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    Franchise opportunities compared

    California Pizza Kitchen 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.

    CPCalifornia Pizza Kitchen2026 FDDIHOP2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $28,000 – $5,377,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    IHOP

    $380,550 – $4,823,457

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    IHOP

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 19

    Royalty · Item 6

    California Pizza Kitchen

    5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    IHOP

    4.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • California Pizza Kitchen and IHOP disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only IHOP has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $28,000 – $5,377,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    IHOP

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    IHOP

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    5%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    IHOP

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    1%
    Brand fund current — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    IHOP

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

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    California Pizza Kitchen

    121
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50

    IHOP

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    −27
    Calculated: 148 at end of 2023 → 121 at end of 2025

    IHOP

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    IHOP

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    2022
    From a verified franchisor listing

    IHOP

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

    California Pizza Kitchen

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    IHOP

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    CPCalifornia Pizza Kitchen

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    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.

    California Pizza Kitchen vs IHOP: common questions

    Which costs less to open, California Pizza Kitchen or IHOP?
    California Pizza Kitchen: $28,000 – $5,377,500 (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 California Pizza Kitchen. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do California Pizza Kitchen and IHOP royalties compare?
    California Pizza Kitchen: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); 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, California Pizza Kitchen or IHOP?
    California Pizza Kitchen: 121 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 50); 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 California Pizza Kitchen and IHOP disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    California Pizza Kitchen makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; 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

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    Full California Pizza Kitchen 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

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