US restaurant chain Applebee's eyes MidEast growth

Applebee's, the world's largest casual dining restaurant chain, has announced plans to open at least five new restaurants a year in the Middle East.

Recently opened restaurants include Jazan in Saudi Arabia, Sahara Centre in Sharjah, as well as the first Applebee's in Egypt.

Gary Moore, regional general manager, Applebee's, Europe & MENA, said: "As the restaurant business continues to boom in the region, Applebee's sees more opportunities and growth here.

"We place a great amount of emphasis on the associations we develop in neighbourhoods. With that in mind, we plan to establish a strong presence within communities with the new openings, while our outlets in the malls will continue to showcase what our brand can do."

Presently, Applebee's operates 34 restaurants in the Middle East including outlets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and Egypt, and employs over 2,000 people.

The new proposed outlets will also result in creating over 500 job opportunities, the company said in a statement.

In addition to the expansion, Applebee's also recently embarked on a re-branding exercise across all outlets in the region. Its interiors now represent a culturally rich canvas with the amalgamation of Middle East and American icons, it said

Founded over three decades ago, Applebee's operates as the largest casual-dining chain in the world with approximately 2,000 locations in 50 US states and 15 countries