IHOP® Restaurants Celebrate A "Decade Of Giving" With Free Pancakes On National Pancake Day(SM), Tuesday, March 3

GLENDALE, Calif., Jan. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- IHOP^® restaurants are celebrating the tenth anniversary of National Pancake Day℠ on March 3, 2015, once again offering one free short stack of their famous buttermilk pancakes to guests to enjoy in our restaurants in the hopes that they will pay it forward by making a voluntary donation to their local Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Shriners Hospital for Children, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or other local charities.

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Participating IHOP Restaurants plan to give away millions of free pancakes," from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 to celebrate this "Decade of Giving".

More than 1,500 IHOP restaurants across the United States will participate in this beloved annual event which, to date, has raised $16 million for charity. All of the donations raised stay within the communities, helping provide lifesaving treatment and equipment for local sick and injured children.

In 2015, National Pancake Day continues to spread throughout the world: for the second year in a row, IHOP restaurants in Canada and Mexico will participate in the fundraiser, joined for the first time by IHOP restaurants in the Philippines. IHOP restaurants in Canada will again support the Children's Miracle Network and IHOP restaurants in Mexico will raise money for Asociacion Mexicana de Ayuda a Ninos con Cancer, (AMANC) that provides accommodations and resources to children undergoing treatment for cancer and their families. IHOP restaurants in the Philippines will be raising funds for The Kythe Foundation, which provides children with cancer and chronic illness opportunities to learn, play and grow while they are in the hospital.

"It's both incredible and incredibly gratifying that we are now marking a full decade of National Pancake Day, which has become not only a favorite of guests, but of our franchisees and team members," said Julia Stewart, Interim President, International House of Pancakes, LLC. "Little did we dream, ten years ago, that thanks to the generosity of our guests, we would be able to raise $16 million dollars, one short stack at a time, and make a substantial difference in the lives of the children in our local communities!"

"It is also thrilling to see National Pancake Day grow into International Pancake Day, and to see how truly global the spirit of giving back to the community is," added Stewart.  "Now that the tradition has become established in Canada and Mexico, we look forward to welcoming our restaurants in the Philippines to this worldwide effort, and to continuing this international growth for many decades to come."

In the weeks leading up to National Pancake Day, participating IHOP restaurants will also sell "Miracle Balloons" for $1, $5 to benefit Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. The balloons will be available from Feb. 1 through National Pancake Day, and all proceeds will go to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Guests who purchase a $5 Miracle Balloon will receive a $5 discount coupon that can be used during their next dining visit. Similar icons are for sale in those restaurants supporting the Shriners Hospitals for Children and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as well.

For more information on National Pancake Day or to learn more about Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and to make a donation, please visit www.ihoppancakeday.com.

ABOUT CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations — including all those made on IHOP National Pancake Day — stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity's Miracle Balloon icon. Its fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit's mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children's hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are, at CMNHospitals.org.

ABOUT SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. Our 23 facilities, located in the United States, Canada and Mexico, provide advanced care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Learn more at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

ABOUT THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES, LLC
For over 56 years, International House of Pancakes, LLC has been a leader and expert in all things breakfast and a leader in family dining. The chain is highly competitive in its menu offering, serving 65 different signature, made-to-order breakfast options as well as a range of meals under 600 calories.  IHOP® restaurants have a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items, as well. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. As of September 30, 2014, there were 1,664 IHOP restaurants in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the Philippines and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Under the licensed name IHOP at HOME® consumers can also enjoy a line of premium breakfast products available at leading retailers. 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).  For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.IHOP.com. Follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Pancake Day is a tradition that dates back several centuries to when the English prepared for fasting during Lent. Strict rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products during Lent, so pancakes were made to use up the supply of eggs, milk, butter and other dairy products…hence the name Pancake Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday. 

SOURCE International House of Pancakes, LLC