A restaurant in Manitowoc has now become the fourth to combine two well-known chains into one.
A ribbon cutting was held for the building that now combines Applebee’s and IHOP on S. Frontage Road.
Although the sign outside changed about a month ago, Regional Management Director Julio Solano says it took about that long to recreate the inside.
“Including training, a couple weeks of actual renovation, it was a lot,” he noted. “Merging two concepts is not easy.”
Solano also says the Applebee’s and IHOP restaurant is in a great location, near other businesses, Interstate 43, and hotels, which gives it a lot of exposure.
The idea to combine the two franchises came from their owner, Dime Brands.
Solano expounded that, “Breakfast and dinner is a great merge, it’s something you don’t see too often. And if you actually look at the industries, there’s nothing like us that are doing what we are doing right now. Especially with two big names.”
Solano notes that public feedback has been very positive, and the combination is prompting them to ask questions and be interested in why Applebee’s and IHOP merged into one Manitowoc restaurant.
But one thing the regional manager says he also hears about is the stories people tell.
One story he told from a customer was going to IHOP with his dad when they were a kid, and now he brings his son.
The Applebee’s and IHOP restaurants are open Monday through Sunday from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
