John Peyton’s Post

Great visit with our Fuzzy's Taco Shop franchisees in Oklahoma! It’s clear that Fuzzy's isn't just another taco shop – it's a vibrant community celebrating good food, good times, and good people. The way our franchisees have embraced and amplified this culture is impressive. Thanks, Fuzzy’s Chisholm Creek, for a terrific lunch—the new Baja Fish Taco and Margarita Shrimp taco were out of this world!   Thank you to Patrick Woodson, Tyler Gillespie, Brian Bogert, Manny Leclercq, and Kelly Allen for your time, insights, and commitment to the brand. Shout out to Fuzzy’s President Paul Damico, and CMO Patrick Kirk, and everyone who made this visit so memorable.   With passionate franchisees and leaders like these leading the charge, I'm more excited than ever about Fuzzy's future!  

Our team was out in force to celebrate Dine's independent director Doug Pasquale, 11-year veteran of our Board and Chair of our Audit Committee. Doug was honored by the Forum of Corporate Directors for Corporate Growth and Development. His recognition is a testament to the extraordinary impact he's had on our board and Dine Brands as a whole.   Doug's leadership goes beyond strategy – it's about bringing us together and moving us forward. His sharp mind, meticulous approach, and collaborative spirit have been crucial in navigating challenges and seizing opportunities. His dedication and excellence set a high bar for corporate governance, and we're fortunate to have him.   Let's all take a moment to congratulate Doug!

Who would have thought pistachio and rose water would be a delicious combo for a pancake? I got a taste of the culinary innovation happening around the world as our international team gathered at our Pasadena HQ and prepared a fantastic lunch of unique Applebee’s and IHOP items found only outside of the U.S. From the Applebee’s Messy Burger and IHOP Waffle Pops in Latin America to Korean Beef Back Ribs and Pistachio Pancakes in the Middle East, I was blown away by the delicious flavor combinations that are resonating with our international guests. It is a true testament to the creativity and passion our culinary teams bring to the table every day. Thank you to Chefs Jéan van der Westhuizen, Liliana Rivera, and Jorge Eduardo G. for giving me a sneak peek of your tasting menu. Watching you and the entire international team at work, hustling out trays of perfectly executed items, was inspiring and I look forward to getting a taste of what’s coming next! Dine Brands Global | Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar | IHOP

Thanks, Dean, for welcoming me to Reboot Chronicles. Terrific conversation!

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit our dual brands Applebee's and IHOP location in León, Guanajuato, México. Thank you to franchisee Ernesto Watty of Grupo AWA and his team for their outstanding hospitality. Seeing both IHOP and Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar existing seamlessly under one roof was impressive. Our international team has done an exceptional job of maintaining each brand’s unique identity while creating memorable dining experiences for our guests. During my visit, I had the chance to meet and provide recognition to two of the dedicated restaurant managers – Vicente Rubio and Claudia Manriquez – who lead this dual brands location. It’s inspiring to see their commitment to delivering outstanding service while staying true to both brands. Thank you to Scott Gladstone, Jake Nebergall, William F. Urrego and all the other Dine team members who joined me on this adventure. Our international dual branded journey has just begun, and I’m excited to see where it takes us next.

As we shared during Dine’s Q1 2024 Earnings Call this morning, it was a tough quarter, and our team has been focused on accelerating our Recipe for Growth to support our franchisees and make our company and brands even stronger. Like others in our industry, we saw large areas of the country experience poor weather, impacting sales and traffic. And while our guests remain cautious with their spending, we are encouraged to see that our value-driven strategy helped mitigate some of these challenges, like Applebee’s All You Can Eat promotion and IHOP’s Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity campaign. As we look ahead, Applebee’s has a fully loaded innovation pipeline and IHOP’s POS rollout is nearly complete. We’re also continuing to explore opportunities to grow Fuzzy’s and our international dual-branded Applebee’s and IHOP concept, which continues to perform well. There’s still a lot of work ahead, but I’m thankful for our team members, our franchisees, and their restaurant teams for their ongoing work and commitment to growing our brands and serving guests around the world. https://lnkd.in/gCQpdKv4 Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar | IHOP | Fuzzy's Taco Shop | Dine Brands Global

Development is not just about opening new restaurants; it’s about providing support and resources that ensure success well beyond the ribbon cutting. Last week, at the Blue Roof Franchise Association’s conference in Las Vegas, I sat down with Jacob Barden – Dine Brands Global’ SVP of Franchise Development – to discuss Dine’s Recipe for Growth and the work his team is doing to accelerate our development plans, improve processes, and provide our franchisees the support they need to grow their businesses. Development is not a one size solution for our brands, nor for our franchisees. Thank you, John Jordan and the BRFA team, for the opportunity to dive deeper and share with the IHOP community our plans to help franchisees grow with the brand. 📷: Mark Justice, John Jordan, Dan Campbell

 I am incredibly proud to work with these two powerhouse leaders – Kieran Donahue and Joel Yashinsky! This well-deserved recognition is a testament to their ability to understand our guests’ needs and create innovative campaigns that deliver abundant value and even create pop culture moments. Congratulations, Kieran and Joel, and thank you for all you do! 

Now more than ever, brands need to be creative, adaptable, and innovative to stay competitive. This was a point I emphasized at the RestaurantSpaces conference in Pasadena as I spoke to the importance of agility and what we are doing at Dine Brands as we lean more into innovation and opportunities to leverage our iconic brands – Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar, IHOP, and Fuzzy's Taco Shop.   Thank you to the RestaurantSpaces team for the opportunity to share how we’re leaving lasting impressions on our guests around the world through cutting-edge technology, new restaurant concepts, and reimagined menu options. 

Today, we published the Dine Brands Global 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report. “Dine Better, Together” reinforces that People are the heart of our business and that it’s a team effort to advance our ESG goals.      Our collective commitment to our guests, communities, and environment remains strong, and we are dedicated to finding new and innovative ways to make a positive impact. Within the report we highlight the progress achieved by Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar, Fuzzy's Taco Shop, and IHOP, our franchisees, our team members, and our partners.      Thank you to those who helped with the creation of this report and, most importantly, contributed to the projects and accomplishments that brought this report to life. I encourage you to review our 2023 report through the link below. https://lnkd.in/ed3eSCwc