The IHOP family dining chain is acting on its plan to accelerate expansion by awarding rights to develop at least five nontraditional units across the Canadian province of Ontario.
The restaurants will be operated in locations such as truck stops by Toronto-based K2 Group. The first is scheduled for the town of Belleville, with units to follow in Hamilton, Waterloo and London.
IHOP parent Dine Brands Global describes the first restaurant to be built as a one-of-a-kind. An artist’s depiction shows a building topped with a blue roof—a signature of the chain—and a boxlike exterior feature sporting a giant depiction of the chain’s logo.
The venerable brand has developed a number of new prototypes, including a smaller format, to facilitate the chain’s expansion, a goal cited by executives as a key strategic objective. IHOP also plans to launch a scaled-down spinoff later this year called Flip’d, which features a scaled down menu and less seating than an IHOP sports.
The chain is also looking to develop an array of virtual restaurant concepts that would function as delivery-only add-ons to restaurants currently in operation.
K2 is a privately owned development company with a strong presence in the gasoline business. It is led by Kailash Kasal.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.