This Is The Song In Applebee's New Fancy Like Commercial
It's no secret that most restaurants struggled to cope with the loss of clientele that they experienced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This loss of sales was especially felt by large national chains like Applebee's. Though the chain had maintained a national presence since it first opened its doors in 1980, by 2017, the chain had closed 99 locations with plans to close even more in the future, according to Business Insider. While it seemed like the end for Applebee's, the chain managed to climb out of near financial ruin the following year.
In July of 2020, however, it appeared as though Applebee's was struggling yet again to keep its head above water. At the end of that month, sales at Applebee's locations fell 18.4%, while the sales of their fellow Dine Brands Global restaurant, IHOP, fell 37.6%, per USA Today. Despite these dismal numbers, Dine Brands Global CEO Steve Joyce remained optimistic about the future of Applebee's. "We remain optimistic about the overall marked improvement in industry sales and traffic data since April, and are confident in our long-term strategy and ability to quickly adapt to the ever-changing industry landscape," Joyce said in a statement published by USA Today.
One year later, a song might just be the saving grace that the restaurant chain needed.
A song has transformed Applebee's fate
Back in June, country singer Walker Hayes released "Fancy Like," which quickly launched to the top of the Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The song features a nod to Applebee's and their Bourbon Street steak and Oreo shake. "We fancy like Applebee's on a date night, got that Bourbon Street steak with the Oreo shake," Hayes' sings in the song, according to Business Insider. "Fancy Like" soon became a Tik Tok sensation, leading hundreds of thousands of users to post videos of themselves dancing in front of their local Applebee's. Hayes told USA Today that he was inspired to write the song since the Applebee's in Mobile, Alabama, was the location of one of his first dates with his wife.
Hayes' song appears in a brand new commercial created by Applebee's. According to Business Insider, Applebee's saw a 102% boost in sales last quarter, as compared to last year. However, aside from possibly bringing the chain back from the brink of financial issues, Hayes' song led to Applebee's bringing back their famous Oreo Cookie Shake after cutting the item as sales plummeted during the pandemic. "I think it's going to be pretty funny and cute when I take my grandson or granddaughter to Applebee's and can tell them I brought the Oreo shake back," Hayes said told USA Today. "Applebee's is a restaurant I care about and a part of my love story."