I tried Applebee’s new Ultimate Trio appetizer combo. It could rival Chili’s famous Triple Dipper.

Just when the chicken tender wars seem to have declared a truce, a new front is opening: the appetizer combo wars.

Chili’s fan-favorite — and viral — appetizer sampler platter, the Triple Dipper, has helped the company achieve huge gains in recent years, especially among younger consumers who prioritize customization and value.

In October, the chain’s parent company announced that Triple Dippers accounted for 11% of Chili’s overall business, and sales of the menu item had increased 70% compared to the previous year.

Now, other casual-dining chains like Applebee’s are getting in on the appetizer action with their own versions.

Applebee’s new Ultimate Trio, launched last week, invites customers to choose three appetizers and three accompanying dips.

Applebee’s president John Peyton refers to it as the “centerpiece of [the chain’s] new Everyday Value platform.” The concept is strikingly similar to the Triple Dipper’s, though the appetizer and dip choices are different.

I tried Applebee’s new Ultimate Trio to compare it to Chili’s Triple Dipper.

I arrived around lunchtime on a weekday to try Applebee’s new Ultimate Trio appetizer combo.

Applebee’s is no stranger to appetizer samplers. The chain’s Classic Combo, which features boneless wings, spinach and artichoke dip, chicken quesadillas, and mozzarella sticks, has been on the menu for years and still holds a place there.

The Ultimate Trio is a completely new menu item, rather than a revamp of its classic appetizer sampler.

Branded around football season, it asks customers to draft their “perfect team” of appetizers by choosing three of 10 appetizer options and three dips.

“Today, guests want more choice, more flavor, and more fun for a great value—and we’re here for it. The Ultimate Trio is our answer: three apps, three sauces, endless combinations — in fact, more than 80,000 flavor combinations,” Dine Brands CEO and Applebee’s president John Peyton told Business Insider in an emailed statement.

The concept is similar to Chili’s fan-favorite Triple Dipper appetizer sampler.

The Triple Dipper, which has been on Chili’s menus for years, is having a moment. After going viral on TikTok and accounting for 11% of Chili’s overall sales, it’s no surprise that copycats may begin popping up at other casual-dining chains.

Both the Triple Dipper and the Ultimate Trio allow customers to mix and match three apps and three dipping sauces.

However, Chili’s only offers six main appetizer options in various flavors, compared to the 10 options offered by Applebee’s.

Chili’s dipping sauces are also pre-selected depending on which appetizers you choose, though you can customize by asking your server for specific dips.

Business Insider asked Applebee’s for comment on the similarities between the two menu items.

“The new Ultimate Trio is signature Applebee’s — our flavors, our style, our rules. Mixing and matching apps isn’t new, but we’ve leveled it up,” Peyton told Business Insider.

There’s also a price difference between the two samplers. The Triple Dipper runs for about $17 to $20, depending on location, while the Ultimate Trio retails for $14.99.

There was a wide variety of appetizers to choose from in Applebee’s Ultimate Trio.

The full list of options includes:

• Boneless wings (available in Buffalo, extra hot Buffalo, garlic Parmesan, honey BBQ, hot honey glaze, and sweet Asian chile)
• Brew pub pretzels
• Chicken quesadilla
• Chicken wonton tacos
• Classic fries
• Crunchy onion rings
• Double crunch shrimp
• Mozarella sticks
• Riblets
• Waffle fries

By comparison, Chili’s Triple Dipper includes six main appetizer options.

Customers can choose from:

• Big Mouth Bites
• Boneless wings (available in Buffalo, honey-chipotle, house BBQ, Nashville Hot, and Sweet Chili Zing)
• Bone-in wings (available in Buffalo, honey-chipotle, house BBQ, Nashville Hot, and Sweet Chili Zing)
• Chicken Crispers (available in classic, Nashville Hot, and honey-chipotle)
• Fried mozzarella (available in classic, Nashville Hot, and honey-chipotle)
• Southwestern egg rolls

At Applebee’s, I ordered the Ultimate Trio with boneless wings, mozzarella sticks, and crispy chicken wonton tacos.

Even though the Ultimate Trio offered more options, I personally preferred some of the appetizer options offered in the Triple Dipper.

For example, Appebee’s only offers boneless wings as part of its new appetizer sampler, while Chili’s offers boneless wings, bone-in wings, and chicken tenders.

I also prefer Chili’s Big Mouth Bites burger sliders compared to Applebee’s riblets. So even though I had more options at Applebee’s, I personally preferred the selection at Chili’s.

I tried Applebee’s mozzarella sticks first.

These are your classic mozzarella sticks — they’re finger-shaped and evenly fried to a golden crisp, and they paired well with the marinara sauce I ordered for dipping.

I prefer Chili’s blocks of fried mozzarella, but these hit the spot.

The Applebee’s ones are better for dipping, and the cheese inside was soft and creamy.

However, if you’re looking to get that eye-catching cheese pull, you’ll probably be better off going to Chili’s, which has larger, square-shaped mozzarella sticks.

Next up, I tried the chicken wonton tacos.

I received three crispy tacos filled with grilled chicken meat and topped with coleslaw.

These tacos blended sweet and tangy flavors, with the crispy wonton shell adding the perfect crunch.

The coleslaw was vibrant and fresh, though I wish the diced chicken meat had a bit more flavor. The taco shell added the right crunch without being too oily or greasy from the frier.

Overall, I enjoyed these tacos and thought they were a fresh, yet filling, appetizer.

But the star of the sampler was Applebee’s famous boneless wings.

I ordered them in the classic Buffalo flavor. I received six boneless wings, which I thought was a generous portion given that they were just part of the sampler.

The wings were evenly coated in the Buffalo sauce.

I ordered blue cheese and ranch as my two other dipping sauces to pair with the wings.

The wings paired well with both dipping sauces.

The blue cheese was creamy and thick, while the ranch was slightly lighter in consistency and more tangy.

As for the boneless wings themselves, I was impressed by the rich flavor of the sauce that struck the perfect balance between buttery and spicy.

The wings were tender and juicy, and packed with flavor thanks to the sauce.

Applebee’s is known for its boneless wings and is the NFL’s official grill and bar sponsor. Therefore, I expected the boneless wings to blow me away.

They delivered.

The Buffalo boneless wings were packed with flavor and were adequately spicy without forcing me to reach for my water. I was impressed and would definitely order these again for my next game-day party.

When comparing the two appetizer samplers, it all comes down to personal preference. However, Applebee’s certainly delivered on value.

As a fan of Chili’s bone-in wings and crispy chicken tenders, I’d sooner order the Triple Dipper over the Ultimate Trio.

However, when it comes down to value, Applebee’s is a strong competitor.

For a few dollars less than the Triple Dipper, the Ultimate Trio was more customizable and offered more variety.

I really enjoyed Applebee’s dippable mozzarella sticks — though I still prefer Chili’s massive blocks of cheese-pulling mozzarella — and thought the boneless wings were filling, flavorful, and perfectly coated in sauce.

In the battle for appetizer-sampler supremacy, Applebee’s does have a fighting chance.

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