31 Applebee’s Feedback Survey Questions to Boost Guest Insights

Net Promoter Score (NPS) Survey

The Power Behind NPS

Think of the Net Promoter Score as the “Would you text your bestie about this place?” index. NPS asks guests to rate, on a scale of 0 to 10, how likely they are to recommend Applebee’s to others. This online-dating-style question turns lukewarm guests into goldmines of insight—why aren’t they shouting your praises, and how can you convert them?

NPS isn’t just about bragging rights. It pinpoints brand advocates and detractors, so Applebee’s marketing and operations teams know if loyalty is trending up or down.

Why & When to Use NPS

For casual dining, pulsing NPS surveys monthly or quarterly is the bomb. Applebee’s also works NPS questions into touchpoints:

• After loyalty program milestones
  
• Post-special event or promotional menu launches
  
• Following app downloads or major user feature updates
  

Tracking brand advocacy leads to more word-of-mouth and more butts in seats—something every franchise loves.

Sample Applebee’s NPS Questions

1. How likely are you to recommend Applebee’s to friends or family?
   
2. What is the primary reason for your score?
   
3. How likely are you to recommend our Carside To Go service?
   
4. Would you advocate for our 2-for-$25 menu value?
   
5. On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to download and recommend the Applebee’s app?
   

These NPS prompts are all about measuring loyalty in simple, scorable ways, while open-ended follow-ups help decode the “why” behind every rating.

Applebee's Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) is -35, with 25% of employees as promoters and 60% as detractors. (comparably.com)

Post-Dining Experience (Receipt-Based) Survey

How Receipt-Based Surveys Work

You finished your meal, paid your bill, and your receipt has a special 15-digit code on it. This is Applebee’s way of saying, “Care to spill the tea on your dinner?” These receipt-based surveys are Applebee’s bread and butter for transaction-linked feedback.

It’s also a win-win. You give honest opinions about tonight’s experience, and Applebee’s often rewards you with a coupon or discount for your next visit. It’s hard to say no when there’s potential free mozzarella sticks involved.

Why & When to Use Post-Dining Surveys

Receipt-based surveys are super timely—sent or accessed when the meal is freshest in your mind. This approach:

• Maximizes accurate recall
  
• Incentivizes repeat visits with guest return coupons
  
• Ties feedback directly to a transaction and server
  

You can expect to see these surveys right after dining, during checkout, or as a follow-up email if you opted-in for digital receipts.

Sample Applebee’s Post-Dining Survey Questions

1. Please enter the 15-digit survey code on your receipt.
   
2. Which menu item did you order as your main course?
   
3. Was your meal served within 15 minutes of ordering?
   
4. Did your server suggest a dessert or appetizer?
   
5. How likely are you to return within the next 30 days?
   

Receipt-based feedback means Applebee’s gets real, actionable data that’s always tied to a specific visit, making it easier for managers to follow up or reward guests.

Online Ordering & Delivery Feedback Survey

Digital Experience Matters

Forget waiting in the lobby—for many, Applebee’s comes in a brown bag at their door. Online ordering and delivery feedback surveys tackle the complexities of digital dining. Was the order easy? Did your food survive the journey? Was it still piping hot?

These surveys are crucial because the delivery experience makes or breaks customer loyalty, often outside the direct control of the restaurant staff.

Why & When to Use Online & Delivery Surveys

Surveys ping your inbox or phone within an hour or two of receiving your order. This quick turnaround:

• Catches opinions before the memory fades
  
• Highlights issues unique to the digital process
  
• Captures both direct (Applebee’s own drivers) and third-party (DoorDash, Uber Eats) feedback
  

Digital feedback helps Applebee’s nail down what’s working, from seamless checkout flows to secure, spill-proof packaging.

Sample Online Ordering & Delivery Feedback Questions

1. Was your online order easy to place and customize?
   
2. Did the delivered food arrive at the promised temperature?
   
3. Rate the accuracy of your delivery order.
   
4. How satisfied are you with delivery packaging quality?
   
5. What could we improve about our online ordering experience?
   

These questions pinpoint specific digital touchpoints, helping Applebee’s tighten up tech and teamwork so every bag of fries feels like a personal delivery from Chef Applebee themself.

Applebee's To Go accounted for 24% of sales in the third quarter, highlighting the significant role of off-premises dining in the company's revenue. (nrn.com)

Service Recovery or Complaint Resolution Survey

Resolving Rough Patches

No one’s perfect. When things go sideways—a wrong entrée, cold fries, or a missing order—Applebee’s jumps into action. Their service recovery surveys gauge whether the solution actually smoothed ruffled feathers.

