IHOP has brought back its cult-favorite cinn-a-stack pancakes amid a menu overhaul, effective Monday.
The celebrated chain of pancake restaurants owned by Dine Brands announced on March 29 that a revamped menu would be available to customers starting April 3.
Cinn-a-stack pancakes, which marries cinnamon rolls and pancakes, were reintroduced alongside a dozen other dishes. These range from a new line of eggs benedict to four-cheese crisp steakburgers that are available to order for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
“IHOP has been on a journey to rethink our menu,” said Kieran Donahue, chief marketing officer at IHOP, per the news release.
In fact, during the pandemic, IHOP reduced its menu by about a third, per NBC 5. Menu items began to creep back in 2021 when IHOP introduced a new line of breakfast burritos and bowls. The latest additions bring the menu within just 15% of its pre-pandemic abundance.
Cinn-a-stack pancakes also had a very loud fanbase, with the chain getting about a dozen customer requests to bring the item back each week, per NBC 5.
“Every decision we made for this menu was driven by our guests and their continually evolving feedback and needs so they can enjoy our menu items how they want them, when they want them,” Donahue said, per the news release.
The move to broaden the menu also meant that IHOP employees needed additional training to prepare certain dishes. Yet while the eggs benedict line requires poached eggs and an emulsified hollandaise sauce, Donahue noted that just about 90% of IHOP’s menu is done on the griddle.
Other additions to the menu include a line of sweet and savory crepes, with flavor options like cinnamon bun and chicken pesto, as well as fresh salads featuring fresh berries and chopped chicken.
For anyone unfamiliar with its biggest star, cinn-a-stack pancakes are stuffed with cinnamon roll filling and topped with cream cheese icing. This indulgent dish is definitely one for a “cheat day.” It logs an estimated 840 calories, which would require 121 minutes of biking or 84 minutes of running to burn off.
At a time when most Americans are trying to cut costs, IHOP is hoping its refreshed menu will lure diners back to its restaurants.
Although IHOP announced a same-store sales growth of 2% in the fourth quarter, this was largely attributed to price increases that helped offset a decline in customers. This was also lower than the 2.3% predicted by analysts.
Executives at Dine Brands, which owns IHOP, Applebee’s, and Fuzzy’s Tacos since its $80 million acquisition late last year, remain optimistic that their promotional offers and brand appeal will help them continue to perform well despite the economic uncertainty.
“[These] are really resilient brands that are performing well during tough times, and it’s really because all three brands embrace the value space in their category,” John Peyton, Dine Brands chief executive, told Barron’s.
While there is no promotion for cinn-a-stack pancakes yet, IHOP’s eggs benedict line can earn rewards members twice the PanCoins on orders from April 14 to 23.
