Applebee's Just Brought Back Its Halloween Cocktail Classics

Applebee's has been offering cheap cocktail deals for some time now. In October 2017, the casual dining chain introduced $1 cocktails called Dollaritas, and the success was so great that it was followed up with $1 Long Island Iced Teas months later (per Eater). Following the cocktail promotions, the usually slow lobby was full of guests waiting for tables, and cocktails were being mixed in massive batches to keep up with demand. According to CNBC, sales grew 7.7% in 2018's third-quarter, which beat out the rest of the industry. "The beverage program is important to us," president John Cywinski said. "Half of our growth is dine-in and a good chunk of that is beverage driven."

Another way the company promotes its beverages is by branding them for specific holidays and seasons. In December 2020, Applebee's rolled out $5 Sleigh Bell Sips just in time for Christmas (per Taste of Home). The beverages included Reindeer Punch and The Berry Merry Colada. The company has also been known to celebrate Halloween — and this year is no exception.

A scary good deal

For the month of October, Applebee's will be serving up special Halloween cocktails for $6 (via Business Wire). Beverages include the Tipsy Zombie — a blend of pineapple, cherry, lime, and passionfruit mixed with Bacardi Superior and topped with melon liqueur and a gummy brain — and Dracula's Juice — a frozen drink made with Patron Silver and Bacardi Superior and a berry flavor. The beverages will be served in a large Mucho glass. "Getting in on the Halloween fun is just another reason for our guests to visit their neighborhood Applebee's bar," Patrick Kirk, vice president of Applebee's beverage innovation, said.

When a Reddit user shared the news of Applebee's Halloween beverages in 2020, the comments were full of excited patrons. "I tried the green one and it was pretty good," one comment read. Another user wrote, "[Our location] has $1 Long Islands and these two Halloween drinks. We tried the green one."

According to the press release, some Applebee's locations are offering the spooky beverages to go. Make sure to call ahead to see if your local store is participating.