Applebee's To Close Up To 135 Restaurants

click to expand

GLENDALE, Calif. (CBS) – "Eatin' good" is about to get more difficult in some neighborhoods.

Applebee's parent company DineEquity announced Thursday it will be closing between 105 and 135 restaurants. The company had said earlier this year that it planned to shutter only 40 to 60 locations.

(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

It's not known yet which Applebee's will shut down or when, but DineEquity says it will make decisions based on "profitability, operational results and meeting out brand quality standards."

"We believe 2017 will be a transitional year for Applebee's and we are making the necessary investments for overall long-term brand health and expect to see improvement over the next year," DineEquity CEO Richard Dahl said in the company's quarterly financial report.

Dahl adds that Applebee's will be "focusing on operations and elevating the guest experience."

There are about 2,000 Applebee's in the world, but sales have struggled recently.