UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 Current Report




                PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
                              EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)       August 7, 2001
                                                --------------------------------

Commission File Number:    000-17962


                         Applebee's International, Inc.
              ----------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            Delaware                                      43-1461763
  ----------------------------              ------------------------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of           (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
   incorporation or organization)

          4551 W. 107th Street, Suite 100, Overland Park, Kansas 66207
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                                 (913) 967-4000
              ----------------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                      None
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


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Item 5.           Other Events

On August 7, 2001, Applebee's International, Inc. (the "Company") issued a press
release entitled "Applebee's Names Kurt Hankins VP of Research and Development."
The press release is attached below.



                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:
Media Relations:    Cathie Koch,
                    913-967-8974

Investor Relations: Carol DiRaimo,
                    913-967-4109

           Applebee's Names Kurt Hankins VP of Research & Development

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  August  7,  2001  --  Applebee's   International,   Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB) announced today that Kurt Hankins will join the company later this
month as Vice President of Research & Development.

Hankins  has 21  years  of  industry  experience,  including  17  years  of food
development  and culinary  management  experience in the casual dining  segment.
Over the last eleven years, he served in progressively more responsible food and
beverage positions with Red Lobster and most recently was Vice President of Food
& Beverage,  their top culinary position.  In addition,  Hankins has franchising
experience having served in a variety of food and beverage  positions during his
ten-year  tenure with  Chi-Chi's,  Inc.  Hankins  will  report to the  company's
recently appointed Chief Marketing Officer, John Cywinski.

"Kurt is an excellent  addition to the Applebee's  management  team," said Lloyd
Hill,  Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer.  "His depth of  experience in all
aspects of food and menu development is a tremendous  resource for this critical
position.  Kurt's strategic thinking,  operations focus and menu creativity will
be invaluable  in continuing to execute on our core  strategies of enhancing the
food quality, menu appeal and brand positioning of the Applebee's concept."

John Cywinski said,  "Kurt's balanced approach to meeting the needs of the guest
as well as his keen operations sense and collaborative style will serve him well
in his new  position.  I look forward to  partnering  with Kurt in the continued
evolution of the Applebee's brand."

Applebee's International,  Inc., headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., currently
develops,  franchises and operates restaurants under the Applebee's Neighborhood
Grill and Bar brand,  the largest casual dining concept in the world.  There are
currently 1,341 Applebee's  restaurants  operating  system-wide in 49 states and
eight   international   countries.    Additional   information   on   Applebee's
International  can  be  found  at  the  company's  website  (www.applebees.com).


                                      # # #




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                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                              APPLEBEE'S INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                                              (Registrant)


Date:    August 7, 2001                    By:  /s/  George D. Shadid
         ---------------------                 ---------------------
                                               George D. Shadid
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



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