** Shares of Applebee's owner Dine Brands Global DIN.N
rise as much as 4% to near two-week high of $69.96; last up 3.1%
** Company plans to open five new IHOP restaurants in
western Saudi Arabia – including Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, and
cities along the Red Sea coast – over the next five years
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN2Z01D5
** The first location is scheduled to open in Jeddah in
early 2023
** IHOP restaurants owned by Dine Brands is known for its
pancakes and other breakfast items
** The company has seen strong consumer demand in the Middle
East and believes Saudi Arabia to be a critical market for
continued growth in the region says Tony Moralejo, President,
International at Dine Brands urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nBw8F6c4va
** Stock has fallen ~8% this year
(Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru)
((AnanyaMariam.Rajesh@thomsonreuters.com ; Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnanyaMariam))