Preview: Change on the Menu

After two years of sluggish sales, Applebee’s Grill & Bar recently unveiled a series of television ads featuring its old signature tagline: “Eatin’ good in the neighborhood.” But reintroducing the well-known slogan isn’t the only change happening at Applebee’s and its parent company, Glendale-based Dine Brands Global Inc., which also owns IHOP. As part of a broader rebranding effort, the company changed its name from DineEquity Inc. last month and announced a detailed plan to invest in its two restaurant chains and return to growth. “We are a company in transition,” said Dine Brands Chief Executive Steve Joyce, during a conference call with investors last month. “The new name Dine Brands reflects a shift in our culture, our way of thinking and a new strategy.” Read the full story in the March 19 issue of the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.