No one could say the New York union of Applebee’s and Ihop happened without fanfare.
A car park in Hawthorne, 30 miles north of Manhattan, had been decked out with a 30ft-high inflatable red apple. Red, white and blue bunting flew from masts. Upbeat music blasted from speakers.
And at the entrance to the new Applebee’s-and-Ihop restaurant – a fusion that executives hope can revive the fortunes of two venerable American eateries – was the piece de resistance: an intricate multicolored balloon arch, interspersed with imitation white wisteria flowers.
It was here that Tim Doherty, the franchisee responsible for this venture, cut a red and blue ribbon with a pair of giant scissors on Wednesday, in a ceremony which had the kind of excessive fanfare and hyperbole only small towns can produce.
In a speech beneath the balloon-and-fake-flower arch, Doherty hailed “the first Applebee’s-Ihop dual brand east of the Mississippi”, something he said was a “really special thing”, from which “I only expect the greatest success”.
Doherty was flanked by local dignitaries, with chamber of commerce members eagerly crowding in for photos. County-level politicians were there, too. One had even printed off a certificate of achievement, which she thrust at Doherty after he had cut his way through the ribbon.
Yet for all the slightly eastern European dictator-infused talk of “greatest success”, the truth is that Applebee’s and Ihop, once beloved in the US, have had a tough time in recent years. Dine Brands, the conglomerate that owns both restaurant chains, has seen its share price more than halve since 2021.
The struggles for Applebee’s, which sells traditional American family fare such as chicken and burgers, and Ihop, which specializes in pancakes, have come as their casual dining competitors, like Chili’s, have boomed.
“While the industry is feasting,” Forbes wrote last September, Applebee’s and Ihop have “gone hungry” – something it attributed to its competitors leaning into value during an emerging affordability crisis.
The security of Applebee’s and Ihop might not be of great interest to America’s wealthiest or more elite diners, but in the country’s heartland both have served for decades as staples for family birthdays or weekend nights out. Ihop – founded as International House of Pancakes in 1958 – enjoys revered status among many Americans.
A recent post about Ihop on the popular Historical Photographs Facebook page prompted a flood of people to reminisce about working at, or visiting, its locations, remembering how they were taken to Ihop for special events or, in one case, how they used it as a regular – apparently unsuccessful – dating location.
Perhaps the truth is that some Americans have been guilty of indulging in nostalgia over patronage when it comes to Applebee’s and Ihop: people are happy these restaurants still exist, in the same way they are about a local church, but they don’t actually go that often – also like a local church.
Still, on opening day in Hawthorne there were signs that this Applebee’s-Ihop union – which a staff member said should not be referred to as “Ihopplebees”, “Applehop” or “I, Apple” – might bring back clientele.
“I’m extremely excited,” said Sally Franzo, a local resident. “We love Ihop and we love Applebee’s too, and we think it’s a great merger for this area.”
The Hawthorne’s location was a standalone Applebee’s before this marriage to Ihop. Franzo’s husband, Rich Franzo, had been a regular, and had concerns over its future.
“It had started to get less and less busy, and I think this is going to bring it back alive, and we ain’t going to lose Applebee’s. Which is important – we need family-style restaurants, not just high-end restaurants, places where you can bring the kids and have a nice time,” said Franzo, who insisted he did not work for Applebee’s, before adding: “And it’s a great meal too.”
A man named Tom, who said he was “unable” to give his last name, described himself as a “breakfast person” and an Ihop enthusiast.
“And Applebee’s is a great environment, especially when I take my grandkids and my children, it’s just a good environment for a family to eat. Especially this place, we’ve come here for a while now. So looking at this combination, for me, I think it’s a home run,” Tom said.
It was a positive start then, for this very American collaboration. Can it follow in the footsteps of some of the country’s other successful mash-ups: the likes of Alien Vs Predator, or Kenan & Kel, or politicians and loads of money? Only time will tell.
