Restaurant franchise operator Flynn Group has acquired 26 Applebee’s restaurants and is planning to open 25 more across the country over the next seven years.
With this deal, Flynn Group has expanded its portfolio to more than 450 Applebee’s locations across 23 states.
The 26 acquired restaurants, located in Florida and Georgia, were previously operated by long-standing franchisee Doherty Enterprises. The company remains the owner of 80 Applebee’s restaurants in New York and New Jersey.
Team members at the affected restaurants have been offered jobs with Flynn Group to ensure a continuous experience for guests.
Flynn Group has also set a goal to open 25 new Applebee’s restaurants over the next seven years, in line with the chain’s development strategy to return to net new unit openings.
“We feel the love and passion our guests have for Applebee’s every day, and we’re excited to continue building and growing with Applebee’s, as we have for the past two-and-a-half decades,” said Greg Flynn, founder and CEO of Flynn Group.
Founded in 1980, Applebee’s franchise operations consisted of 1642 restaurants in the US, two US territories and 11 other countries. The restaurant chain is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global.
