On June 4, popular American chain of pancakes, International House of Pancakes (IHOP) announced on Twitter that it will soon change its name to IHOB and asked its fan to be patient till June 11. The acronym ‘p’ would be replaced with ‘b’. Soon after the announcement, netizens did what they do best – speculations began. People on Twitter started guessing what could ‘b’ possibly stand for. One poll suggested ‘b’ would stand for bacon. But who knew what was IHOP up to. On June 11, IHOP revealed that ‘b’ in IHOB will stand for ‘burgers’. This change certainly didn’t go well with Twitterati.
“We’re flippin’ from pancakes, pancakes, pancakes to burgers, burgers, burgers,” the company announced on Monday. The brand also added that it’s temporarily changing its branding because the ‘b’ stands for burgers. It’s only a marketing campaign. IHOP isn’t changing its name. IHOP (IHOB) wants to be known as a place to get lunch and dinner, not just breakfast and brunch. It’s adding several burgers to its menu.
IHOP’s Tweet Revealing What Does ‘B’ Stand For
Dear Internet, we abbreciate your batience. Now let’s see who guessed right. B-hold!!!!! #IHOb pic.twitter.com/Fh3SkZ7s3Y
— IHOb (@IHOb) June 11, 2018
“We are definitely going to be IHOP,” Darren Rebelez, president of IHOP told CNN Money. “But we want to convey that we are taking our burgers as seriously as our pancakes.” He also said the majority of the nearly 1,800 other locations will still go by IHOP. The tweet unveiling the burger plan met with several criticisms and jokes.
Twitterati Swiftly Reacted to the Name Change
Why couldn’t you be international house of brunch and start serving mimosas and bellinis
— michelle (@mzscudero) June 11, 2018
Waffle House would never eff with you the way IHOP/B has
— Sam Sanders (@samsanders) June 11, 2018
Your marketing team needs to be fired...ASAP.
— Nicole (@Littlebethell) June 11, 2018
I am simply APPALLED by this #ihob news. BURGERS? BURGERS?! WHAT ABOUT BREAKFAST??? pic.twitter.com/X09HROJkDC
— Amanda Guerra (@AmandaGuerraTX) June 11, 2018
International House of Bankruptcy. #IHOb #ihop pic.twitter.com/uK8h3rSDJh
— Bob Hagh (@BobHagh) June 11, 2018
The change seems to be part of a plan to capture business in the day and early evening, outside of IHOP’s traditional strength in the morning. In May, IHOP reported that nearly half of its customers come in during breakfast time. America loves burgers and IHOP wants to be a bigger player at lunch and dinner.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 12, 2018 04:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).