GLENDALE, CA --
(MARKET WIRE)
-- 11/30/2009 --
Why wait for holiday dinners when the favored
flavors of the season can start dancing across taste buds at breakfast?
IHOP, one of America's favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch and
dinner, invites guests to start celebrating early, and every part of the
day, with its mouth-watering new Holiday Hotcakes. Inspired by spicy
gingerbread, creamy eggnog, sweet pecan pie and traditional pumpkin pie,
new Holiday Hotcakes are available now through January 3 at participating
IHOP locations. Nutcrackers Sammy and Marcus, IHOP's new official
nutcracker spokesmen, add to the festivities with holiday humor and the
opportunity to win IHOP gift cards with the "Sammy and Marcus Off the
Mantel Tour 2009" online photo contest.
"IHOP makes celebrating the holidays even sweeter by bringing great food,
family and friends together for unique, craveable items that can only be
found at IHOP," said Carolyn O'Keefe, IHOP's senior vice president,
marketing. "And IHOP's new nutcracker spokesmen keep the season fun with
witty banter and a contest that encourages guests to get creative and enjoy
the holiday season."
Four New Holiday Hotcakes at IHOP:
-- Gingerbread Pancakes -- flip for this delectable treat that includes
ginger spice pancakes crowned with powdered sugar, whipped topping and
holiday sprinkles. The warm gingerbread flavor is reminiscent of homemade
cookies and will bring out the kid in you with every bite.
-- Eggnog Pancakes -- warm up with this scrumptious delight of vanilla
cream with cinnamon and nutmeg layered between two sweet golden pancakes,
crowned with creamy whipped topping, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and
butter rum flavored sauce. This new decadent treat is the newest way to
enjoy the holiday's sweetest taste!
-- Pecan Pie Pancakes -- savor the taste of sweet pecan pie filling
layered with fluffy buttermilk pancakes and topped off with whipped topping
and glazed pecans. New Pecan Pie pancakes are crunchy, sweet goodness and
sure to delight taste buds around the country.
-- Pumpkin Pancakes -- delight in the comfort of the season's signature
flavor and enjoy pumpkin pancakes made with real pumpkin and spices and
finished off with a whipped topping. Old fashioned syrup is the perfect
finishing touch. The mouthwatering flavor will leave you craving a second
helping just like holiday dinners with family.
Available at participating locations, IHOP's Holiday Hotcakes start at
$4.99 and are available a la carte or as part of a combination meal
including eggs any style, crisp hash browns and a choice of crisp bacon,
pork sausage links or ham.
"Sammy and Marcus Off the Mantel Tour 2009"
The fun continues on television and online with commercials and outtakes of
nutcrackers Sammy and Marcus, two 12-inch wooden soldiers with big
personalities. Guests will enjoy the playful banter between Sammy, the
clever Irish nutcracker and his sidekick Marcus, the witty nutcracker with
a New York accent; the duo can be found cracking things up online at
www.youtube.com/ihop.
Take Sammy and Marcus off the fireplace mantel and have them join you out
in the world for all of your holiday adventures. Now through January 1,
download coloring book versions of the nutcracker duo at www.ihop.com and
snap pictures of Sammy and Marcus enjoying holiday festivities or decorated
landmarks. Choose the best photos and upload them to www.ihop.com. Each
week from now through January 1, IHOP will choose 10 of the most creative,
unique and entertaining photo submissions and the winners will each receive
a $50 IHOP gift card. Use your imagination -- do you live near a national
monument that Sammy and Marcus would like to visit or perhaps you're
traveling to a beautiful vacation spot where Sammy and Marcus can soak up
some sun? These two are ready to join you on your next adventure -- the
sky's the limit and we can't wait to see what you come up with. NO
PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Complete rules for the "Sammy and
Marcus Off the Mantel Tour 2009" Contest are available at www.ihop.com.
IHOP gift cards are the perfect gift this season and may be purchased at
any IHOP location or by going online or visiting select retail outlets.
For more information or to find a restaurant near you, please visit
www.ihop.com.
ABOUT IHOP
For 51 years, the IHOP family restaurant chain has served its world famous
pancakes and a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items that are
loved by people of all ages. IHOP offers its guests an affordable, everyday
dining experience with warm and friendly service. The first IHOP opened in
Toluca Lake, Calif. in 1958, and as of September 30, 2009, there were 1,433
IHOPs in 50 states, Canada and Mexico. IHOP restaurants are franchised and
operated by Glendale, Calif.-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and
its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).
