I have eaten at the Applebee’s restaurant in the Glen Carbon/Edwardsville, Illinois area a number of times, but unfortunately I cannot bring myself to return there. This is disappointing to me as I have enjoyed quite a few meals and drinks at this Applebee’s, including dates, fun nights out with friends, and even a meal or two alone for lunch.
It is also in a very convenient location for me to stop by on highway 159 in Glen Carbon, Illinois–mere blocks away from the larger and better-known town of Edwardsville. However, after getting very sick the last two times I ate there, (apparently I’m a slow learner) I will not be returning to this restaurant.
My experiences at the Glen Carbon/Edwardsville Applebee’s have been rather positive, for the most part. My boyfriend, who has joined me in eating there, agrees that this restaurant has a “friendly, upbeat atmosphere” and also has fond memories of joining friends there for a bite to eat and a drink after work. He says that the level of service at Applebee’s is “usually average or above” and comparable to similar establishments. The restaurant itself appears clean.
Applebee’s is also an affordable dining option compared to some of the newer restaurants in the Glen Carbon/Edwardsville area. Entrees are mostly around $10, and two people can eat well there for $30-35.
The last two times I have eaten at this Applebee’s, however, my opinion of it has drastically changed. The first time, I ordered a chicken and pasta dish that I’d tried and enjoyed before. All was well until the car ride home, when I started experiencing horrible stomach pains. Fortunately I live very close to the Glen Carbon/Edwardsville area, as the car ride was not comfortable. I limped into my house and literally spent the next three hours lying on my living room floor in pain. Had it lasted much longer or if I did not possess an aversion to doctors in general, I probably would have gone to the hospital.
Yes, I went back to that Applebee’s restaurant to eat one more time after this happened. The person I had eaten with had not gotten sick, and I thought that perhaps the last incident had just been a coincidence. I made sure to order a completely different dish-the Quesadilla Burger with french fries-and although I enjoyed it while I was eating, the same thing happened again.
Needless to say, I’m not giving the Glen Carbon/Edwardsville Applebee’s restaurant a third chance. I can’t explain why I have gotten so sick while my dining partners haven’t on these two occasions, but I can’t believe it is purely coincidence. Also, I have never gotten sick like this from eating at any other restaurant. I would like to go back to Applebee’s, as I occasionally miss their Caesar salads, but it’s simply not worth it anymore.
