PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 15, 2026--
Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar ® and IHOP ®, today celebrates the rapid expansion of its dual-branded restaurant concept with the opening of a new location in San Antonio, TX. Less than two years after launching the first standalone U.S. dual-branded restaurant in nearby Seguin, Texas, the two iconic brands are approaching 50 dual-branded locations nationwide, reflecting growing guest demand for greater variety, convenience, and value under one roof.
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San Antonio, TX community celebrates grand opening of new dual-branded Applebee’s | IHOP.
Located at 2607 W. Loop 1604 S., the new restaurant is the eighth dual-branded Applebee's | IHOP location in the greater San Antonio market, underscoring the region's strong embrace of the concept. To celebrate the opening and the community, The Hakim Group, an Applebee's and IHOP franchisee and location owner, hosted a special ribbon-cutting event where 100 guests received free pancakes for a year. The franchisee also presented a $1,000 donation to Stay Strong Foundation, a San Antonio-based nonprofit, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the local community.
"We are excited for guests to experience this newest Applebee's | IHOP location, which reflects the continued evolution of the dual-branded concept," said Danny Hakim, Vice President of The Hakim Group. "Our restaurants are only as strong as the communities they serve and we’re proud to continue investing in San Antonio and to support organizations that are making a difference locally."
The dual-branded restaurant offers guests the best of both brands under one roof, allowing them to mix and match signature Applebee's and IHOP items from a single menu any time of day, from morning to late night. Within the space, guests enjoy the unique identity and atmosphere of both brands, connected by shared spaces that create a seamless experience and complemented by specialty cocktails* and exclusive menu innovations available only at dual-branded locations, including the Loaded Buffalo Chicken Omelette and Ultimate Breakfast Burger.
“What began as a bold idea has evolved into a meaningful complement to our development and growth strategies,” said John Peyton, CEO of Dine Brands Global. “In under two years, we’ve gone from one dual-branded U.S. location to nearly 50 nationwide, and the momentum continues. By bringing Applebee’s and IHOP together under one roof, we’re creating a more flexible operating model, giving guests more reasons to visit, and offering franchisees an additional pathway to strengthen their businesses over time.”
As Dine Brands advances its development and growth strategies, the dual-branded model is emerging as a valuable addition to its portfolio. The company remains on track to open approximately 80 domestic dual-branded restaurants by the end of 2026.
The new Applebee’s | IHOP restaurant – located at 2607 W. Loop 1604 S., San Antonio, TX, 78245 – is now open daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more information visit Applebees.com or IHOP.com.
*Must be 21 or older to consume alcohol.
ABOUT DINE BRANDS GLOBAL, INC.
Based in Pasadena, California, Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), through its subsidiaries and franchisees, supports and operates restaurants under the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar ®, IHOP ®, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop ® brands. As of June 28, 2026, these three brands comprised nearly 3,500 restaurants. Dine Brands is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world and in 2022 expanded into the Fast Casual segment. For more information on Dine Brands, visit the Company’s website located at www.dinebrands.com
ABOUT APPLEBEE’S ®
As one of the world’s largest casual dining brands, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar serves as America’s kitchen table, offering guests a lively dining experience that combines simple, craveable American fare with classic drinks and local drafts. Applebee’s makes it easy for family and friends to connect with one another, whether it’s in a dining room or in the comfort of a living room, Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood™ is a familiar and affordable escape from the everyday. Applebee's restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to more than serving great food, but also building up the communities that we call home. From raising money for local charities to hosting community fundraisers, Applebee’s is always Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood ®. Applebee’s and its franchise operations together consisted of 1,439 Applebee’s restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 17 countries outside the United States as of June 28, 2026. This number does not include 118 company-owned Applebee’s restaurants. Applebee's is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world's largest full-service restaurant companies.
ABOUT IHOP ®
For more than 65 years, IHOP has been a leader, innovator and expert in all things breakfast, lunch and dinner. The chain offers over 65 different signature, fresh, made-to-order breakfast options and a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items including Ultimate Steakburgers, Hand-Crafted Sandwiches, Platters and more. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. As of June 28, 2026, there are 1,732 IHOP restaurants around the world, including restaurants in all 50 states, two U.S. territories and 13 countries outside the United States. IHOP restaurants are franchised by affiliates of Pasadena, Calif.-based Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).
Dine Brands approaches 50 dual-branded Applebee’s | IHOP restaurants nationwide with newest opening in San Antonio, TX.
