Franchise opportunities compared
IHOP and International House of Pancakes vs The Counter
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.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes and The Counter 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 (IHOP and International House of Pancakes: 8, The Counter: 4). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  IHOP and International House of Pancakes |  The Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $616,682 – $4,632,445 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $712,133 – $1,988,750 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | Not available No single standard fee identified | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 4.5% OTHER FEES Type of Fee 1 Amount Due Date Remarks Royalty — 4.5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 | 6% Weekly royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 37 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 3.5% revenue from the Restaurant except sales or use tax. National Advertising Fee Up to — 3.5% — 3.5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 | 1% Current advertising fee — 1% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 37 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 126 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 55 | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +36 Calculated: 90 at end of 2023 → 126 at end of 2025 | Not available Only one year reported |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | 1960 From a verified franchisor listing | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Northea stnontraditionalIHOPfranchised $1,116,542 other Northea st 2024 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — WestnontraditionalIHOPfranchised 1 restaurants other West 2024 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — SouthnontraditionalIHOPfranchised 35 percent other South 2024 · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54 +5 more groups in the full report | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Existing franchised outlets meeting Item 19 criteria 6 stores other Number of stores measured · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 103 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All existing The Counter franchised stores located in the United States that di… $2,311,053 other gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 103 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All franchised outlets in Item 19 50 percent other Percentage meeting/exceeding average gross sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 103 +1 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.
IHOP and International House of Pancakes vs The Counter: common questions
- Which costs less to open, IHOP and International House of Pancakes or The Counter?
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes: $616,682 – $4,632,445 (2026 FDD · Item 7); The Counter: $712,133 – $1,988,750 (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 and International House of Pancakes. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do IHOP and International House of Pancakes and The Counter royalties compare?
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes: 4.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19); The Counter: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 37). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do IHOP and International House of Pancakes and The Counter disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; The Counter has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 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.