By Lily Bourne
As tensions rise across the globe, it has been increasingly difficult for people to focus on the simple joys in life. Specifically, that unbeatable feeling of waking up and eating the most sugar-covered, preservative-filled, sickly-sweet breakfast one can find. I’m talking, of course, about a classic IHOP breakfast. And what’s better than a simple trip to IHOP in the morning? A stop at the perfect lunch destination: Applebee’s. Chock-full of options ranging from burgers and sandwiches to pasta and salads, Applebee’s remains an unswayed pillar of normalcy and comfort amid a tumultuous world.
Now, what if I told you that these two classic American delights will soon unite into one holy matrimony of comfort food? Well, Dine Brands Global, the owner of both restaurant chains, is planning to introduce dual-branded IHOP-Applebee’s restaurants in the United States in the next one or two years. They have already successfully launched this idea internationally, and hope to bring the luxury back home to their eager American consumers. Dine Brands describes the earnings of one of their newly established dual-brand restaurants, claiming that “the revenues for the same size boxes, one brand or the other, is 2x or more what it was before, what you’d expect”.
How would these innovative, culinary establishments work? Applebees and IHOP will share a back kitchen, increasing efficiency and cutting down on costs. In the front, both entrances will lead to a shared space, which can be adjusted due to the dining needs. For example, IHOP customers will likely fill into the Applebee’s section during breakfast times; the opposite during dinner times.
While we likely will not see an IHOP-Applebee’s for a year or two, it is something to keep an eye out for amidst the mountains of doubt in everyday news. Instead of dwelling on the uncertainty of the future, let’s all look forward to the possibility of being able to order pancakes and eggs with our chicken alfredo and burgers.