After 30 years, Applebee's, Elk Grove's oldest casual national chain gets facelift

To the best of my knowledge, the Applebee's on East Stockton Boulevard is Elk Grove's oldest national casual dining chain. Opening in either 1993 or 94, Applebee's landed in Elk Grove before Chili's, TGI Fridays, Outback, Island Burgers, Sizzler, BJ's,  Mimi's, and Logans Steakhouse and has survived while others have closed. 

On Monday, the restaurant closed for interior and exterior remodeling. A drive-by this evening revealed that work was still going on. Speaking with the remodel foreman, I was told work is being done around the clock.

The plan is to complete work by late Thursday and reopen by Friday.

Like other national chains, Applebee's is operating in a challenging environment. Recently, the Glendale, Calif.-based company announced that 25 to 35  stores will close this year, leaving the company with over 1,600 outlets worldwide.

Given that the Elk Grove store is being remodeled, Applebee's should maintain its local presence for years to come.