Applebee’s and IHOP Expand Nationwide Footprint With New Dual-Branded Restaurant in San Antonio, Texas
Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), the parent company of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar® and IHOP®, is continuing to expand its dual-branded restaurant strategy with the opening of a new Applebee’s | IHOP location in San Antonio, Texas. The latest restaurant represents another milestone for the company’s growing dual-brand concept, which has gained momentum since its U.S. launch less than two years ago.
The new restaurant is located at 2607 W. Loop 1604 S. in San Antonio and adds to the expanding network of locations that bring both Applebee’s and IHOP together under one roof. With the opening, the concept is approaching approximately 50 dual-branded restaurants across the United States, highlighting the continued development of a format designed to offer guests greater menu variety, convenience and value in a single dining destination.
The concept first launched as a standalone U.S. dual-branded restaurant in nearby Seguin, Texas. Since then, Dine Brands and its franchise partners have continued to develop the model in additional markets. The rapid growth from the original location to nearly 50 restaurants in less than two years demonstrates the company’s ongoing focus on expanding its restaurant portfolio while creating new opportunities for franchisees.
San Antonio has become an important market for the dual-branded concept. The newly opened restaurant is the eighth Applebee’s | IHOP location in the greater San Antonio area, further strengthening the brands’ presence in a region that has embraced the combined restaurant format.
Grand Opening Celebrates San Antonio Community
To mark the opening, The Hakim Group, an Applebee’s and IHOP franchisee and owner of the new location, hosted a special ribbon-cutting celebration. The event brought members of the local community together to recognize the arrival of the dual-branded restaurant.
As part of the celebration, 100 guests received free pancakes for a year, providing customers with an opportunity to experience one of IHOP’s most recognizable menu offerings. The Hakim Group also demonstrated its commitment to the San Antonio community by presenting a $1,000 donation to Stay Strong Foundation, a local nonprofit organization.
Danny Hakim, Vice President of The Hakim Group, said the franchise group is pleased to introduce the newest Applebee’s | IHOP restaurant to local guests while continuing to invest in the San Antonio market.
According to Hakim, the success of a restaurant depends heavily on the community surrounding it. The franchise group therefore views its continued expansion in San Antonio as an opportunity not only to grow its restaurant operations but also to support organizations and initiatives that serve local residents.
The community-focused opening reflects a broader approach among restaurant operators to connect new development with local engagement. Through the ribbon-cutting event, guest promotions and charitable contribution, The Hakim Group positioned the new restaurant as both a dining destination and a participant in the surrounding community.
Two Restaurant Brands in One Location
The dual-branded concept is designed to combine the strengths of Applebee’s and IHOP within a shared restaurant environment. Rather than operating as two completely separate restaurants, the location allows guests to access menu selections from both brands during the same visit.
Customers can mix and match signature items from Applebee’s and IHOP from a single menu, providing flexibility throughout the day. The combined offering is intended to serve a wide range of dining occasions, from breakfast and brunch through lunch, dinner and late-night meals.
The restaurant retains elements of both brands, allowing guests to experience the distinct identities and atmospheres associated with Applebee’s and IHOP. At the same time, shared spaces connect the two concepts and create a unified restaurant experience.
This arrangement gives groups with different food preferences additional choices without requiring them to visit separate restaurants. A guest looking for IHOP’s breakfast offerings, for example, can dine alongside someone who prefers an Applebee’s lunch or dinner selection.
The dual-branded locations also feature specialty cocktails* and menu innovations developed specifically for the combined restaurant format. Among the exclusive offerings are the Loaded Buffalo Chicken Omelette and Ultimate Breakfast Burger, which add additional variety to the menu.
By combining the two brands, Dine Brands is using its existing restaurant concepts to create a format that can accommodate multiple dining occasions in a single location.
A New Development Opportunity for Franchisees
Dine Brands Global views the dual-branded model as an additional component of its broader development strategy. The company believes that combining Applebee’s and IHOP can provide franchisees with a flexible operating model while creating opportunities to attract guests at different times of the day.
John Peyton, CEO of Dine Brands Global, described the concept as an idea that has developed into a meaningful part of the company’s growth strategy. He pointed to the expansion from one U.S. location to nearly 50 restaurants in less than two years as evidence of the momentum behind the format.
The model is intended to provide franchisees with another way to develop their businesses by combining two established restaurant brands in a single location. For Dine Brands, it also represents a way to expand the reach of Applebee’s and IHOP while exploring restaurant formats that can serve broader customer needs.
The combined model can potentially create greater flexibility in how a restaurant is used throughout the day. IHOP’s long-standing association with breakfast and Applebee’s broad lunch, dinner and casual dining offerings provide complementary daypart opportunities.
Continued Expansion Through 2026
The San Antonio opening comes as Dine Brands continues to expand its domestic dual-branded restaurant network. The company remains on track to open approximately 80 domestic dual-branded restaurants by the end of 2026.
The planned expansion indicates that Dine Brands expects the format to remain an important element of its restaurant development strategy. As the network grows, the company and its franchise partners will continue bringing the combined Applebee’s and IHOP experience to additional communities.
For San Antonio, the latest opening further expands access to the dual-branded concept in a market that now has eight such locations in the greater metropolitan area. For Dine Brands, the restaurant represents another step in the evolution of a format that began less than two years ago and has since expanded to nearly 50 locations nationwide.
The growth of Applebee’s | IHOP restaurants demonstrates how established restaurant brands can be brought together to create new dining formats. By combining different menus, dayparts and restaurant identities within one location, Dine Brands is continuing to explore ways to provide customers with more choices while supporting franchise development.
With the new San Antonio restaurant now open and additional locations planned, the dual-branded concept is set to remain a significant part of Dine Brands Global’s domestic expansion plans through 2026.
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