As the chain continues to grow worldwide, ensuring that their openings are a success is paramount. NM+U was tasked with creating an opening plan that could be picked and executed again up by any franchise owner, in any country to ensure a successful opening.

By mapping the full journey of a restaurant from 6 months out to 6 months beyond the opening, NM+U created a series of 35 creative tactics and a schedule of when to execute them. To ensure flexibility worldwide, the tactics were created to be self-standing so they can be used all together, or as needed, in each market. The guide also included a full background on how the new restaurant opening strategy differed from other marketing strategies. It also included all the assets and a guide for how to implement each. To date, this guide has been used over 2 dozen times and continues to be a centerpiece for all new IHOP openings globally.