So one of my friends invited me out to dinner tonight to Applebees. I thought.."GREAT! I know they have a Weight Watchers menu" So I just went online to see what my options are. They have their new "Under 550 calories menu" and only have a few Weight Watchers items left. That would be fine if I could find nutrition information on any of their food items. They don't provide any other information than calories for their "Under 550 menu" (and points for the few lonely items). I'm concerned that these items are loaded with fat and most of all sodium.

What makes me REALLY frustrated though is that I read their page on "social responsibility" and how they brag about "Caring about Animals"...umm how about caring about the health of the people who keep you in business?

I'm thinking I will go for their 6 point Paradise Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken instead of "blackened" chicken (I'm thinking it might be better in sodium) and the dressing on the side. Any other suggestions?

When I see things like that I always remind myself that the commercials are intended to sell me something. If it helps me, its a coincidence.

I went a restaurant a few weeks ago and was amused at the light options. They seemed awful. I noticed that they had much healthier and lower calorie meal options in other areas of the menu. I ordered the vegetable soup and side salad (no cheese or bread, light vinaigrete dressing) for less than 300 cals. (I researched before I went.) So, look around some more at those menus and see if there are items that are just naturally low in calories.

That's why every state needs laws like the new California law. If a restaurant has more than 10 or so restaurants open, they have to, by law, provide all nutrition information.

That being said, I think you can ask them for a full list of nutrition info.

And, I think they have all of that information on their website.

They don't have any nutrition information on their website...this is what it says in the "FAQs" online:

"Where can I get nutritional information on Applebee's® items?"
"We provide Weight Watchers Points® values on all of our Weight Watchers® items. We do not provide nutritional information on other Applebee's® items, except where required by law."

I wonder if they have that information on hand at the restaurant AND if they will be willing to share with me when I get there? hmmm

On their "under 550" items, I tried the asiago peppercorn steak the other night, it was absolutely delicious. It came with a big serving of mixed veggies and some herbed potatoes that didn't appear to have much in the way of butter or oil. It was a lot better that i thought it would be. Sorry i cant help with the points thing, but i do think the 550 cal menu is worth checking out.

I do wish they would have all the information on the under 550 calorie items. I did try the weight watchers steak and mushrooms with veggies and it was so dang good!!! But I think all resturants could do a whole heck of a lot better than they do now.

I love the new pineapple chicken salad!!! It is delish!!

I had the Shrimp pasta there the other day (diablo or something close) and it was 10 points. Decent portions, spicy and yummy. That had the highest calorie count at something like 450 calories and i think 12grams fat(please don't use that as a measurement, i'm having trouble remembering numbers).
I'm like 90% sure the Grilled shrimp and island rice was just about three hundred calories.

I'm in california, so i didn't realize that they didn't post more information online. when i was there, there was a nutrition booklet in the center of their dessert and drink menu. next time i go, i'll write down the info.

I'm about to leave for the day but just wanted to thank you all for your input. It really does help A LOT. I'm thinking I will either go for that salad or the steak....we'll see how I feel.

i also tried the asiago peppercorn steak and it was pretty tasty- but we had scant portions of veggies and they tasted like they were doused in margarine. bleck! guess it depends on which one you go to though.

don't think i'd go there again because all of thier under 550 calorie items just weren't that appetizing to me. rather just make a steak at home and veggies without any slimy margarine on it.

You're kidding???!!!

So I looked and I guess the nutritional information is ONLY available in California! What a crock!

Wow, I live in CA and I guess I didn't realize the info wasn't available everywhere. Some of the restaurants have been a huge eye opener! Many meals have more than you should eat all day caloriewise.

Maybe those of us who live here can help you, just post questions and we'll try and research it when we are there. (curiously, everywhere I look I see fat people, so I'm not sure everybody is taking advantage of the new information - most people don't want to know, including me until recently)

Yeah, like Olive Garden?

I would also write to your state Senators and legislators and say what a great idea California's law is, and how you're trying to be more health-conscious, etc, etc, and how you would love to be able to choose a healthy option without guessing, and to see the nutrition information at your table (in California, it HAS to be at every table). You'd be so surprised at Denny's. It makes me never want to eat there again, and at Olive Garden, now it's standard without question to split something. And only eat there if you havent' eaten that much that day.

Applebee's used to have their nutrition info listed online but they took it down because they claimed it was making them lose business.

I also tried finding nutrition infor for applebees. I ended up ordering a WW chicken sandwhich which I ended up not eating. It was really bland. Next time I will try one of ones under 550 and guess at the points. It is so frusterating to not be able to access the info ahead of time.