Applebee’s is one of those restaurant chains that almost every American has been to at least once in their lives. It’s a classic and you can never go wrong with those, can you? Well, everything was about to be turned upside down for the restaurant chain when the pandemic hit. However, with a little help from none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, things started to look up for Applebee’s.
The hospitality industry was probably one of the industries that suffered the most during the unfortunate few years. With restaurants, bars, hotels and so on shut down, there was a dark cloud looming over the future of Applebee’s. However, now that we are pretty much out of the ordeal, the sun is shining brighter than ever on the restaurant chain and The Rock’s helping hand might have something to do with it.
How The Rock’s Tequila Saved Applebee’s
Dwayne Johnson launched his tequila company “Teremana Tequila” in March 2020, when the pandemic was just beginning. With the spirit of taking care of people and the earth, Johnson began the company after years of hard work. A message from the founder himself on the company’s website reads,
“After years of hard work, this is truly a dream come true. My team and I are commited to bringing you the highest quality tequila because quality, the people, the land and legacy are what matter most.”
To spread the word about his tequila company, The Rock set out to strike a deal with Applebee’s which is already quite an established brand. Since opportunities like these are quite rare, the restaurant chain didn’t want to let it go and the deal was made. The deal allowed Applebee’s to use Teremana Tequila in their special and exclusive Mana Margaritas which come in flavors, Strawberry, Coconut, and Blue Aloha.
Taking things to the next level and presenting margaritas in a different way, Applebee’s and Johnson added a tropical, Polynesian touch to the drinks. While the Strawberry Coconut Margarita flaunts Malibu coconuts, strawberries, and limes, the Blue Aloha Margarita is mixed with blue curacao, pineapple juice, and limes. Thanks to The Rock, the country found a drink perfect for the hot weather!
Applebee’s Finds Another Savior in Walker Hayes
Mashed released a list that talked about the restaurant chains that were most likely to get a permanent lock on the door due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, Applebee’s received a heartbreaking mention on the list. However, things soon took a positive turn for the chain when Walker Hayes, a country artist, released his song Fancy Like on June 4, 2021. The lyrics had an honorable mention of Applebee’s which goes like this,
“We fancy like Applebee’s on a date night, Got the Bourbon street steak with the Oreo shake…”
On top of the free publicity for Applebee’s, the song also inspired hundreds of thousands of TikTok videos with some receiving more than a million views as revealed by Business Insider. Thanks to this, sales skyrocketed increasing by 102% as compared to the previous year. The fact that these sales were made despite the chain having lesser locations than before just goes on to say that the power of music and social media can never be overlooked!
Don’t mind us, we’re just going to sip on some Mana Margaritas while we groove to Fancy Like!
Fancy Like by Walker Hayes is available to stream on Spotify.
Source: CheatSheet
