Franchise opportunities compared

    Crave 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.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Crave

    $237,500 – $275,600

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    IHOP

    $380,550 – $4,823,457

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Crave

    $45,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    IHOP

    $15,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 19

    Royalty · Item 6

    Crave

    8% · 2) — 8%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    IHOP

    4.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21

    Before you compare

    • Crave figures come from its 2025 FDD and IHOP figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Crave 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)

    Crave

    $237,500 – $275,600
    2025 FDD · Item 7

    IHOP

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

    Crave

    $45,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    IHOP

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

    Crave

    8% · 2) — 8%
    Royalty Fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    IHOP

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

    Crave

    2%
    Brand Development Fee — 2% — 2%
    2025 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)

    Crave

    22
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57

    IHOP

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

    Crave

    +5
    Calculated: 17 at end of 2022 → 22 at end of 2024

    IHOP

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

    Crave

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    IHOP

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

    Crave

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    IHOP

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

    Crave

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    IHOP

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Crave

    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
    +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.

    Crave vs IHOP: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Crave or IHOP?
    Crave: $237,500 – $275,600 (2025 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 Crave. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Crave and IHOP royalties compare?
    Crave: 8% · 2) — 8% (2025 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, Crave or IHOP?
    Crave: 22 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57); 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 Crave and IHOP disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Crave makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; 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

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