New dual-branded Applebee’s | IHOP in San Antonio, TX offers guests both brands under one roof.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked legislation to create a new regulatory framework for cryptocurrency, stalling an industry-backed effort to place new guardrails around digital assets after demanding more limits on President Donald Trump's investments.
The 49-50 vote on whether to move forward with the legislation was a pivotal election-year test for the $2.3 trillion cryptocurrency market as the industry has pushed aggressively for a uniform set of rules. The Senate debate came as cryptocurrency companies have become a major political force, and as Trump has amassed significant wealth in crypto while in office.
While some Democrats are friendly toward the industry and support the idea of regulation, they have been adamant that the bill include strong ethics safeguards to prevent the president and his family from enriching themselves while he's in office. The opposition appears to have only solidified two months before the midterm elections, despite significant donations that crypto groups have given to some Democrats in recent years.
“Let’s make sure that we do not pass a crypto bill that will let Donald Trump continue to rake in billions of dollars in crypto profits while working families across this country struggle to deal with higher prices and an economy that gets worse by the day,” said Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee.
As Democrats made clear they would block the bill, Trump agreed to some concessions on ethics, including new restrictions on federal elected officials from issuing digital assets like the presidential meme coins he and his wife Melania launched before he took office for his second term. He agreed to new concessions Sunday, such as additional powers for state attorneys general that Democrats had sought to enforce the crypto measures.
Those concessions were not enough for Democrats, who said the latest Republican proposal did not have enough enforcement. They also wanted a requirement for Trump or any future president to divest if holdings reach a certain value.
The latest version of the legislation “leaves a lot to be desired,” said Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, who was involved in last-minute talks with Republicans on the bill.
Democrats sent a counteroffer late Monday that would expand the ethics provision, but they were not able to strike a final deal. Republicans needed Democratic support to win the 60 votes necessary to move forward on the bill in the 53-47 Senate.
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican who worked with Gallego to strengthen the ethics provision, said before the vote that he was pleased with Trump’s latest concessions.
“We’re so close,” Tillis said. “It’s just a shame to not take this opportunity.”
Trump’s family has raked in big profits in the crypto sector since he was reelected, including the meme coin, announced the day before Trump took office. Top investors were invited to a private reception with the president.
Trump’s family also has a controlling stake in World Liberty Financial, a crypto firm co-founded with the president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump reported more than $500 million in revenue from World Liberty Financial sales of crypto products, including “governance tokens,” in his annual disclosure report filed with the Office of Government Ethics. That is a significant share of the more than $1.4 billion that the president reported from crypto businesses last year.
A measure enacted into law last year regulating stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency, barred members of Congress and their families from profiting off them, but it did not extend to Trump or his family.
Republicans who have been working on the legislation for more than a year say it could now stall indefinitely. The House and Senate will be out of session during October and before the elections, and the dynamics could significantly shift if Democrats win back the majorities of the House or Senate, or both, in November.
Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, a lead sponsor of the bill, said beforehand that a no vote means ”opposing real ethics reforms on politicians’ personal investments, handing American leadership in digital assets to our foreign competitors, and leaving Americans with zero protections in the digital asset markets.”
Supporters say the legislation aims to give the industry more legal certainty and protect consumers by creating a broad set of guardrails and regulatory requirements, including better enforcement to prevent bad actors and protections to prevent a market collapse.
As talks continued Tuesday morning, Lummis posted on X that it was “now or never for the Clarity Act,” referring to the bill’s name.
“The time for negotiating is over,” she wrote.
Opponents, mostly Democrats, say the bill is a giveaway to the industry as crypto companies have become generous donors to candidates in both parties around the country.
“It’s no secret that they are seeking to ram a bill through Congress based upon not the merits of the bill, but the threat that they will spend even more money in elections against people who vote against it,” said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.
In 2024, the crypto industry spent more than $130 million in congressional races, including $40 million in Ohio and $10 million each in Arizona and Michigan.
“DC received a clear message that being anti-crypto is a good way to end your career, as it doesn’t represent the will of the voters,” Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, the nation’s largest crypto exchange, wrote in a social media post the day after the 2024 election.
Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
Senate Finance Committee member Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks to nominees, during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
FILE - Eric Trump, Executive vice president of The Trump Organization, from right, speaks as co-founder of World Liberty Financial Zach Witkoff and founder of TRON Justin Sun look on during Token 2049, a Crypto event, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri, File)
FILE - Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi speaks as President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with technology leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Aug. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
