Free pancakes for a year at opening of new hybrid Applebee's-IHOP location

Applebee's and IHOP are bringing the best of both worlds to a new restaurant on the far West Side, and early risers will have the chance to win free pancakes for a year. The two brands are uniting for a new hybrid restaurant at 2607 W. Loop 1604 S, the eighth Applebee's-IHOP location in the San Antonio area, according to a news release. The Hakim Group, a local franchisee, will celebrate the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. on Sept. 15. The first 100 customers in line will win free pancakes for a year — that is, one free short stack of buttermilk pancakes a month for 12 months. The offer is limited to one family member per household. "We've seen firsthand how much guests appreciate having two beloved brands together in one place," said Hakim Group Vice President Danny Hakim in a statement. "Unlike our other dual-branded restaurants in the area that were created by remodeling an existing restaurant, this new location was built from the ground up and we're excited for guests to come see it." Both restaurant concepts will share a host stand and other common areas at the new location, but customers will get to choose from two different dining experiences: the cozy Applebee's dining room or the bustling diner atmosphere of IHOP. The menu offers all the familiar favorites from both restaurants, available all day. Plus, there's exclusive dishes like the Buffalo Chicken Omelette and Ultimate Breakfast Burger. Specialty cocktails, including an espresso martini and Irish coffee, are available for customers 21 and older. Starting Sept. 16, the restaurant will be open every day from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Dine Brands Global, the California-based parent company of both restaurants, chose Seguin to be the home of the first combination IHOP-Applebee's in the nation in 2025. Since then, the company has opened five more dual-branded locations in San Antonio and one in Seguin. The aim of the hybrid restaurant concept was to boost sales with all-day traffic after both brands recorded declining quarterly earnings. The combination restaurant model has been rising in popularity in recent years as restaurants work to cut down on real estate, equipment and staffing costs. Staff writer Lily O'Neill contributed to this report.