Applebee's

Normally, I am not a fan or chains, but I am going to give this place a good review because of it's location in Irwin.  There are not many places like this at all in Irwin and I give them props for being the first to land in the town.

It is a normal Applebee's as you would expect so your average chain restaurant, but for a town full of fast food and sit down restaurants like Denny's, I would say that this is a welcome addition.

"Horrible service. Food seemed to be doused in salt! Not worth the wait at all."

At this time, this is the only full service, chain restaurant in the area.  Without competition, there is always a wait of at least 30 minutes for dinner on the weekends. Curbside take-out is available, but call ahead seating is not. Since the place is newly opened, it is overstaffed, so you should not experience a noticeable wait for drinks, extra dressing, or food.  

On this particular Saturday evening visit, we were seated at a table in the bar area (families with children were also being seated in the same area, so be sure to request the dining area if that is your preference).  All televisions were set on the NFL playoff game or NHL hockey.  Although we didn't order alcohol, there were drink specials and patrons were quickly being served since there were three bartenders.  And for the ladies, there are hooks under the bar for your purses!

Our server greeted us immediately.  She was knowledgeable about the menu, and was attentive without hovering.  Dinner for two will likely be at least $30 since most entree salads and sandwiches are priced around $10.  Soda (pepsi products) and iced tea are $2.39 each.  Adding a side salad to your meal will cost $2.99 extra since it cannot be substituted for a side order.
We started our meal with chips and salsa ($2.99) which are comparable to Chili's in flavor. The salsa is a medium heat.  The portion size is small, but you can get refills.  
For my entree, I ordered a chopped chicken fiesta salad ($9.49) with dressing on the side.  The salad was flavorful and included grilled chicken, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, and tortilla strips. The salad portion was controlled: the greens barely covered the dinner plate and were not piled high.  My fiancé ordered a cowboy burger ($9.29) which included lettuce, tomato, fried onion straws, and bacon.  Instead of a specific temperature, our server asked him if he wanted pink or no pink, and the burger came out perfectly cooked.  The burger included a side order (about a dozen) french fries.
Overall, a pleasant dining experience.  When competition does arrive, I can foresee an adjustment of price and/or portion size for this Applebee's.