I almost skipped this one. Every chain rolls out a cheese-dripping burger photo at some point, and most of them look nothing like the plate that actually shows up. So when the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger started showing up all over my feed, cut in half and dunked face down into a skillet of cheese, I went in expecting a letdown. I did not get one. What follows is what I found once I stopped scrolling past the photos and actually looked at the price, the ingredients, and what people who ordered it in person had to say.
If you are trying to figure out exactly what is in it, what it costs at your table, and how it stacks up against the rest of Applebee’s lineup, you are in the right spot. For a full breakdown of everything else on the menu, including sides that pair well with a burger this rich, the team at Applebee’s Menu Prices keeps a running, current list worth checking before you order.
Key Takeaways on the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger
What Is the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger
Strip away the presentation and the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger starts as a fairly normal cheeseburger. Applebee’s builds it with an all-beef patty, a slice of American cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, and a spicy honey mustard on a brioche bun. What sets it apart is what happens after the patty is cooked. The burger gets cut in half and placed cut-side down into a sizzling skillet already loaded with molten queso and a blend of melted Cheddar, so every bite gets dragged through cheese before it reaches your mouth.
Applebee’s chief marketing officer Michelle Chin described the item as packed with flavor and nearly overflowing with melted cheese when it first launched out of the company’s Pasadena, California headquarters. A follow-up relaunch a few months later added even more queso to the skillet after guest demand, alongside several other new menu items like Loaded Potato Waves and a Sesame Salmon Bowl.
NEW O-M-Cheese Burger Price and Where to Find It
Pricing can shift slightly by location, but here is what to expect when you order the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger at a typical Applebee’s.
| Order Option | Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Solo entree | $11.99 | Burger, skillet queso, side of classic fries |
| 2 for $25 combo | $25 total | Choice of two entrees plus an appetizer or two side salads |
| Fries swap | No extra charge, typically | Side salad or steamed broccoli in place of fries |
| Plant-based swap | Varies by location | Impossible patty in place of the beef patty |
Dine-in only at most locations, for a limited time, with price and participation varying by restaurant. Confirm current pricing on the Applebee’s app or with your local restaurant before you order.
NEW O-M-Cheese Burger Calories and Nutrition
This is not a light order, and Applebee’s is not marketing it as one. Nutrition trackers and food writers who pulled the numbers put the burger and skillet cheese alone at roughly 1,280 calories, with the number climbing to about 1,680 once the side of fries gets counted. That works out to more saturated fat than a full day’s recommended limit before you have touched dessert.
| Item | Calories | Saturated Fat | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEW O-M-Cheese Burger (with fries) | ~1,680 | ~40g | ~3,590mg |
| NEW O-M-Cheese Burger (no fries) | ~1,280 | ~30g | ~2,800mg |
| Applebee’s Classic Cheeseburger | 1,220 | 25g | 2,640mg |
Swapping the fries for steamed broccoli or a side salad is the easiest way to bring the total down by a few hundred calories without giving up the skillet itself.
What Reviewers Actually Say About the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger
Food writers who ordered it in person came away more impressed than skeptical. One reviewer at Sporked called it genuinely fun to eat, noting the bun held up well and did not turn greasy under the cheese. A writer at MassLive had a similar take, praising the quality of the cheese used and the balance the spicy honey mustard brought against all that richness, though he mentioned his skillet arrived a little short on melted cheese at first.
Not every write-up was about flavor. The Center for Science in the Public Interest flagged the nutrition numbers directly, pointing out that the burger alone carries more calories than four McDonald’s cheeseburgers combined. That is a fair trade-off to weigh going in: this is built as an indulgent, occasional order rather than a regular weeknight pick.
