I'm a manager for an IHOP in Austin Texas, and no, unlike Denny's, we are not doing "Free Pancake Day" to gain new guests. If that happens, then GREAT!! But, we are trying to help the children's miracle network and the shriner's hospitals raise money. FYI: it takes the shriner's hospitals 91,000.00 a day to run ONE hospital. The company that owns the IHOP I work for is trying to raise 182,000.00 so that we can run each of the 2 shriners hospitals here is Texas for a day. You don't have to wait for Fat Tuesday to make donations either. If you live in centeral Texas, you can go to any of the IHOPs in the area and make a donation now. And, unlike other organizations that "take donations", we are giving 100% to the merical network and shriners. IHOP keeps nothing but a great feeling that we made a difference in the lives of famlies that need these organizations.
I also want to make mention that Tuesday Feb 3 was an AWSOME day at IHOP for the simple reason that Denny's couldn't accomidate all the people that went to get their free food. IHOPs all over Austin were SLAMED with Denny's over flow and people that were upset with the service and the poeple that were mad that some of the Denny's ran out of eggs and pancake batter. If you serve eggs and pancakes all day long and are planning to give them away, how do you run out? It was a poorly planned event on Denny's part but, THANK YOU!! Due to that, IHOP has gained several new guests and regained some that had forgotten how good we are.