IHOP Is Opening a New Brand of Restaurants This Year
After closing down more than 40 locations last year, IHOP is ready to open new restaurants again. And the chain's plans to expand will likely include the very first locations of the fast-casual restaurant concept Flip'd by IHOP.
Plans for Flip'd, which parent company Dine Brands was bracing to roll out in urban areas, were first unveiled at the end of 2019, according to Restaurant Business. However, the opening of the first location in Atlanta, which was scheduled for April 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Related: McDonald's Is Making These 8 Major Upgrades)
Now that plans for Flip'd appear to be back on track, it's worth reviewing what you can expect. The locations will be mostly geared toward off-premise eating, so they'll be much smaller than IHOP restaurants. While you'll find many of your IHOP favorites on the menu, some items will be tweaked for on-the-go eating. For example, pancakes will come in takeout bowls, which can be customized with toppings at a Build Your Own Pancake Bar. The same goes for bowls of oatmeal.
Another strong emphasis at Flip'd will be on morning drinks. "We will have freshly brewed beverages, we will have freshly squeezed orange juice, we will have nitro-brewed coffee," IHOP President Jay Johns said in 2019.
Breakfast aside, Flip'd locations will also offer lunch and dinner menus, with brand new options like burritos and ready-to-eat salads.
Details surrounding the timeline and the locations of the first few Flip'd restaurants remain under wraps. For more on the latest fast-food trends, check out 6 Most Anticipated Fast-Food Menu Items Launching This Year. And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest restaurant news delivered straight to your inbox.
