- I attended the opening of the first Applebee's and IHOP dual-branded restaurant in Seguin, Texas.
- I tried five exclusive dishes you won't find at stand-alone Applebee's or IHOP restaurants.
- The Buffalo chicken omelet and sirloin steak and eggs both impressed me in terms of taste and value.
I recently attended the grand opening of the Applebee's-IHOP dual-branded restaurant in Seguin, Texas, the first of its kind in the US.
Featuring favorites from both chain restaurant menus, Applebee's-IHOP also serves five exclusive menu items you'll only find at the hybrid restaurants.
"For our guests, it enables a lot more choice," Dine Brands CEO John Peyton told Business Insider of the dual-branded restaurant concept. "We already see overseas, they're ordering from both sides of the menu. The other thing it does for our guests is we've created items on this menu that are only available at the dual-branded restaurants."
From a stacked breakfast burger to a loaded Buffalo chicken omelet, every exclusive item blended the two menus together, and I hope that when the chain expands across the country, more people will be able to try them.
The company said it plans to open 14 more dual-branded locations in the US in the next year, both by updating existing single-branded IHOP and Applebee's locations and building new locations that reflect the new Applebee's-IHOP brand.
Here's every exclusive menu item at the first Applebee's and IHOP hybrid restaurant, ranked from worst to best.
My least favorite was the berry balsamic grilled chicken salad.
When I visit a chain restaurant, I almost never order a salad. I tend to gravitate toward heartier options like chicken tenders or classic burgers. However, I decided to give this exclusive menu item a shot, regardless.
The berry balsamic grilled chicken salad cost $14.49, excluding tax.
The salad was bright and fresh, but I wanted more flavor.
I thought the sliced red onion in the salad overpowered a lot of the other flavors, and the dressing was just a little too sour and tangy for my tastes.
The strawberries did taste fresh and added a hint of sweetness that cut through the tart notes of the dressing and red onion, but the red onion was just too much for me.
Next up was the strawberry waffle sundae.
The strawberry waffle sundae includes two Belgian waffle pieces, glazed strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream. It costs $2.99, excluding tax.
The sundae was perfectly sweet and tart.
The waffles' crispy texture was balanced by the sweet and flavorful vanilla ice cream, while the strawberries added a tart bite to the dish.
I also thought the ice cream tasted high-quality.
The vanilla ice cream was thick and creamy, with a lot of flavor packed into a small bite.
Overall, I was impressed, especially given the low price point of this dessert.
The burger reminded me of a classic New York deli breakfast sandwich.
The burger, which comes topped with hash browns, two slices of American cheese, two bacon strips, an over-easy egg, and poblano hollandaise sauce, reminded me of a classic bacon-egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwich.
The egg and bright, tangy poblano hollandaise sauce added moisture to this sandwich. The crispy bacon added a deep smoky flavor, balanced by a soft, fluffy bun. I would definitely order this again.
It was a standard breakfast sandwich kicked up a notch — paired with seasoned fries, this burger set me up for the day.
My second favorite exclusive menu item was the sirloin steak and eggs.
Inspired by the array of steaks available on the Applebee's menu, this twist on classic steak and eggs includes an 8-ounce sirloin steak, three eggs served any style, and two buttermilk pancakes.
It cost $19.99, excluding tax, making it the most expensive dish I tried.
I requested that my steak be cooked medium. It was cooked perfectly.
The steak had a peppery crust on the outside but was juicy and cooked to a perfect medium. It was moist and flavorful — my only critique was that the sirloin steak wasn't the most tender.
Sirloin steak tends to be a tougher cut of meat compared to filet mignon or ribeye. I had to chew it quite a bit before swallowing. However, for less than $20 for the entire plate, perhaps that's to be expected.
I thought the eggs were buttery and moist, and practically melted in my mouth.
The sirloin steak and eggs also came with a side of pancakes.
The pancakes, topped with a ball of butter, were fluffy and light. I also used the syrup available on my table.
I thought this entire plate was a massive portion. Between the 8-ounce steak, eggs, and side of pancakes, it could have easily fed two people.
Peyton said the company carefully considers portion size when determining the kind of value Applebee's and IHOP offer customers.
"Value's got a very specific definition for us, which is great food, a really generous portion, great service at an accessible price," he said. "We have to focus on those four things to yield to our guests more than ever in 2025."
The omelet was decadently cheesy and the eggs were perfectly soft.
The chicken pieces added just the right amount of crunch, while the tenders' breading was well-seasoned and packed even more flavor into each bite. The drizzle of ranch and Buffalo sauce added moisture to the dish.
Overall, this was a Buffalo sauce lover's dream.
The heat from the Buffalo sauce balanced out the buttery eggs.
This dish was decadent but also familiar. It combined the flavors I typically looked for at Applebee's — spicy and savory — with a buttery, breakfast favorite I might order from IHOP.
This menu item embodies what the hybrid restaurant is trying to achieve: a perfect symbiosis between the Applebee's and IHOP brands.
