<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-05-30</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000853665</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>APPLEBEES INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>APPB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000932366</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SACK BURTON M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-30</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>5000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>30.66</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>1643171</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-30</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>5000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>30.66</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>1643171</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-06-02</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>2340</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>30.85</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>1640831</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Mr. Sack transferred 5,000 shares from his personal account to the Sack Family Foundation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 1,267,008 of direct holding of which 4,200 shares are held in an IRA by the reporting person.  Also includes indirect holdings of 156,000 in Sack Family Parnters, 59,358 shares held by David A. Sack Irrevocable Trust, 147,070 shares held by Scott A. Sack Irrevocable Trust, 6,975 shares held by an IRA maintained by the spouse of the reporting person, and 6,760 shares held by the Sack Family Foundation maintained by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes 1,267,008 of direct holdings of which 4,200 shares are held in an IRA by the reporting person.  Also includes indirect holdings of 156,000 in Sack Family Partners, 59,358 shares held by David A. Sack Irrevocable Trust, 147,070 shares held by Scott A. Sack Irrevocable Trust, 6,975 shares held by an IRA maintained by the spouse of the reporting person, and 4,420 shares held by the Sack Family Foundation maintained by the reporting person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Burton M. Sack</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-06-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

