Dine Brands to grow co-branded restaurant concept in 2025
Dine Brands is planning to expand its dual-branded Applebee’s and IHOP restaurant concept at home and abroad.
Dine Brands International, an affiliate of Dine Brands Global, Inc., the parent company of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, IHOP, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, is set to expand the concept in 2025. This includes entering the Costa Rican market with franchisee BLT UK Holdings Limited, and opening the first non-traditional restaurants in Mexico with franchisees Grupo Shogua and ATH Group.
[READ MORE: Dine Brands opens first co-branded Applebee's, IHOP restaurant in U.S.]
The dual-branded format, combining Applebee’s and IHOP under one roof, is a “key part” of Dine Brands’ international growth strategy, says the company. Currently, there are 18 dual-branded locations across seven markets: Mexico, Canada, UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Honduras and Peru.
In 2025, the company aims to open 13 additional dual-branded restaurants in new international markets and complete 10 dual conversions, bringing the total number of dual-branded restaurants to 41. The company is slated to open 14 more dual-branded locations in the United States through 2026 by transforming existing single-branded restaurants and building new locations from the ground up.
Franchisee BLT UK Holdings Limited opened the first dual-branded restaurant in Honduras in 2024 and plans to open a second location this year. They will also be opening the first dual-branded restaurant in Costa Rica this summer in San Jose. In addition to franchisee ATH Group opening the first non-traditional dual-branded restaurant at the Parador Pedro Escobedo travel center in Mexico, franchisee Grupo Shogua will also open an IHOP restaurant at Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Mexico City.
When guests walk through the co-branded restaurant doors, they will find distinct Applebee’s and IHOP dining areas to choose from. Dine Brands says the shared common areas, including the host stand and bathrooms, create an “integrated experience,” and the optimized back-of-house and single kitchen provide “operational efficiencies.”
“I am incredibly proud of the progress we are making to expand and grow with new and existing franchisees around the world,” said Scott Gladstone, president of international and corporate development at Dine Brands Global. “Our expansion plans create opportunities to adapt to local customs, tastes, and traditions, as well as new formats and varying footprints. We are committed to creating compelling and profitable opportunities for franchisees and the company, and new and unique experiences for our guests.”
As of Dec. 31, 2024, Dine Brands operates over 3,500 restaurants across 19 international markets. In 2024, Dine Brands International and its franchisees opened 36 new restaurants total.
