IHOP restaurants, offering “everything you love about breakfastSM,” will again serve up free short stacks of its famous buttermilk pancakes on National Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday, March 4, 2014, and after eight years of success, and over $13 million dollars raised in the United States, the family-friendly restaurant chain will expand the program into Canada, Puerto Rico and offer a similar fundraising effort in Mexico for the first time. IHOP hopes to raise more than $3 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Shriners Hospitals for Children and other local charities this year.
More than 1,500 IHOP restaurants in the United States, including, for the first time, Canada and Puerto Rico, will be participating in the 15 hours of pancake delight on National Pancake Day, when millions of free pancakes will be served from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. In exchange for the free short stacks, customers are encouraged to leave a voluntary donation in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Shriners Hospitals for Children and other local charities. In Mexico, IHOP restaurants will offer a stack of two buttermilk pancakes for the radically reduced price of 29 pesos with that money being donated to Asociación Mexicana de Ayuda a Niños con Cáncer, (AMANC) that provides accommodations and resources to children undergoing treatment for cancer and their families.
“Our guests, our franchisees, their team members, and all of us at IHOP- look forward to National Pancake Day every year. Knowing that every free stack of buttermilk pancakes has the potential to improve the lives of the children in their own community makes serving them and eating them even more enjoyable than usual,” said Julia Stewart, Interim President, International House of Pancakes, LLC and CEO of the parent company, DineEquity, Inc. “I’m especially proud that what started as a grass roots effort in a few IHOP markets nine years ago has now grown into a significant and truly international event. This year, with the continued generosity of our guests across three countries, we will be able to support wonderful charities like Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Shriners Hospitals for Children and AMANC to save and improve the lives of many children in the communities we serve.”
Beginning February 1 through National Pancake Day on March 4, participating IHOP locations in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico will also sell “Miracle Balloons” for $1 and $5 each to benefit the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. All icon proceeds will help provide life-saving care, equipment and programs at 145 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The Miracle Balloons, another way for guests to get involved in helping IHOP restaurants meet their fundraising goal, will be displayed throughout the restaurants. Customers who purchase a $5 Miracle Balloon will receive a $5 off coupon that can be used during their next dining visit.
For more information on National Pancake Day or to learn more about Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and make a donation, please visit www.ihoppancakeday.com.
