Wednesday, December 11, 2019

[EXCLUSIVE] Location Revealed for Flip'd by IHOP in Atlanta

IHOP Restaurants today announced plans to launch Flip’d by IHOP, a new fast-casual concept in the U.S. The new brand, slated to make its debut in metro Atlanta, "aims to fill a gap in the restaurant space by focusing on freshly-made breakfast foods and beverages with speed and convenience in mind."  Flip'd units will be about 2,000 square feet, roughly half the size of typical IHOP restaurants, a spokesperson told ToNeTo Atlanta by email Wednesday morning.    
ToNeTo Atlanta confirmed with multiple well-placed sources that the first Flip'd will open in April in Atlantic Station.  The new concept will open in an existing restaurant space.  Out of respect for the existing concept [which will be closing in January] and its employees, we have elected not to disclose the exact location but can say its a prominent site along 19th Street.  

Flip'd joins several other recently opened quick-serve eateries in Atlantic Station including Salata, NaanStop, Poké Bar and Pho 24, among others.  ToNeTo Atlanta first reported October 28 that NoBaked Edible Cookie Dough will also join the project.  

"Atlanta is appealing for many reasons, including its continued growth and diversity." an IHOP spokesperson told ToNeTo Atlanta in an email explaining why Atlanta was chosen to debut the concept.  "We have a fantastic longtime franchisee who we’re working with to get this one up and running." 

It's noteworthy that IHOP would choose Atlantic Station - which is currently undergoing a significant "evolution" - over sites along Peachtree Street in either Downtown or Midtown Atlanta.  The Peachtree sites - of which there are several - would seem to represent greater visibility, and similar, if not greater traffic, but clearly IHOP likes what it saw in the progress and imminent pipeline of development at Atlantic Station, which since being purchased by Hines in 2015 has seen renewed interest from patrons as well as would-be tenants.  
In addition to Atlanta, Flip'd units in New York City, Washington D.C., Denver, and San Francisco are currently under consideration for 2020.   

Flip'd by IHOP is the second quick-serve breakfast concept launched by a legacy casual dining operator to come to Atlanta.  Cracker Barrel launched its Holler & Dash, a fast casual breakfast format targeted at millennials, in 2016, bringing it Howell Mill Road in West Midtown the following year.  [Cracker Barrel acquired Maple Street Biscuit Company this past October and plans to convert all existing Holler & Dash units to Maple Street in the coming months.]  

“In looking at what exists today in terms of fresh, fast menu options -- particularly at breakfast -- there’s still tremendous opportunity for growth,” said Jay Johns, President of IHOP. “After talking extensively with consumers in large cities across the country, we designed Flip’d by IHOP to deliver on what folks told us they want and need from a trusted brand like IHOP in a fast-casual setting, putting an emphasis on quality ingredients, speed, to-go and delivery.”
  
Renderings for the upcoming restaurant that seemed to suggest the restaurant would be open 24 hours a day were reportedly "for illustrative purposes only and do not depict any specific Flip’d location." according to a company spokesperson.  "Currently it is not confirmed that any Flip’d location will be open 24-hours and will depend on the area and demand for overnight business." the spokesperson added.  
The Flip’d by IHOP menu will feature some iconic IHOP favorites – including the brand’s world-famous buttermilk pancakes – but with a unique twist on flavors and portability. For example: "Pancake Bowls, with made-to-order pancakes served in a bowl to enjoy on the go and finished with toppings like fresh berries and sauces or savory ingredients including scrambled eggs, Hickory Smoked bacon pieces and Jack and cheddar cheeses."  

Popular lunch and dinner items, including the brand’s Ultimate Steakburgers and Buttermilk Crispy Chicken, will also be available.  Overall, the focus of the menu will be on freshly prepared food that is both portable and affordable.  

Guests of Flip’d will be able to order from a digital kiosk or directly at the counter. Customers will also be able to order their food online in advance and pick up their items from a designated to-go area.  A company representative also told ToNeTo Atlanta that Flip'd will offer delivery via third party services, but did not disclose which app(s) the company was working with. 

Are you excited for the opening of Flip'd by IHOP at Atlantic Station?  What is your current go-to breakfast food for on-the-go eating?  Where else would you like to see Flip'd by IHOP open?  

Please share your thoughts below.   

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bravo! Now we'll finally be able to get mediocre IHOP food in the same filthy atmosphere without the wait!

Howard said...

I think this is a big miss for Atlantic Station. I think the idea of a breakfast place is a great idea for the area. I like shopping in the morning there and unless I hit IKEA or travel to the Silver Skillet, there's not a lot of options.

19th Street restaurant leaving? My guess is Chick-A-Biddy followed closely by Pig & Pearl. Such a shame.

Anonymous said...

surprisingly the hamburgers and fries not bad ... ☺

Anonymous said...

I like breakfast food, and there are few fast options beyond Waffle House, so I like the idea, but I am not driving to Atlantic Station just to eat here, so while the idea is welcome, the location is not conducive to success.

396 said...

Cool concept, weird location. If they placed this somewhere in the Midtown, downtown or Buckhead CBD, especially close to a MARTA station, they'd have more customers than they'd know what to do with. This kind of fast casual restaurant operates primarily on to-go orders so they need to be in a place with a lot of all-day, every day foot traffic. Way on the back side of Atlantic Station isn't it.

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