Dive Brief:
- Applebee’s hired Jerrold Wong and Michelle Chin as chief operations officer and chief marketing officer, respectively, according to a Monday press release.
- Wong will assume charge of the brand’s operations on Sept. 15, while Chin will join on Sept. 2, according to the press release.
- The appointments are meant to accelerate parent company Dine Brands’ efforts to “enhance the guest experience and attract the next generation of loyal Applebee’s fans,” Dine Brands CEO John Peyton said in the press release. The hires follow a surprisingly successful quarter for the casual dining brand, which returned to traffic and same-store sales growth in Q2 2025 on the strength of its value promotions.
Dive Insight:
Both executives bring significant experience to Applebee’s, which lost its CMO to Burger King earlier this year.
Wong brings operations experience from the hotel industry, according to the press release, where he “scaled global teams and led transformations” at brands like Four Seasons, Starwood/Marriott Hotels and Exclusive Resorts.
As COO of the casual dining brand, Wong will be responsible for “driving consistency, accelerating growth, and working closely with his team and franchisees to elevate restaurant performance.”
Wong’s job duties may also include overseeing the integration of new premium and value-oriented menu items into the brand’s operations. Applebee’s is looking to value plays, like its Two-for-$25 offer, and new entrees like Bourbon Street pasta and Sizzlin’ Skillets and Steak, to extend its sales growth. Those menu additions could complicate operations for the brand by introducing new SKUs and processes. But Peyton said on Dine’s most recent earnings call that Applebee’s has a rigorous process for working new dishes into its operations.
“We test them in our corporate kitchen. We test them with our franchisees before they roll out broadly,” Peyton said. “All of the operations shakedown and whatever challenges there might be are worked out before we roll.”
Value-based marketing will likely remain key to Applebee’s strategy under Chin, who has significant marketing experience with consumer brands like Starbucks, Godiva and Unilever, according to the press release.
Over the last year, Applebee’s has strengthened its in-house marketing team and expanded its reach on social media, Peyton said on the earnings call. These moves have increased engagement and made the brand a more agile marketer, Peyton said.
“In just the past three months, our engagement numbers are multiplying,” Peyton said. “On Tik Tok, video views have increased over 500%, user reach has grown 760% and likes have climbed nearly 1,000%. Across X and Meta, we're seeing 215% increase in engagement.”
