Applebee’s adds regional burger line
Applebee’s has joined in on the regional burger craze with its new line of Realburgers from Across America.
The three new hamburgers — the Philly Burger, the Southwest Jalapeño Burger and the Cowboy Burger — are an extension of the Realburgers line the 2,002-unit casual-dining chain launched last year, promoting them as made from scratch with 100 percent ground chuck.
The Philly Burger is topped with sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms and cheddar cheese sauce and served on a toasted hoagie roll.
The Southwest Jalapeño Burger is flavored with habanero-jack cheese, chipotle mayo and candied jalapeño peppers.
The Cowboy Burger is topped with fried, breaded onion strings, applewood-smoked bacon and barbecue sauce.
The new sandwiches join the quesadilla burger, bacon cheddar cheeseburger, steakhouse burger and fire pit bacon burger that were introduced last year.
Applebee’s announcement follows the launch last week of six “Glamburgers” by 148-unit Cheesecake Factory, featuring regional tastes, including a Memphis burger topped with barbecued pork and a Sonoma burger with herbed goat cheese, oven-roasted tomatoes, arugula and red onion.
That launch came a week after the 280-unit Johnny Rockets added The Houston, topped with jalapeno peppers, to its menu, joining The St. Louis, which has applewood-smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, grilled onions, pickles, lettuce and “St. Louis sauce” made with soybean oil, Dijon mustard, Tabasco, egg yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, corn syrup, salt and spices.
