Applebee's Date Night Subscription Passes Sell Out in Record Time

Applebee's, a popular restaurant chain, recently launched an exclusive "date night" subscription service, offering a limited number of passes for 52 weekly meals. Priced at $200, these passes were made available on Monday at 12 p.m. Eastern and sold out within just one minute, according to a spokesperson who spoke with CBS MoneyWatch. The subscription, valid from Feb. 1 through Jan. 31, 2025, covers $30 worth of food and beverages per date, excluding alcoholic drinks.

The exact number of passes released remains undisclosed, but the demand significantly exceeded Applebee's expectations. Interested customers could purchase these subscriptions exclusively on the company's website, as they were not available for in-store purchase.

The total value of each card is over $1,500, providing substantial savings for regular patrons. If used every week for a year, pass holders could save approximately $1,360 annually. However, the pass is not valid at 16 Applebee's locations in the U.S., including certain restaurants in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, among others.

Applebee's operates over 1,500 restaurants globally across 11 countries and territories. Earlier this year, the chain brought back its all-you-can-eat promotions for boneless wings, "riblets," and shrimp, all under $15, which the date night pass would cover. This initiative aligns with Applebee's observation of increased spending on dates in the U.S.

A study cited in the promotion's announcement noted that since 2013, the typical cost of dating has risen by 40% to $1,560 per person annually. Additionally, government labor data from 2022 indicated a more than 20% increase in spending on food outside the home, primarily in restaurants. Cooking at home for romantic occasions has also become more expensive, with an 8.4% rise in spending on home food in the same year.