How the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger Compares to Other Burgers
| Burger | Calories | Chain Type |
|---|---|---|
| NEW O-M-Cheese Burger (no fries) | ~1,280 | Casual dining |
| Chili’s Bacon Rancher Burger | 1,700 | Casual dining |
| Five Guys Cheeseburger | 980 | Fast casual |
| Big Mac | 580 | Fast food |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 520 | Fast food |
Sit-down chains like Applebee’s and Chili’s tend to build larger, heavier burgers than counter-service fast food, and the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger fits that pattern rather than breaking it.
NEW O-M-Cheese Burger Calories, Visualized
A side-by-side look at where this burger lands next to other well-known options, in calories per order.
NEW O-M-Cheese Burger with fries
~1,680 cal
NEW O-M-Cheese Burger, no fries
~1,280 cal
Five Guys Cheeseburger
980 cal
Big Mac
580 cal
Tips Before You Order the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger
- Order the 2 for $25 version if you are eating with someone. It stretches further than paying full price solo, and you get an appetizer or two side salads thrown in.
- Swap the fries. Steamed broccoli or a side salad trims a few hundred calories without touching the burger or the cheese itself.
- Ask about the cheese level before the skillet arrives. A couple of reviewers got a skillet that started light on melted cheese, so a quick check with your server can head that off.
- Split it if you are not that hungry. At close to 1,300 calories before fries, this holds up fine as a shared plate for two people who also order a side each.
- Check for the Impossible patty option. Some locations offer a plant-based swap if you want the cheese pull without the beef.
Common Mistakes People Make Ordering This Burger
🍔Food & Menu Research TeamCasual Dining Menu AnalystsThis guide is built from Applebee’s own menu and press announcements, nutrition tracker data, and firsthand reviews from writers who ordered the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger in person, rather than copied from other roundups. Pricing and calorie figures are cross-checked against multiple sources and noted where they vary by location.
Frequently Asked Questions About the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger
How much does the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger cost?
It costs $11.99 on its own with a side of fries, or you can order it as part of Applebee’s 2 for $25 combo menu alongside another entree and an appetizer or side salads.
How many calories are in the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger?
The burger and skillet cheese together run roughly 1,280 calories. Adding the side of fries brings the total closer to 1,680 calories.
What is in the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger?
An all-beef patty topped with American cheese, Applewood-smoked bacon, and spicy honey mustard on a brioche bun, served cut in half over a skillet of molten queso and melted Cheddar.
Is the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger available for a limited time only?
Applebee’s has marketed it as a limited-time item tied to its 2 for $25 promotion, though it has stuck around long enough to get a relaunch with extra cheese after strong guest demand.
Can I get the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger with a plant-based patty?
Some locations offer an Impossible patty swap for guests who want the cheese and skillet presentation without the beef. Availability depends on the restaurant.
Is the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger available for delivery or only dine-in?
It has largely been promoted as a dine-in item due to the hot skillet presentation, though checking your local Applebee’s app is the best way to confirm current availability for To Go or delivery.
Why did the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger go viral?
The presentation drove most of the attention: the burger is cut in half and set face down into a sizzling skillet of cheese, creating a visible cheese pull that spread widely on social media.
Does Applebee’s still have the O-M-Cheese Burger?
Yes, at most locations as of October 2026, but it is a featured item that can rotate off the menu. Before you order, check the burgers section in the Applebee’s app or ask your server; some restaurants list it as the OMCheese or O-M-Cheese skillet burger.
Conclusion: Is the NEW O-M-Cheese Burger Worth Ordering
I went into this expecting a burger built for photos and not much else. That is not what showed up. The NEW O-M-Cheese Burger is a solid, well-built burger first, with a genuinely good bun and a patty that holds together, and the cheese skillet on top of that is what makes it worth the trip rather than the whole reason to go. If you are watching calories closely, this is not your everyday order, and it is not trying to be.
My take after weighing the price, the nutrition numbers, and what other people who ordered it actually said: get it with someone else through the 2 for $25 menu, swap the fries for broccoli if you want to cut the damage a little, and go in expecting a mess. The NEW O-M-Cheese Burger earns its attention. It just asks you to plan the rest of your day around it.
