Good morning,
You have to hand it to the pancake king.
IHOP, the franchise chain that is best known for its flapjacks (also known as the International House of Pancakes) grabbed the spotlight with its IHOB social media campaign.
Many of us guessed that the name would be changed to the International House of Breakfast. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Yesterday, we learned that the new name is part of a clever marketing ploy to promote its line of Angus hamburgers.
A few media outlets took the bait and announced the rebranding. IHOP-IHOB then admitted its tweets were part of a limited time promotion.
The focus on burgers is understandable. IHOPS are can be lonely places after the breakfast rush.
IHOP is also seeing more competition from upscale breakfast restaurants and weekend brunch spots that often feature cardiac challenging “breakfast burgers,” with bacon and egg.
It was announced last week that the growing First Watch chain will be setting up shop in Christiana, joining Michael’s, Metro Grill, long-time rival Denny’s and the recently opened Smiley’s Diner as breakfast options in a small area along I-95.
The chain went so far as to change the sign on a restaurant in Los Angeles to the IHOB name. Don’t expect boom times for sign companies. After all, this is a restaurant with the pancake menu mainstay Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity.
Meanwhile, IHOP has expanded into northern Delaware during the past several years and now has four locations in New Castle, Bear, the Newark area and north Wilmington and A site on Main Street in Newark did not work out and was moved outside the city to Kirkwood Highway.
Meanwhile, the parent company for IHOP and Applebee’s plans to buy up smaller dining chains that are able to command a few extra dollars per check in return for fresher fare. It is entirely possible, one of those pesky breakfast chains might be a merger candidate
Here’s to late breakfasts and sunny days. The newsletter returns tomorrow. – Doug Rainey, publisher.
