"From Dojo to Diner: What Went Down at Applebee's? Cobra Kai Tells All"




 Summary


  • Johnny Lawrence's past at Applebee's remains a mystery, but it seems he was kicked out for causing trouble while drunk.
  • The incident involved Johnny burning his mouth with hot soup and a couple making dietary requests that may have set him off.
  • Johnny's actions at Applebee's may have led to legal trouble, but his stepfather Sid saved him from serving time in prison.


Not much is known about Johnny Lawrence's Applebee's backstory, but Cobra Kai's first five seasons have dropped enough clues for one to speculate. Johnny Lawrence has come a long way since Cobra Kai season 1. 


He started at the bottom as an alcoholic but gradually turned his life around by teaching his Cobra Kai karate skills to many young students. Although his dojo did not stay with him for long, Lawrence went from despising Daniel LaRusso and abandoning his son to rectifying his past mistakes and becoming a positive father figure for both Miguel and Robby.


Although Lawrence is still far from being an ideal husband and father, his Cobra Kai season 5 established that he is on the right track towards becoming one. Since Johnny Lawrence's biggest challenge since season 1 was overcoming the negative aspects of his past and gaining more control over his life, it seems like Cobra Kai has already given his storyline a well-rounded conclusion. However, one element from Lawrence's past remains a mystery: What did he do at Applebee's?


All References To Johnny's Applebee's Incident In Cobra Kai Explained


The Applebee's incident is first mentioned in Cobra Kai season 1's episode 1, where Johnny Lawrence comes home and finds his stepfather, Sid, skimming through his fridge. When Johnny claims he does not need his help, Sid dismisses him by recalling how he thought he would keep his hands to himself after the Applebee's incident. 


Cobra Kai season 3 has another reference to an incident where Johnny gets arrested after starting a fight at a bar, and the cops recognize him as the "Applebee's guy." In Cobra Kai season 4, Johnny Lawrence even opens up about the incident to Carmen, recalling how it had something to do with the restaurant chain's loaded potato soup. Unfortunately, Miguel interrupts him before he can delve into the details.


What Did Johnny Do At Applebee's?


Although most details surrounding the incident remain unknown, Cobra Kai's creators have offered some insights (via Showbiz Cheatsheet) into what happened at Applebee's. Jon Hurwitz explained that Johnny got kicked out of Applebee's for life after he had too many drinks during the happy hour and ordered his favorite dish on the restaurant's menu, the loaded baked potato soup. 


The burning heat from the hot soup, which he was not prepared for, was enough to send him close to the edge. However, he somehow kept his composure despite being drunk. Unfortunately, things took a turn when a couple showed up at Applebee's.


While Johnny struggled to calm himself down after burning his mouth, the couple came in asking for the restaurant's wine list as if it was "Buca di Beppo" or "Olive Garden." Johnny heard them but kept his head low and focused on the soup. However, just when he tried to be the bigger man, the couple asked for the vegan menu.


 Hurwitz almost completed the story by saying that the couple's dietary choices made Johnny Lawrence get up from his seat. However, before he could reveal what he did next to get banned from the restaurant, Hayden Schlossberg interrupted him by claiming they might portray the Applebee's incident as a flashback in Cobra Kai season 6.


Jon Hurwitz's revelations about the Applebee's incident suggest that Johnny Lawrence might have done something terrible to the couple after hearing about their food preferences. Given how he had previously gotten into several drunk fights, he might have tried to challenge the couple in a karate duel, which ultimately landed him in some serious legal trouble. As Cobra Kai's season 1 confirms, if Sid had not saved him, he would likely have served some prison time.