IHOP Was Totally Just Screwing With Us

Just a few days ago I was driving into town with my boyfriend and we passed the IHOP.

“Huh. I wonder when they’ll change the sign to IHOB,” I said.

“What are you talking about? It was a publicity thing. They didn’t actually change their name.” he responded.

We casually argued about it.

He was totally right.

According to Fox News:

IHOP officially reverted to its original name on Monday, roughly one month after the chain drew national attention for changing its name to IHOb to promote its new line of burgers.

IT WAS ALL A LIE.

The California-based breakfast chain said on its social media platforms that the change back to “IHOP” would coincide with its 60th anniversary. The brand has already changed its name on its website and all social media platforms.

We’re giving away 60¢ short stacks on July 17 from 7a-7p for IHOP’s 60th birthday. That’s right, IHOP! We’d never turn our back on pancakes (except for that time we faked it to promote our new burgers) pic.twitter.com/KsbkMJhKuf

— IHOP (@IHOP) July 9, 2018

“We’re giving away 60¢ short stacks on July 17 from 7a-7p for IHOP’s 60th birthday. That’s right, IHOP! We’d never turn our back on pancakes (except for that time we faked it to promote our new burgers),” the chain said.

Good. IHOB was stupid.

Long known as the “International House of Pancakes,” the chain teased the name change days before formally announcing it would be called “IHOb.” The promotional campaign, which drew widespread criticism on social media, invited fans to guess what the “B” stood for, ultimately revealing that “IHOb” reflected a new focus on a line of “Ultimate Steakburgers.”

Which let’s be honest… there are about 1,000 good places to get a burger.

IHOP is not one of them.

Several restaurant chains, including Wendy’s and Denny’s, mocked IHOP on social media for the stunt. At the time, a branding expert told FOX Business that the name change was the “dumbest decision ever made in the world of branding.”

YIIIIIKES.

But yeah, the backlash was brutal… and hilarious. 

IHOP executives said last month that the name change was meant to call attention to other aspects of the chain’s menu. While pancakes are once again at the forefront, the new line of burgers will remain on the menu.

And people will continue to not be interested in them…Stick to pancakes, IHOP.

Note: I wonder if this was the plan all along, or if they were embarrassed by how poorly it went and now they’re all like “HAHA JK.”

Now excuse me as I go tell my boyfriend I was wrong for the first time.