IHOP Expands to College Campuses

IHOP is expanding to college campuses by partnering with professional services provider ARAMARK, announced the restaurant chain owned by Glendale-based DineEquity Inc. The partnership includes a two-year test program to develop five IHOP Express, or IHOP U, concept restaurants on college campuses throughout the nation. IHOP and ARAMARK already have an IHOP Express location operating at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. The companies are also in the final planning stages for a location at Virginia Commonwealth University. “This is part of our long-term strategy to expand how we make the IHOP brand available to guests,” said Jean Birch, IHOP’s president. “Our current partnership with ARAMARK has demonstrated the benefits of making IHOP easily accessible to students and faculty through a presence on a college campus. The chain’s decision to expand to college campuses is part of a larger brand strategy to make the restaurant accessible to guests who are not currently patronizing IHOP or who are visiting infrequently. The company has also embarked on a licensing program that allows select business partners to use the IHOP name in key product categories. IHOP’s primary mode of expansion continues to be traditional restaurant locations, with franchisees slated to open between 60 and 70 restaurants this year. Jessica Vernabe