Today IHOP, which has been the International House of Pancakes for 60 years, has officially become IHOb, which stands for the International House of Burgers. You know, because everyone goes there for the burgers?
It’s a change the restaurant chain has been teasing for a bit. On June 4, it announced they were flipping to “p” to a “b,” but not what the “b” was going to stand for.
For 60 pancakin’ years, we’ve been IHOP. Now, we’re flippin’ our name to IHOb. Find out what it could b on 6.11.18. #IHOb pic.twitter.com/evSxKV3QmT
— IHOP (@IHOP) June 4, 2018
Oh, the bossibilities #IHOb pic.twitter.com/9Dq580BP4V
— IHOP (@IHOP) June 9, 2018
Could b pic.twitter.com/WBX8nKiqCb
— IHOP (@IHOP) June 6, 2018
Today, it finally announced that the “b” is for “burgers,” an option that apparently no one anticipated.
Dear Internet, we abbreciate your batience. Now let’s see who guessed right. B-hold!!!!! #IHOb pic.twitter.com/Fh3SkZ7s3Y
— IHOP (@IHOP) June 11, 2018
In fact, most people felt like the “b” was probably going to stand for “breakfast,” which would have made a lot of sense.
https://twitter.com/blake_buell/status/1004736588776071168
Iconic pancake house IHOP is changing its name to IHOb…what could the ‘b’ stand for?
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) June 6, 2018
International House Of Breakfast
— Rockie (@Purplebudafly) June 8, 2018
Some people felt that maybe it’d try and get fancy and go with “brunch,” which also makes sense. People are drunk there a lot anyway, so why not just lean into it and start serving mimosas?
https://twitter.com/Rocknmusicman/status/1004685362017587204
Of course, it didn’t help that the chain failed to include “burgers” as an option on its Twitter poll.
IHOb? What could it b? #IHOb
— IHOP (@IHOP) June 5, 2018
“Everyone knows that IHOP makes world-famous pancakes so we felt like the best way to convince them that we are as serious about our new line of Ultimate Steakburgers as we are about our pancakes, was to change our name to IHOb,” said Brad Haley, chief marketing officer for IHOb restaurants. “We’ve pancaked pancakes for 60 years now so it’s the perfect time to start burgerin’ burgers, and we’re kicking it off by flipping the ‘p’ in IHOP to a ‘b’ for burgers. And, when you try them, I think you’ll agree with me that IHOb’s new line of Ultimate Steakburgers are so good that I’d put them up against anyone’s … just like our pancakes.”
Steak n’ Shake has yet to respond to what is clearly a gauntlet being thrown down, but Twitter was only too happy to let IHOp, sorry I mean IHOb, know how they felt about the switch.
This is deeply upsetting pic.twitter.com/ClIAaGFHau
— Nick Garbaty (@NicholasGarbaty) June 11, 2018
International House Of Betrayal!
— Not The Real Davey (@nottherealdavey) June 11, 2018
Burgers. IHOP became The International House of Burgers. Not breakfast. Not bacon. Burgers.
— Joel Austin (@RunDaJoels) June 11, 2018
I need a moment guys.
Stop trying to make International House of Burgers happen!
— HEY-EY-EY-EY! (HEY-EY-EY-EY!) Let's Go, Buffalo! (@SethFromThe716) June 11, 2018
It's not going to happen! pic.twitter.com/V2ZD86wEfx
After IHOP changed their name to the “International House of Burgers”, I have decided to take my talents down to Denny’s.
— K. Perez (@dempenguins) June 11, 2018
No word on what that last person’s “talent” is. Maybe it’s eating pancakes? It’s a pretty safe bet those will still be available. In fact, if IHOb isn’t putting a burger between two fluffy buttermilk pancakes, it’s missing out on a golden marketing opportunity.
According to the company’s official statement, the name change is “for the time being,” meaning the “b” will be filled back to a “p” at some point, unless it changes it to a “d” and starts frying up donuts.