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)       December 14, 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)


                                       1





Item 5.           Other Events

On December 14, 2001,  Applebee's  International,  Inc. (the "Company") issued a
press release  entitled  "Applebee's  International  Declares  Increased  Annual
Dividend." The press release contained the following information.





                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Carol DiRaimo,
         Director of Investor Relations
         (913) 967-4109


                        APPLEBEE'S INTERNATIONAL DECLARES
                            INCREASED ANNUAL DIVIDEND

Overland  Park,  Kan.,  December  14,  2001 --  Applebee's  International,  Inc.
(Nasdaq:APPB) has declared an annual dividend of 8 cents per share. The dividend
is payable  January 29, 2002, to shareholders of record as of December 26, 2001.
This is the company's  twelfth  consecutive  annual  dividend and  represents an
increase of 9 percent over last year's  dividend of 7 cents per share  (adjusted
for a three-for-two stock split in June 2001).

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 1,390 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).


                                      # # #



                                       2



                                   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:    December 14, 2001                By: /s/  George D. Shadid
         ---------------------                 ---------------------
                                               George D. Shadid
                                               Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



                                       3