Franchise opportunities compared
IHOP vs IHOP International House of Pancakes
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 IHOP International House of Pancakes 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: 15, IHOP International House of Pancakes: 16). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  IHOP | IIIHOP International House of Pancakes |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $380,550 – $4,823,457 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $436,482 – $1,090,645 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $15,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 19 | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 4.5% Royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21 | 4.5% Royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 3.5% National Advertising Fee rate — 3.5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21 | 3.5% le and ultimate decision. The National Advertising Fees for the Levels are: Level 1: — 3.5% — 3.5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 1,693 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68 | 6,772 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 55 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | −10 Calculated: 1,703 at end of 2023 → 1,693 at end of 2025 | −40 Calculated: 6,812 at end of 2023 → 6,772 at end of 2025 |
| 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 — 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 +12 more groups in the full report | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Nontraditional Northeast $1,314,151 other Northeast 2025 AnnualizedAvgGrossSales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Nontraditional West $1,247,192 other West 2025 AnnualizedAvgGrossSales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Nontraditional South $5,946,313 other South 2024 High · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54 +13 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 vs IHOP International House of Pancakes: common questions
- Which costs less to open, IHOP or IHOP International House of Pancakes?
- IHOP: $380,550 – $4,823,457 (2026 FDD · Item 7); IHOP International House of Pancakes: $436,482 – $1,090,645 (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. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do IHOP and IHOP International House of Pancakes royalties compare?
- IHOP: 4.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21); IHOP International House of Pancakes: 4.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, IHOP or IHOP International House of Pancakes?
- IHOP: 1,693 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68); IHOP International House of Pancakes: 6,772 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 55). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do IHOP and IHOP International House of Pancakes disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- IHOP has reviewed Item 19 figures for 15 location groups; IHOP International House of Pancakes has reviewed Item 19 figures for 16 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.