I've only seen fast food places try this; but maybe this is the bold move will pay off. The combination IHOP/Applebee's can be found in Hawthorne, NY. While I haven't been in either restaurant in a while, memory indicates they do have complementary menus. IHOP was a college staple (especially for late night studying) while Applebee's has usually been more of a road trip stop (if there is no Chili's to be found). I don't recall Applebee's having much in the breakfast department thus attaching an IHOP might be the bold move the franchise owner needs to increase traffic. So, where does this land vis a vis my hyperbolic headline? Probably somewhere in the middle.
The article note what I have observed: Chili's is doing well in the causal dining category. I've been a couple of times this year (on road trips; I haven't been to the one at 45th & Lamar in a while and the Chili's near my house has been gone for over a decade) and found the burgers to be slightly more expensive than fast food while tasting much better. Plus you can take a break from driving while watching sports or something. My only beef with Chili's is that they changed the Chicken Crisper recipe from tempura style batter to a less fun crispy version. Despite my comments in every check-out survey, corporate has yet to take my advice and switch back.
View on Threads