Sent after a resolution (usually 24 to 72 hours later), these surveys offer customers a chance to reflect honestly, instead of reacting in the heat of the moment. It’s like the final handshake after a friendly fix.

Why & When to Use Service Recovery Surveys

These special surveys are sent to anyone who’s reported a problem and gotten a response. They help Applebee’s:

• Track how well issues are resolved by staff
  
• Identify patterns for future improvement
  
• Make sure guests feel valued—even when things went awry
  

Measuring post-resolution satisfaction keeps guests in the loop and puts a positive spin on customer care.

Sample Service Recovery Survey Questions

1. How effectively was your concern addressed?
   
2. How satisfied are you with the speed of our response?
   
3. Did our proposed solution meet your expectations?
   
4. How likely are you to continue dining at Applebee’s?
   
5. What else could we have done to improve this experience?
   

This feedback lets Applebee’s fine-tune complaint resolution processes, transforming unhappy guests into comeback champions.

Employee Interaction & Hospitality Survey

Spotlight on Team Applebee’s

Let’s face it—good food tastes better with great people serving it. Employee interaction and hospitality surveys measure the warmth, professionalism, and menu-smarts of the Applebee’s crew. Did your server make you laugh? Did the bartender remember your favorite drink?

Sent quarterly or linked to your server’s table code, these surveys reveal who goes above and beyond, and where more training or encouragement might be needed.

Why & When to Use Hospitality Surveys

These are rolled out:

• Every few months (for ongoing trends)
  
• When guests mention specific staff during feedback
  
• After team-led special events or training updates
  

Measuring friendliness and knowledge is key to keeping hospitality legendary.

Sample Employee Interaction & Hospitality Survey Questions

1. Did your server greet you within 2 minutes of seating?
   
2. How knowledgeable was the staff about menu items?
   
3. Rate the courtesy and friendliness of your bartender.
   
4. Did any team member exceed your expectations today?
   
5. What suggestions do you have to improve our hospitality?
   

By highlighting staff’s personal touch, Applebee’s can recognize rising stars—and give everyone else some fun goals to shoot for.

Seasonal or Limited-Time Menu Feedback Survey

Tasting the Trends

Craving a ‘Dollarita’ or a pumpkin-spice burger? Applebee’s loves to test new waters with seasonal and limited-time menus, then scoop up feedback fast. Did the holiday platter wow you? Would you pay full price if the new dish stuck around?

These quick-hit surveys focus on specific menu promos, giving marketing teams and chefs the lowdown on taste, value, and buzz.

Why & When to Use Seasonal Feedback

Applebee’s launches these surveys:

• During the run of a special or right after it ends
  
• To guests who ordered the relevant promo item
  
• Via app or email to loyalty members who tried something new
  

Fast feedback helps ditch duds and keep the crowd favorites on the permanent menu.

Sample Seasonal Menu Feedback Questions

1. Which limited-time item did you try during this visit?
   
2. How would you rate its taste compared with your regular favorite?
   
3. Was the promotional price point appealing?
   
4. Would you order this item again if it became permanent?
   
5. What new flavor profiles would you like to see in future promotions?
   

With these questions, Applebee’s gets a taste of customer cravings and real-time suggestions for their next big flavor experiment.

Best Practices: Dos & Don’ts for Crafting Applebee’s Survey Questions

Smart Survey Habits

Just like assembling the Ultimate Sampler, crafting great survey questions is all about balance and taste. Here’s what Applebee’s (and any savvy chain) should do to keep feedback flowing and meaningful:

Do: * Keep surveys short and sweet—nobody wants a quiz marathon!
* Mix scaled (multiple choice) and open-ended questions for juicy insights
* Personalize questions by location or visit type
* Dangle incentives guests actually want, like dessert or discounts
* Try A/B testing subject lines or survey timing for higher completion rates

These best practices maximize response and enjoyment for everyone.

Don’t: * Use language that leads guests to the “right” answer
* Ask for private details like home addresses unless absolutely necessary
* Require every single field to be filled (nobody likes homework)
* Skip mobile optimization—thumbs rule
* Wait so long to send surveys that the meal is a distant memory

Avoiding these pitfalls means guests will see surveys as a quick chat, not a chore.

When it comes to feedback, Applebee’s knows variety is the spice of insight. By tailoring surveys to every stage of the guest journey, from order to complaint resolution, they keep both data and diners fresh. Smart questions, fun incentives, and lightning-fast timing help guests feel heard—sometimes before their plates even go cold. And that’s what keeps Applebee’s fans raving, recommending, and returning for just one more round of those famous appetizers.