The first combined IHOP-Applebee’s restaurant in the US will soon open in Texas

Craving a stack of IHOP pancakes with a side of Applebee’s riblets? That will soon become a reality in Texas with a new restaurant that unites the two chains under the same roof.

Craving a stack of IHOP pancakes with a side of Applebee’s riblets? That will soon become a reality in Texas with a new restaurant that unites the two chains under the same roof. Dine Brands, which owns the two restaurants, announced that the combined Applebee’s-IHOP restaurant will open approximately 35 miles west of San Antonio early next year, marking the first time the company has brought the concept to the United States. Plans for the dual-branded restaurant were announced earlier this year as part of Dine Brand’s plan to grow the two restaurants, which both reported lackluster earnings Wednesday. Applebee’s same-store sales fell nearly 6% in the third quarter, while IHOP’s slumped 2.1%. Newly released renderings show two distinct parts, with a traditional IHOP interior on one side and an Applebee’s, featuring a large bar with TVs, on the other. Both of the chains’ menus are available on either side, and the restaurants share a kitchen. The idea is to maximize revenue with the same footprint of a traditional restaurant. That’s because the two restaurants’ menus encompass all parts of the day (pancakes and eggs Benedict for breakfast and steak and wings for dinner) and will have staff trained to work with both. “The idea behind the dual-branded IHOP-Applebee’s is pretty straightforward: getting better utilization out of a store by combining brands that traditionally serve different dayparts,” R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, told CNN. “By operating both brands out of a single store and utilizing a shared kitchen, the company is looking to drive visits throughout the full day and reduce the costs of operating two separate restaurants.”