This post is one in a series on prominent company nicknames. See all 25, and share your thoughts and memories about Crapplebee's below in the comments.

I first heard the nickname "Crapplebee's" from my brother, when I suggested that we go to dinner at Applebee's and he didn't think it was such a good idea.

I don't know that Applebee's is "crappy" per se; it's more that there's nothing especially unique about it. It's very similar to Chili's, T.G.I. Friday's, Ruby Tuesday's, and a whole bunch of other fast-casual chains with "apostrophe s" in their names. T.J. Palmer recently said about the restaurant that "It doesn't have anything that would make me want to come back."

What makes that a major burn is that T.J. Palmer is the founder of the company! You can read her version of the company's history at her website.

On November 29th of 2007, IHOP, now DineEquity (NYSE: DIN), announced that it had completed the acquisition of Applebee's, with CEO Julia A. Stewart commenting that "We are delighted to complete the acquisition of Applebee's as it represents an opportunity to create significant long-term value for IHOP shareholders over and above what we could have achieved on a standalone basis."

On that day the stock closed at $52.29. It closed recently at $25.49. That's a decline of more than 50% since the acquisition: Crapplebee's indeed!

Applebee's International, Inc. (NYSE: APPB) February decision to put itself up for sale could be seen as the company's admission that it's no longer a company that has any growth potential. Its future may be brightest in the hands of a private owner who can cut costs and ring out efficiency away from the glare of Wall Street's demands for growth -- that is if one can be found.

According to today's Wall Street Journal, (subscription required) even the woman who founded the company, T.J. Palmer, doesn't like it: After having visited the restaurant chain regularly for years, Ms. Palmer says, she rarely goes anymore. "It doesn't have anything that would make me want to come back."

What went wrong? Competitors copied Applebee's and the company failed to evolve, leaving the company with a stock price that has been stagnant for 3 and a half years. The company is trying to reinvent itself by attracting more upscale consumers, and has even hired The Food Network's Tyler Florence to revamp the menu.

But second acts in the business world are rare, and Applebee's reputation is working against it. My college-age friends refer to the chain as Crapplebee's, and the company doesn't really seem to be part of the modern restaurant landscape in any meaningful way.

Given the fact that the Applebee's brand appears to be losing value as hipper chains cramp its style, I'm going to make a bold prediction: The company's search for a buyer will be unsuccessful, and shareholders will continue to reap returns that are about as boring as the food on the menu at Applebee's.