Wishing you could have a side of pancakes with your sirloin steak? Your wish will soon come true. Applebee’s and IHOP are uniting under one roof for a dual-branded concept, and the first combo restaurant in the U.S. will open early next year.
Dine Brands, which owns both chains, has seen success with the combo in other parts of the world, and has announced plans to open the first U.S. location of Applebee’s-IHOP about 35 miles outside of San Antonio.
Renderings show that the new layout has IHOP’s cozy breakfast vibes on one side and the signature Applebee’s bar with big-screen TVs on the other. Whether you’re craving pancakes or wings, both menus are available on either side, all prepared in a shared kitchen to streamline operations.
The company said that the combo setup is all about maximizing revenue within the same footprint as a single restaurant. By covering breakfast through dinner, it caters to every mealtime, with staff cross-trained to deliver the best of both worlds.
With 13 of these dual-branded spots already thriving in Canada, Latin America and the Middle East, Dine Brands is hoping the success can be repeated stateside. These hybrid locations are pulling in up to double the revenue of the standalone spots.
The Applebee’s-IHOP fusion isn’t the only joint-restaurant setup around. Already, we’ve seen the pairing of Auntie Anne’s with Cinnabon and a Jimmy John’s and Dunkin’ combo. This new trend makes it easier than ever for customers to satisfy multiple cravings in one stop.