"Applebee's with Nicole Byer" is Episode 474 of Doughboys, hosted by Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell. "Applebee's with Nicole Byer" was released on December 5, 2024.

"Tomorrow… with Nicole Byer" - @doughboyspod
Synopsis[]
Nicole Byer (@nicolebyer, Why Won't You Date Me) joins the 'boys to talk the Costco Guys, new movies, and The Whale before their very first review of Applebee's. Plus, another edition of Binge.
Nick's intro[]
February 24, 2024: air-raid sirens bellowed over the capital city Kyiv, marking the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As CNN documented this ominous occasion on its live feed, the cable news network transitioned to split screen to accommodate an ad break, and the audio cross-faded to, “And a little bit of chicken fried / A cold beer on a Friday night.”

Zac Brown Band "Chicken Fried"
The song? Zac Brown Band’s “Chicken Fried,” which charted at number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs back in 2008, and had since been licensed as a commercial jingle by a grill-and-bar concept known for its riblets and Dollaritas. The grotesquely funny juxtaposition of urban airstrikes with an advertisement for discounted boneless wings with the purchase of any burger became a potent symbol of this nation’s perverse for-profit news ecosystem: each outlet a mouthpiece of a political party, but more generally, of the American oligarchy. The sit-down chain in question pulled its ads from CNN as a result of the tone-deaf association.
Founded in 1980 in the greater Atlanta area by business and romantic partners Bill and T.J. Palmer, the brand name was semi-randomly selected from a phone book; its spelling altered so it could be trademarked. Today, it's grown to over 1,700 franchised locations, and is operated under an umbrella corporation that also owns IHOP. The large-footprint dine-in grill has remained a potent player in the chain-restaurant industry, in part thanks to its nimble addition of take-out windows post-pandemic. As of this recording, the still ongoing Russia-Ukraine War appears to be escalating, perhaps in anticipation of an abrupt reverse course once the 82-year-old President Biden hands the reins to a comparatively youthful 78-year-old President-elect Trump. But regardless of who’s in charge, American news networks remain unfit to inform the public — even when they’re not airing ill-timed fast-food commercials.
This week on Doughboys, we’re eatin’ good in the neighborhood, with our first official review… of Applebee’s.
Fork rating[]

guest / host | ordered | rating |
---|---|---|
Nick Wiger |
|
3 forks |
Mike Mitchell |
|
3 forks |
Nicole Byer |
|
4 forks |
shared |
|
The three of them all went together to the Applebee's in Alhambra, CA.
Binge 💘[]
In this segment, The Doughboys peruse dating profiles for foods on the fictional dating app, Binge, and decide if they would swipe left or right.
dating profile | Nick Wiger | Mike Mitchell | Nicole Byer |
---|---|---|---|
Roni (mac & cheese)
|
left | left | left |
Meryl (can of cranberry sauce)
|
right | right | left |
Pinkford (Jimmy John's sub in pickles instead of bread)
|
left | right | left |
Shake (three Shaq gummies)
|
right | right | right |
Ethan (mozzarella stick)
|
right | right | right |
Beatrice (bowl of clam chowder)
|
left | left |
Roast Spoonman[]

storming the Capitol
“ | a man that is bummed out about not being able to storm the Capitol again | ” |
–Josh from Chicago |
Quotes[]
“ | Nick: You might find yourself a gator in the toilet down here in the bayou. Mitch: If you're up in Canada, where the toilet goes backwards, you might find a white gator in that toilet! |
” |
–The Bayou Guys |
“ | I really love that you guys keep saying 'surname' instead of 'last name.' Mitch said it earlier and I was like 'ok.' And then [Nick] was like 'surname!' and I guess it's a thing for you guys. | ” |
–Nicole Byer |
“ | I will fuck in a bed, of course. I don't jack off in beds anymore. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell |
The Feedbag[]
“ | If you had to choose a different hat style than your usual LA or Boston team caps, what would you choose? | ” |
–Matty in Columbus, OH |
guest / host | new hat / style |
---|---|
Nick Wiger | cowboy hat / Western wear |
Drops and Plugs[]
reference | notes |
---|---|
Chris Staples "Walking With A Stranger" | in Mitch's drop (by Andy Carr) |
|
Nicole's podcasts and plugs |
Related Episodes[]
Nicole Byer episodes |
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