American restaurant brand IHOP (International House of Pancakes) is undertaking a review of its operations in India after a series of store closures, as reported by The Hindu BusinessLine.
The brand entered the Indian market in 2017 through franchise agreements.
Closures include three outlets in the Delhi-NCR region, with the franchise agreement with Kwals Catering for North and South India concluding in 2024.
The Mumbai outlet, managed by food and beverage company Bedrock Foods for the western and eastern regions, was also shut down, leaving only the Pune location operational.
These developments have prompted IHOP to reconsider its strategy in a market where it has struggled to gain popularity for its American breakfast offerings.
An email inquiry sent to IHOP regarding the store closures and future strategies in India did not receive a response.
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By GlobalDataKwals Group owner Sameer Lamba, when contacted by the news publication, confirmed the ending of the agreement for North and South India in May 2024.
He said: “There were challenges during Covid but then we had reopened the outlets. But even then, did not see business picking up for the breakfast segment. Hence, we decided to end the deal.”
Owned by Dine Brands Global, IHOP offers made-to-order waffles and pancakes.
Both Kwals Catering and Bedrock Foods initially planned to open between 15 and 120 IHOP restaurants.
The possibility of IHOP appointing new franchise partners for these regions is now uncertain.
Bedrock Foods managing director Manpreet Gulri stated: “There is a reshuffle of tenants in the mall. We are continuing to run the Pune IHOP store. We expect to reopen at a better location within the mall once mall expansion plans are complete.”
He did not reveal future plans for the brand’s expansion.
