8 Applebee's restaurants closed in Kansas City area, only 2 remain open

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Applebee’s, once a major player in the Kansas City-area restaurant scene, announced Wednesday that eight restaurants owned by franchisees are closed, with only two remaining in the area.

“Applebee’s restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees,” said Tony Moralejo, president of Applebee’s. “The closure of eight restaurants in the Kansas City market look to be the result of financial circumstances and decisions made by the franchisee. This situation is unfortunate, and we continue to believe the Kansas City area is a great neighborhood for Applebee’s restaurants. We are exploring options about the future of these restaurants. Two Applebee’s restaurants continue to serve our guests in the Kansas City area.”

The restaurants still open are in Blue Springs at 1100 Northwest Missouri 7 Highway and in Gladstone at 6069 Antioch Road.

KSHB 41 received an email from a former employee who woke up to this message at 6:25 a.m. — “We regret to inform you that, effective immediately, the Applebee’s location where you are employed has permanently closed. You will be paid for all hours worked through October 29, 2024, with your final paycheck issued on November 12, 2024. For more details, please visit this link.”

The former employee stated in the email that the link was blank.

They also were not offered severance pay or jobs at the remaining restaurants.

Abe Gustin and John Hamra opened their first Applebee’s franchise in Kansas City, Missouri, under the restaurant’s new name — Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar.

By 1992, the company had 100 restaurants and in 2000, Applebee’s opened its 1,000th restaurant in Aurora, Colorado, according to the company’s history on its website.

Gustin and Hamra bought the company from W.R. Grace in 1988 and it went public in 1989, according to the company’s history. The 100th restaurant opened in 1992 in Nashville.

IHOP Corp. bought the company in 2007, creating the largest full-service restaurant company in the world.

Applebee’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, California.

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