Honestly, the casual dining world has been a bit of a soap opera lately. Between inflation-weary customers and the constant "value wars," brands like Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar are fighting tooth and nail for every single appetizer order. That’s exactly why the recent Applebee's CMO COO hires aren’t just typical corporate musical chairs. It’s a full-on strategic pivot.
In late August 2025, Applebee's (owned by Dine Brands) dropped a double-whammy announcement. They brought in Michelle Chin as the new Chief Marketing Officer and Jerrold "Jay" Wong as the Chief Operations Officer. This happened right on the heels of the brand finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel with positive traffic and sales growth in Q2 2025.
If you've been following the industry, you know Applebee’s had a bit of a leadership vacuum to fill. Their previous CMO, Joel Yashinsky, jumped ship for Burger King earlier in the year, and their former COO, Kevin Carroll, headed over to Qdoba. These aren't just names on a door; they are the architects of what you see on your plate and on your TikTok feed.
The Starbucks Factor: Michelle Chin’s Marketing Playbook
Michelle Chin started her role as CMO on September 2, 2025. She isn't some random hire; she’s a heavy hitter with nine years at Starbucks under her belt. If you’re trying to figure out how to make a legacy brand feel "cool" again for Gen Z while keeping the "Neighborhood" vibe for the regulars, you hire someone who has lived and breathed the Starbucks ecosystem.
She’s also clocked time at Godiva and Unilever. Basically, she knows how to sell a "feeling" as much as a product.
For Applebee's, Chin is taking over a marketing engine that is already revving high. Before she even sat down in her new chair, the brand was seeing insane social media growth. We’re talking:
- TikTok video views up over 500%.
- User reach growing by 760%.
- Likes climbing nearly 1,000%.
The goal here is clear. Applebee's wants to be "top of mind and top of table." They aren't just selling $1 Margaritas anymore; they are trying to embed themselves back into the cultural conversation. Chin is tasked with leading national advertising, digital strategy, and—crucially—menu innovation. You’ve likely already seen the results of this "agile" approach with their NFL partnerships and the "Ultimate Trio" campaigns featuring Dan Campbell and C.J. Stroud.
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Jay Wong and the Hospitality "Shake-up"
Then you’ve got Jay Wong, who officially took the COO reigns on September 15, 2025. This is where the story gets interesting. Instead of grabbing a veteran from another burger or taco chain, Applebee's went the hospitality route.
Wong comes from a background of high-end service: Four Seasons, Starwood/Marriott, and Exclusive Resorts.
Why does a "neighborhood grill" need a guy who knows how five-star hotels run? It’s because the "guest experience" in casual dining has become incredibly messy. With the rise of ghost kitchens, third-party delivery apps like DoorDash, and the integration of new tech like the Toast platform (which Applebee’s adopted in early 2025), the back-of-house is more complicated than ever.
Wong’s job is basically to make sure that when a kitchen is slammed with 2-for-$25 orders, Sizzlin' Skillets, and Bourbon Street Pasta, the quality doesn't tank. He has to bridge the gap between corporate "innovation" and the actual franchisees who are running the 1,500+ locations.
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Why this duo is different
Usually, a CMO and COO can be at odds. The CMO wants to launch 10 new "viral" menu items that look great on Instagram, and the COO wants to scream because those 10 items require 20 new ingredients that the kitchen staff doesn't have time to prep.
The hire of Chin and Wong at the same time suggests that Dine Brands CEO John Peyton wants them to work in lockstep. Peyton has been vocal about "testing things in the corporate kitchen" until they are foolproof before rolling them out. They are trying to avoid the "complexity trap" that kills so many casual dining chains.
What it means for your next Friday night out
You might think, "I just want a cheap burger, why do I care about a COO hire?"
Well, you care because these hires dictate the value you get. Applebee's is doubling down on "value-based marketing." Under this new leadership, expect to see more "risk-free" innovation. They aren't going to get rid of the 2-for-$25; they are going to use it as a Trojan horse to introduce new, bolder flavors.
The reality is that casual dining is no longer a "given" for the American family. People are trading down to fast food or just eating at home. Applebee's is betting that with Chin’s "culture-first" marketing and Wong’s "hospitality-first" operations, they can prove that a night at the "Neighborhood" is still worth the gas money.
Strategic takeaways for the industry
If you're watching this from a business perspective, the Applebee's CMO COO hires provide a few clear lessons:
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- In-House is King: Applebee's moved their social media and marketing in-house to be more "agile." This helped them jump on trends in real-time rather than waiting for an agency to pitch a concept three months too late.
- Cross-Industry Talent: Hiring a COO from the hotel industry shows a shift toward prioritizing "the guest experience" over just "the assembly line."
- Data-Driven storytelling: Both executives are expected to use data to ground their decisions. It’s not just about what tastes good; it’s about what the data says guests will actually pay for in a high-inflation environment.
The brand is currently sitting at a 1,514-location footprint. They aren't just trying to survive; they are trying to "return to growth" after a few rocky years. Whether these two can keep the "Eatin' Good" momentum going through 2026 remains to be seen, but the foundation they've laid in their first few months suggests a much more aggressive, modern Applebee's is on the horizon.
Keep an eye on the menu for "premium" additions that don't break the bank—that'll be the first sign the Chin-Wong partnership is working. If the service feels a little smoother and the TikToks feel a little less "corporate," you’ll know why.
Next Steps for Implementation:
- Review your guest touchpoints: Like Wong, look at where the "friction" is in your service model—is it the tech or the training?
- Audit your social agility: If your marketing team can't respond to a trend within 24 hours, you're losing the engagement battle that Chin is currently winning.
- Prioritize menu stability: Follow the Peyton model—never roll out a "bold" new item until it has been "shaken down" in a test environment to ensure it doesn't wreck your operational speed.