Franchise opportunities compared
IHOP and International House of Pancakes vs Wahlburgers
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
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes figures come from its 2026 FDD and Wahlburgers figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes and Wahlburgers disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only IHOP and International House of Pancakes has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure |  IHOP and International House of Pancakes |  Wahlburgers |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $616,682 – $4,632,445 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $1,083,000 – $2,799,000 2025 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 | 8% Royalty rate 2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17 |
| 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 | 0.5% Brand Fund contribution — 0.5% 2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17 |
| 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 | Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation |
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 Wahlburgers: common questions
- Which costs less to open, IHOP and International House of Pancakes or Wahlburgers?
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes: $616,682 – $4,632,445 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Wahlburgers: $1,083,000 – $2,799,000 (2025 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 Wahlburgers royalties compare?
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes: 4.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19); Wahlburgers: 8% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do IHOP and International House of Pancakes and Wahlburgers disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- IHOP and International House of Pancakes has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Wahlburgers makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.