In continuing evidence that Florida nightlife outside of Miami is a sad, depressing suckfest full of streaky highlights and Ed Hardy bought at the TJ Maxx, Applebee's is the hottest new club in Central Florida. Yes, Applebee's, the suburban restaurant staple that's known for cluttering its walls with garage sale leftovers (no, not T.G.I.Fridays or Ruby Tuesdays, the other one), has unveiled a new late night promotion in which it makes itself over as Club Applebee's.
According to Ad Age, the Club Applebee's concept is now in full effect in about 100 restaurants across the country, but got its start in Central Florida, where 50 of those participating restaurants are located. The idea actually didn't stem from any executives idea, but rather the franchising group that controls Central Florida's Applebee's noticed that patrons started referring to the restaurants as Club Applebee's when they went their for late night food and drinks, because of course they would.
At about 10 p.m. Club Applebee's kicks into full effect and coincides with drink special and half-priced appetizers. Most nights have themes like kareoke, '80s night, and "even the occasional luau." These locations are open until 2 a.m. or later. There's even a website!
Ah poor Central Floridians. They're trapped in between the pull of Miami's nightlife mecca and the old fashioned South, caught somewhere in between in Florida's suburban sprawl. So, of course they'd go out and get their drink on at a franchise family restaurant and call it a club.
And of course they would party like this:
To be clear, these photos come from a YouTube video of a party inside an Applebee's in Estero, Florida, that's not part of the official Club Applebee's promotion in Central Florida, but we can't imagine it'd be much different.
And we'd really, really like to imagine that it would be different.
But perhaps we should not judge. All young people want to get drunk and party and "go out." It is not their fault they don't have that many options, and hopefully this will keep them busy so they don't get any ideas of bringing their Abercombie and ripped jeans shitshow down to Miami every once in a while for an occasional weekend.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
