Kingsville’s IHOP is getting a major glow-up. The standalone pancake spot is slated to morph into a combined IHOP and Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, turning the roughly 4,800-square-foot diner into a one-stop shop for early-morning pancakes, midday burgers and late-night drinks. The conversion is penciled in to kick off in June, with a targeted completion date in January 2027.
State Filing and Project Details
According to MySA, a project filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation outlines about a $400,000 renovation to add an Applebee’s to the existing IHOP at 2612 S. Hwy 77. The filing lists the space at just under 4,800 square feet and shows work scheduled to start in June and wrap up by January 2027.
The filing also comes with the usual fine print: public project pages can change as contractors submit permits, so both the construction schedule and the budget are still subject to adjustment.
Location and Local Impact
IHOP lists its current Kingsville restaurant at 2612 S. 77 Expy, confirming the unit cited in the state filing. The site sits a short drive from Texas A&M University–Kingsville’s main campus at Texas A&M University–Kingsville, putting thousands of students within easy reach of what is intended as a four-daypart concept.
Once the project is finished, the revamped space is expected to pair IHOP breakfast staples with Applebee’s lunch and dinner menus and full bar service, aiming to capture both the student crowd and local families from morning to late night.
How This Fits Dine Brands’ Push
Dine Brands, the parent company of both IHOP and Applebee’s, reported 28 domestic dual-branded openings and 18 international ones in 2025 and said, “Development initiatives anchored by our dual brands strategy continue to build momentum,” CEO John Peyton said in the company’s Feb. 25 release.
The company has told trade press it expects roughly 30 dual-brand units open or under construction by year-end and to add at least 50 more in 2026, according to Restaurant Business. Nation’s Restaurant News reports Dine Brands sees room for as many as 900 co-branded locations over the next decade.
For a town like Kingsville, the IHOP-to-combo conversion slots neatly into that broader strategy, aiming to squeeze more dayparts out of the same footprint while improving unit economics for franchisees.
