Mix & match: Winnipeg first in Canada to boast Applebee’s-IHOPs dual-brand restaurant By: Gabrielle Piché Posted: 5:52 PM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 24, 2025

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A second IHOP has entered Winnipeg — and it’s moved into an Applebee’s.

Transcona marks the first Canadian neighbourhood to house the dual-branded restaurant. The hub joins a growing number of Applebee’s-IHOPs, internationally, in a bid to draw more customers to booths.

“Guests will have all the choice,” said Abhey Chahal. “You can have pancakes with steaks in the evening, and you can have steaks and other appetizers in the morning.”

On Wednesday, Chahal stood in the entrance of 1598 Regent Ave. W. To his right, customers gobbled syrupy stacks at booths reminiscent of typical International House of Pancakes locations.

Behind him was a bar — an Applebee’s staple — and a green plant wall bearing both brands’ logos.

Chahal’s employer, Hopapple Corp., blended the two restaurants’ names with the dual-brand eatery in mind.

It bought three Manitoba Applebee’s from another franchisee in August of 2024, said Chahal, Hopapple’s director of operations.

At the time, Hopapple leadership heard the parent company of both Applebee’s and IHOP, Dine Brands Global, sought franchisees to open blended restaurants. Hopapple wanted in, Chahal said.

“We thought, ‘We’ll hit the ground running,’” he added.

Chahal and colleagues turned their attention to the Applebee’s on Regent Avenue West. It’s been around for more than two decades, Chahal said, and had roughly 55 staff.

Hopapple has hired another 40 employees in anticipation of IHOP and longer operating hours. It’s still hiring.

Construction crews arrived last summer. By opening day — Wednesday — customers were walking under apple-clad awnings and a smiley IHOP sign.

They passed through a door advertising new hours: 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. It’s an extra 5 1/2 hours and 4 1/2 hours per weekday and weekend, respectively, than the former Applebee’s operations.

“I think this concept will certainly help us to bring more and more customers in,” Chahal said.

“Guests will have all the choice… You can have pancakes with steaks in the evening.”

He’s expecting to draw different groups: older adults with fond memories of Applebee’s and younger generations with a hankering for breakfast.

The Applebee’s-IHOP venture aligns with industry trends, said Shaun Jeffrey, executive director of the Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association.

Young adults — aged 18 to 28 — seem to be the largest growth demographic for sit-in restaurants. Breakfast has gained popularity, Jeffrey said.

“I think that the full-service industry is now looking at what’s working in the quick-service industry,” he added.

He’s noticed plenty of fast-food shops sharing a roof — for example, a Tim Hortons and an A&W. Often, the same person owns both eateries, Jeffrey explained.

Joint full-service restaurants are less common in Canada.

“People want selection,” Jeffrey said. “(Applebee’s-IHOP) is innovative, and it’s really speaking towards what the customers are looking for.”

Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic — namely, less sales during mandatory closures and social distancing calls — has been slower than expected, Jeffrey said. It’s compounded by higher operating costs and people tightening their purse strings, he added.

Restaurants Canada has tracked year-over-year decreases of Canadians dining out in the June through August timeframe, and during the three earlier months in 2025.

Restaurateurs are “really trying to find ways to entice Manitobans to come out to their business,” Jeffrey said.

Chahal said he’s betting on the Applebee’s-IHOP meld to compensate for cost pressures.

The first United States Applebee’s-IHOP opened in Texas in February. Locations in the Bahamas have also blossomed.

The model follows a general decline in Dine Brands Global’s stock shares over the past two years. Shares closed at US$65.27 on Jan. 1, 2023; they closed at US$25.19 on Wednesday.

The new Applebee’s-IHOP got a thumbs-up from Brenton Scott on Wednesday morning. He dug into strawberry pancakes during a brunch with family.

“We usually see the (IHOP) commercials,” said Scott, an IHOP newbie.

Carla Ocampo and Tien Le circled opening day as a must-visit. The friends had been to Winnipeg’s first IHOP, in the Tuxedo neighbourhood, and to the Regent Applebee’s.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” Le said over a bacon avocado Benedict.

Both restaurants’ fare can be eaten at any table inside. There’s a single menu; some dishes — like a breakfast burger — are only found at the site.

Hopapple plans to convert the Applebee’s in Brandon into an Applebee’s-IHOP next year, if all goes to plan, Chahal said.

The company also owns an Applebee’s across from Grant Park Shopping Centre. That location is about five kilometres away from the IHOP in Tuxedo.

“Both brands are very familiar (and) very visible, which is great,” said Sandeep Arora, a University of Manitoba marketing professor. “Equally important is that the foot traffic is spread across different times of the day.”

Other sectors have introduced the dual-company model, Arora noted: Best Buy and Ikea said they’d pilot in-store planning and shopping experiences together this fall in 10 U.S. stores.

Last year, HMV opened outlets within Toys “R” Us locations, including in three Winnipeg shops.

Businesses risk confusing customers by forming such partnerships and, if something negatively impacts one company, the partner could be affected, Arora said.

Dine Brands Global counted 1,618 Applebee’s locations in September 2024, and 1,811 IHOPs in June 2024.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com