Loosen your belt by a few notches, or, even better, don your comfiest elastic-waist pants, because the first-of-its-kind combination Applebee's-IHOP restaurant is now open near San Antonio, Texas. Culture Map San Antonio provides some details:
The dual-branded restaurant serves IHOP pancakes and breakfasts side-by-side with Applebee's burgers and boneless wings. It's a unique menu with items from both brands that can be mixed, matched, and ordered any time of day, including specialty cocktails such as an espresso martini or Irish coffee – all under one roof. . .
When diners walk through the doors, they'll find two distinct dining areas to choose from: the warm, familiar atmosphere of Applebee's or the bright, cheerful ambiance of IHOP.
Shared common areas include the host stand and bathrooms, creating an integrated experience. There's also a shared back-of-house with a single kitchen, which provides operational efficiencies.
Ain't it exciting? You can down a huge plate of Cinn-A-Stack pancakes and slurp down a cup of joe at IHOP for breakfast before wandering over to Applebee's for lunch—perhaps some Chicken Wonton Tacos? And after a few signature cocktails—a "Mucho Tipsy Leprechaun," anyone?—you can then settle in for a Whole Lotta Bacon Burger for dinner. Imagine, a full day's worth of dining at your two favorite mediocre casual dining restaurants without even leaving the building!
And don't worry, if you're nowhere near San Antonio, parent company Dine Brands, which currently has 13 international dual-branded locations franchised in Canada, Mexico, Honduras, and the Middle East, plans to open 14 more dual-branded locations across the United States in the next two years.
I'm sure I'll probably never set foot in any of them, since I haven't visited an Applebee's nor an IHOP in decades. But I *will* freely share my best branding advice: They really should have named the combo restaurant "HOPplebee's." It was truly a missed opportunity.
