Administration December 5, 2006

Applebee's Shareholders Reject PETA Proposal

May 12, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Shareholders of Applebee's International Inc. struck down a proposal at its annual meeting by an animal rights group that called for the restaurant to find a more humane way to slaughter chickens.

Reported by

Adrien Martin

The Associated Press reported that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) proposed the measure for a second time that asked Applebee’s to provide quarterly reports on its poultry supplier’s development of “controlled atmosphere killing,” or CAK, which kills the chickens by gradually replacing oxygen with inert gases.

The animal rights group claims that most slaughter houses electrocute chickens, which often leaves them with their senses before their throats are slit and feathers plucked in boiling water, the AP reported.

The proposal received less support by shareholders than last year, gaining 5% of votes, Applebee’s officials said at the meeting, according to the AP.

Applebee’s says the CAK technology proposed by PETA is not a proven measure, but will continue to monitor its progress.

A spokesperson for PETA told the AP that the group will probably bring back the proposal – which has already been pitched to Wendy’s, Hormel Foods Corp. and McDonald’s — again next year.