The parent company of casual dining chains Applebee’s and IHOP tapped John Peyton to serve as the company’s CEO, effective Jan. 4, 2021. He will replace Steve Joyce, who has served as Dine Brands CEO since 2017.

A franchise industry veteran, Peyton comes to Dine Brands from Realogy Franchise Group, where he has served as president since 2016. Realogy franchises a variety of companies in the real estate industry, including CENTURY 21, Coldwell Banker, The Corcoran Group, ERA, Sotheby’s International Realty and Coldwell Banker Commercial. Prior to Realogy, Peyton spent 17 years with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.