Applebee
The deal hasn't changed but the cost of driving to it has, with fuel up more than 44% from a year ago Applebee's Grill + Bar/X

Applebee's launched its summer All You Can Eat deal on Sunday, offering unlimited boneless wings, riblets, and double crunch shrimp with endless fries for $15.99 (£11.77), just as the national average for a gallon of gas hit $4.52 (£3.33) and millions of American families started rethinking every trip to a restaurant.

A Fan Favourite Returns With a Familiar Price Tag

The dine-in-only promotion lets guests mix, match, and refill across three proteins with six wing sauce options ranging from Classic Buffalo to Hot Honey Glaze. Michelle Chin, Applebee's chief marketing officer, called it 'one of the best values out there' in a company statement on 11 May.

The chain is also rolling out new Poolio with Don Julio margaritas served in collectible cups and a $6 (£4.42) Long Beach Tea, a West Coast spin on the Long Island Iced Tea made with STILL G.I.N. by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

But the $15.99 sticker price tells only part of the story. The deal cost $14.99 (£11.03) in 2023 and 2024 before climbing to $15.99 in 2025, where it has held for a second year. For a family of four in suburban America, that's roughly $64 (£47.11) in food before anyone turns the ignition.

The Hidden Cost of Getting to the Table

AAA data shows the national gas average stood at $4.52 per gallon on 11 May, up more than 44% and $1.40 (£1.03) higher than a year ago. That's the highest price since August 2022. A 20-mile (32-kilometre) round trip at average fuel economy would add roughly $5 to $8 (£3.68 to £5.89) to the meal, pushing a $16 dinner closer to $22 (£16.19) before drinks or a tip.

The surge traces directly to the conflict between the US and Iran. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been suspended since early March, choking off nearly 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and refined fuel. Refiners across Europe and Asia have shifted capacity toward diesel and jet fuel over gasoline, and US gas inventories have dropped for 11 consecutive weeks heading into peak summer demand.

Why Value Dining Still Matters

A recent Advance America survey found that 41% of Americans would cut eating out or takeaway first when fuel costs rise. Separate Statista data from March showed lower-income households reduced their real gas consumption by 7% even as their fuel spending climbed 13%.

That pressure is exactly where Applebee's is positioning itself. The chain operates roughly 1,498 restaurants across the US and 17 countries through parent company Dine Brands Global, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange. An unlimited protein deal under $16 still beats most sit-down competitors on a per-plate basis.

The Bigger Picture for Working Families

Three unlimited proteins with endless fries would cost far more at almost any other casual dining chain. On paper, the All You Can Eat promotion is one of the strongest deals in American dining right now.

But value doesn't exist in a vacuum. The average American family has absorbed an estimated $284 (£209) in extra fuel costs since February. Driving 10 miles (16 kilometres) each way for unlimited wings now costs more in gas than a gallon of milk.

For millions of working families, the Applebee's deal is one of the last affordable indulgences left. The question isn't whether $15.99 is cheap for unlimited food. It is. The question is whether the $5 to $8 it takes to get there has already changed the math.

The promotion is available for a limited time at participating locations.

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