Franopolis
    vs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Buffalo Wild Wings 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.

    Buffalo Wild Wings2026 FDDIHOP2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    $31,200 – $4,500,320

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    IHOP

    $380,550 – $4,823,457

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    Not available

    IHOP

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 19

    Royalty · Item 6

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    IHOP

    4.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Buffalo Wild Wings and IHOP disclose 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 (Buffalo Wild Wings: 12, IHOP: 31). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    $31,200 – $4,500,320
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    IHOP

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

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    IHOP

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

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    5%
    Royalty grosssales
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    IHOP

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

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    $15,000
    Opening advertising
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 29

    IHOP

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

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    219
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81

    IHOP

    5,028
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    −966
    Calculated: 1,185 at end of 2023 → 219 at end of 2025

    IHOP

    −36
    Calculated: 5,064 at end of 2023 → 5,028 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    IHOP

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

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    1992
    From a verified franchisor listing

    IHOP

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

    Buffalo Wild Wings

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    IHOP

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Buffalo Wild Wings
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 1st Quartile of Full-year franchised Sports Bars, including4nontraditional; no…
    $4,875,869
    other 1st Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 79
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2nd Quartile of Full-year franchised Sports Bars, including4nontraditional; no…
    133 units
    other 2nd Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 79
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 3rd Quartile of Full-year franchised Sports Bars, including4nontraditional; no…
    133 units
    other 3rd Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 79
    +9 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
    +28 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.

    Buffalo Wild Wings vs IHOP: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Buffalo Wild Wings or IHOP?
    Buffalo Wild Wings: $31,200 – $4,500,320 (2026 FDD · Item 7); 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 Buffalo Wild Wings. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Buffalo Wild Wings and IHOP royalties compare?
    Buffalo Wild Wings: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31); 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, Buffalo Wild Wings or IHOP?
    Buffalo Wild Wings: 219 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81); IHOP: 5,028 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Buffalo Wild Wings and IHOP disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Buffalo Wild Wings has reviewed Item 19 figures for 12 location groups; IHOP has reviewed Item 19 figures for 31 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 Buffalo Wild Wings 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 Buffalo Wild Wings 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