on mixed greens tossed in lite Italian dressing and drizzled with a balsamic glaze.
Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad
The second of Applebee’s’ new salads, this one’s got fresh greens, garden tomatoes, and red onions, tossed in a lite Italian dressing. The veggies are then adorned with grilled chicken, sliced almonds, fresh strawberries, and a balsamic glaze.
Mucho Beach Break Sips
Applebee’s is bringing the coast to your table with its new Mucho Beach Break Sips (which it’s brought out to mark Spring Break and 25 years of its Mucho cocktails). The new drinks are:
- Adiós – A blue Long Island Iced Tea, with Smirnoff vodka, Bacardi superior rum, Still G.I.N (which is a very real gin from Snoop and Dre, which we’ve tried – and it’s pretty good!), blue curacao, premium lemon sour, and lemon-lime soda.
- Watermelon Mana Margarita – Applebee’s is doubling down on its celebrity-made liquors with this marg, using The Rock’s Teremana Tequila Blanco, triple sec, watermelon, and lime. You can also spice this one up with a Tajín rim and some extra jalapeño.
Both Mucho Beach Break Sips start at $6, but you can also opt for its Vibe Drop option, which basically allows you to upgrade your drink with top-shelf booze like Patron Silver, Don Julio Reposado, or Grey Goose.
Refreshers
And finally, Applebee’s is debuting two new non-alcoholic refreshers: Its Prickly Melon Rush (Red Bull Watermelon, prickly pear, lime juice and lemon lime soda) and Watermelon Lime Rush (Red Bull Watermelon, strawberry, lime, and lemon lime soda). These are gonna be sweet, sharp, and sippable.
This new menu’s available right now, people — so get yourself down to Applebee’s.
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