FAQs
Our Story
Since 1958, IHOP® has been the place where people connect over breakfast, enjoy study breaks, grab a bite before or after sporting events, and so much more. And no matter what menu items they order, there’s one ingredient that’s always constant — a smile. We’ve seen millions of smiles over the years in our restaurants, and now shared in photos across our social properties. In fact, smiles are so much a part of our culture that we changed our logo to include one.
Reasons you'll be happy investing in IHOP.
IHOP is more than a place where breakfast lovers love to have breakfast:
Attractive Unit Economics.
Established and successful franchise system with a proven business model that can be adapted across multiple formats and sizes, and for local relevance.
Part of Dine Brands, a publicly traded company, and one of the largest full-service restaurant groups in the world.
It's an American icon, with over 60 year heritage of giving guests a variety of the breakfast, lunch and dinner favorites they love.
As one of the most well-known brands today, IHOP is recognized as the leader in Family dining, consistently ranked #1 or #2 in Family Dining by Nation's Restaurant News.
Leverage our world-class support team in the areas of operations, training, marketing, site selection, design and construction, food inovation, supply chain and techology.
Superior image and design.
Best in class technology and culinary innovation, and flexibility for local adaptation.
A company on an accelerated growth trajectory.
Our franchisees say it best
“I started with a US IHOP in Atlanta, GA in 1997… when I tasted the food and experienced the family atmosphere — and saw the momentum of the IHOP brand — I knew I had to be a part of it. I wanted to share that beautiful experience with families overseas.”
Mohammed Makawi
Our menu around the world
IHOP by the Numbers
1,750
operating restaurants
64 years
SPREADING HAPPINESS
13+
COUNTRIES & TERRITORIES
$3.1B
Systemwide sales
Learn more about international opportunities
Retail Formats
Flexibility in formats and channels
L Topology
Total area
350+ sqm
Occupancy
168+ seats
M Topology
Total area
250 sqm
Occupancy
101 seats
Mini Topology
Total area
150 sqm
Occupancy
65 seats
California heritage design
Is IHOP seeking new international franchise candidates?
Yes, IHOP is seeking qualified candidates in select markets both domestically and internationally. For franchise opportunities in the USA, please visit our domestic website.
How do I know if the country I am interested in is available?
Please refer to our current priority markets. Priorities might change in the future, so please feel free to check back in the future or send an email to [email protected]com
Do you offer single unit franchises?
For our international business, we do not offer single unit franchises; we are looking for multi-unit developers with a minimum of 5 units. The actual number of units would depend on the territory.
What are the financial requirements in order to qualify for an IHOP franchise?
We typically require a minimum of $1MM USD in net worth for each restaurant to be built, along with substantial liquid cash assets for initial restaurant construction, as well as to fund working capital costs and startup costs.
What is the investment required?
The investment required will depend on multiple factors, including the size of the territory, the pace of growth, and multiple market specific factors. As part of the Approval Process, you would prepare a business plan, which would include projections on investment levels.
Is there financing available?
While IHOP does not provide financing, we may introduce you to lending sources.
Is prior restaurant experience required?
Although prior restaurant experience is not an absolute requisite, our preferred partner will bring multi-unit management expertise, in restaurants and/or retail, and the ability to build and grow a business. Multi-unit restaurant experience, with other franchised concepts is a plus.
What is the size of a typical IHOP restaurant?
We have a variety of formats, which can range from ~ 150 sqm (1600 sq ft) to over 450 sqm (4800 sq ft). Optimal format and size will depend on the market specifics and other factors
What support does IHOP provide when I become a franchisee?
IHOP offers a full range of franchise support including training, site selection assistance, restaurant-design-planning assistance, restaurant-opening assistance and ongoing operations and marketing consulting.
What is the term of a development agreement?
The term of a development agreement will vary depending on the market specific, territory and obligations, among other things. This will be discussed as part of the Approval Process.