Franopolis
    vs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Black Bear Diner vs IHOP

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Black Bear Diner2025 FDDIHOP2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Black Bear Diner

    $1,546,200 – $2,349,000

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    IHOP

    $380,550 – $4,823,457

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Black Bear Diner

    $55,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    IHOP

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 19

    Royalty · Item 6

    Black Bear Diner

    4.5%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    IHOP

    4.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21

    Before you compare

    • Black Bear Diner figures come from its 2025 FDD and IHOP figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • IHOP discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Black Bear Diner: 27, IHOP: 39). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Black Bear Diner

    $1,546,200 – $2,349,000
    Total Estimated Initial Investment (low)
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    IHOP

    $380,550 – $4,823,457
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Black Bear Diner

    $55,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    IHOP

    $15,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 19
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Black Bear Diner

    4.5%
    Royalty
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    IHOP

    4.5%
    Royalty rate
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Black Bear Diner

    1%
    Marketing Fund Contribution — 1%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    IHOP

    3.5%
    National Advertising Fee rate — 3.5%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Black Bear Diner

    162
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52

    IHOP

    5,142
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Black Bear Diner

    +9
    Calculated: 153 at end of 2022 → 162 at end of 2024

    IHOP

    +3,459
    Calculated: 1,683 at end of 2022 → 5,142 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Black Bear Diner

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    IHOP

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Black Bear Diner

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    IHOP

    1960
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Black Bear Diner

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    IHOP

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Black Bear Diner
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-affiliated restaurants, FY2024 All third group
    $2,785,159
    other Company-affiliated Restaurants Fiscal Year 2024 All third average Gross Sales per Restaurant
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-affiliated restaurants, FY2024 Top third group
    $3,596,276
    other Company-affiliated Restaurants Fiscal Year 2024 Top third average Gross Sales per Restaurant
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Restaurants, FY2024 All group
    $4,413,004
    other Franchised Restaurants Fiscal Year 2024 highest Gross Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 49
    +24 more groups in the full report
    IHOP
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised IHOP Restaurants in the Northeast U.S. Census Bureau reg…
    $2,176,716
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised IHOP Restaurants in the Midwest U.S. Census Bureau region
    $1,551,817
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Traditional franchised IHOP Restaurants using the freestanding prototype, 2024…
    $1,970,976
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 67
    +36 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Black Bear Diner vs IHOP: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Black Bear Diner or IHOP?
    Black Bear Diner: $1,546,200 – $2,349,000 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19); IHOP: $380,550 – $4,823,457 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for IHOP. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Black Bear Diner and IHOP royalties compare?
    Black Bear Diner: 4.5% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14); IHOP: 4.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Black Bear Diner or IHOP?
    Black Bear Diner: 162 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52); IHOP: 5,142 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Black Bear Diner and IHOP disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Black Bear Diner has reviewed Item 19 figures for 27 location groups; IHOP has reviewed Item 19 figures for 39 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Black Bear Diner report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full IHOP report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Compare Black Bear Diner with

    Compare IHOP with

    Add a third brand

    Compare up to four side by side

    Explore by brand

    Filter every published report

    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item