Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar® is giving the salad a smoky twist with the launch of NEW Wood Fired Grill salads, available and starting at $8.99 at participating restaurants. Prepared on the new American-made wood fired grills, Applebee's is now serving new made-to-order salads that pair tender shrimp, precisely-grilled chicken and Hand-Cut USDA Choice Top Sirloin with seasonal summer ingredients and made-in-house dressings for a unique salad experience.

"Our new Wood Fired Grill salads truly stand out and offer our guests an unexpected salad that has all the best flavors of summer," says Cammie Spillyards-Schaefer, vice president and executive chef of Applebee's. "The bold flavors from the Wood Fired Grills are the perfect complement to the refreshing produce we typically crave in the summertime."

Taking center stage in Applebee's arsenal of new offerings in anticipation of National Watermelon Day on August 3 is the NEW Grilled Watermelon and Spicy Shrimp Salad, a fresh combination of grill-seared watermelon prepared with a house-made mint-Greek yogurt dressing.

Starting at $8.99 at participating restaurants, the new Wood Fired Grill Salad lineup includes:

• NEW Southwestern Steak Salad: Hand-Cut Wood Fired USDA Choice Top Sirloin Steak paired with chimichurri, pico de gallo, corn and black bean salsa, cheddar, crispy tortilla strips and a creamy house-made cilantro ranch dressing.
• NEW Grilled Watermelon and Spicy Shrimp Salad: Mixed greens, cucumbers, feta, almonds and house-made creamy mint-Greek yogurt dressing. Also available with Spicy Blackened Chicken.
• NEW Spicy Blackened Grilled Chicken, Avocado and Grapefruit Salad: Mixed greens, pickled in-house red onions, cilantro leaves and house-made champagne vinaigrette.
• NEW Crispy Chicken 'N Spicy Cornbread Salad: Mixed greens, made-in-house jalapeno cornbread croutons, grape tomatoes, shredded cheddar, applewood-smoked bacon and buttermilk dressing.