SSCP Management, Inc., based in Dallas, recently acquired a group of Applebee’s restaurants across the state of Virginia, putting its total number of SSCP-owned-and-operated Applebee’s locations at 80.
SSCP’s Applebee’s locations now span from California to Virginia, with its Texas home tucked perfectly in between. SSCP and its affiliates also own 46 Sonic Drive-Ins, the Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion brand and as of earlier this year, the Cici’s Pizza brand. The recent acquisition brings SSCP’s locations to approximately 400 units across 25 states.
“We are excited to continue to grow the Applebee’s brand and our collective business,” said SSCP President Chris Dharod. “Applebee’s continues to be the leader in casual dining. Our business is vibrant and we are continuing to outperform established peers. Andy (Patel, head of Apple Investors Group, from whom SSCP purchased the Virginia restaurants) and his team have served this state’s communities well and we are thrilled to take the baton from here.”
SSCP is a fully family-owned and operated business which started in Dallas under the leadership and direction of owner Sunil Dharod, a renowned philanthropist and mentor to many, including his son and daughter, both determined to continue the legacy started and continued by their father.
SSCP has been in the restaurant business for decades and joined the Applebee’s brand in 2008 when it acquired Applebee’s in Texas. SSCP has been a leader in the Applebee’s system through both innovation and great operations. Son Chris, now the president of SSCP, is creating a name for himself. Under his guidance, the Apple Texas brand earned two of the Applebee’s brand’s most coveted awards: Applebee’s Operator of the Year and Marketing Innovator of the Year.
The younger Dharod is widely credited with creating the dollar cocktail craze, when he introduced his valued guests to the DOLLARITA – margaritas for a buck – at his Texas Applebee’s restaurants. The campaign was so wildly-popular that it was adopted by the Applebee’s system-wide (nearly 1700 units) and was followed by several value-focused $1 cocktails, all of which were greeted with glee in Applebee’s respective neighborhoods.
The family influence on the business doesn’t stop with Chris. Daughter/sister Puja Dharod, a principal and director at SSCP, is the muscle in the company’s philanthropic arm. She established the Puja Foundation in order to support team members during hardships and unforeseen events. She has been known to “just show up” and help those perhaps less privileged at local establishments simply by offering a monetarily-tangible hand as well. Puja’s philanthropic efforts have also gone viral on social media platforms including Instagram and Tik Tok.
SSCP, routinely a Top-50 member of the Franchise Times Restaurant list of the largest U.S. franchisees annually, has always actively sought community involvement via its respective brands by supporting local schools and organizations through fundraisers and mutually-beneficial partnerships. Under the collective lead of team Dharod, that will not change with the new acquisition in Virginia.
“The Dharod’s SSCP team is family-centric and Applebee’s is a part of our family,” continued Chris. “We are extremely excited to greet our neighbors in Virginia, serving delicious food while creating the ideal dining experience where warmth, stellar service and bold flavors are a given.”
The Applebee’s markets under the direction of SSCP now include Martinsville, Wytheville, Salem, Rocky Mount, Norton, Roanoke, Radford, Danville, Lynchburg, Lexington, South Boston and Galax.
SSCP Management is owned by Sunil Dharod, a Dallas businessman and philanthropist. SSCP is a family operated company, led by the father Sunil, son and President Chris Dharod, and daughter Puja, principal and director of SSCP. SSCP is an award-winning restaurant leader with over 400 restaurants nationwide including 80 Applebee’s, 45 Sonic-Drive-In’s, parent company of Roy’s fine dining, and franchisor of Cici’s Pizza Buffet. SSCP always strives to provide the best experience for its guests through superior service and outstanding food. Our goal is to make our guests want to experience more! SSCP invests in communities in which it operates by giving back to those in need and working with a variety of charities to strengthen our communities.
As one of the world’s largest casual dining brands, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar serves as America’s kitchen table, offering guests a lively dining experience that combines simple, craveable American fare with classic drinks and local drafts. Applebee’s makes it easy for family and friends to connect with one another, whether it’s in a dining room or in the comfort of a living room, Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood is a familiar and affordable escape from the everyday. Applebee’s restaurants are owned and operated by entrepreneurs dedicated to more than serving great food, but also building up the communities that we call home. From raising money for local charities to hosting community fundraisers, Applebee’s is always Doin’ Good in the Neighborhood. Applebee’s franchise and company-operated operations consisted of 1,689 Applebee’s restaurants in the United States, two U.S. territories and 11 countries outside the United States as of September 30, 2021. Applebee’s is franchised by subsidiaries of Dine Brands Global Inc. [NYSE: DIN], which is one of the world’s largest full-service restaurant companies.
