IHOP is hinting that a big change is coming -- with just the small flip of a letter. The pancake chain, in a tweet Monday morning, suggested that it would change its name from "IHOP" to "IHOb" starting June 11. That's right. It's not a typo, although the company has not disclosed the meaning of the new acronym. TWEET "We're serious about the quality of food and our menu, and this name change really reflects that," says Stephanie Peterson, IHOP's executive director of communications. Founded in suburban Los Angeles by Al and Jerry Lapin in 1958, the International House of Pancakes shortened its name to IHOP in 1973, according to the company's website. Now, 45 years later, IHOP appears to be heading for another tweak. The likely change comes in the middle of an important year for the restaurant. In late February, Dine Brands Global, the parent company of IHOP, decided to close 30 to 40 IHOP restaurantsalong with 60 to 80 Applebee's restaurants in an effort to acquire and grow small chains that offer healthy and ethnic food. This move followed a trend from the year prior, in which Dine Brands Global shut down 23 IHOP restaurants. People had mixed reactions to the tweet suggesting a name change was coming. Some guessed at what the acronym "IHOb" stood for, while others took the opportunity to complain. TWEET TWEET More from USA Today: 5 Social Security misunderstandings that could cost you Starbucks's newest permanent-menu addition: Serious Strawberry Frappuccino Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz to step down<doc-sep>It may have been the International House of Pancakes since 1958 but IHOP says that final letter is about to get flipped. However, we still don't really know what that means. With a short video showing the 'P' in their iconic logo turning upside down to form a 'b', backed by an operatic performer singing what was appeared to be the word 'yum', IHOP tweeted that "[f]or 60 pancakin' years, we've been IHOP. Now, we're flippin' our name to IHOb." But that did not answer the question of what that new 'b' could stand for, instead they teased the release. "Find out what it could b on 6.11.18," the company wrote. IHOP (as it's still currently known) then tweeted out a Twitter poll, asking people to vote for what they thought the new letter could stand for from a choice of 'biscuits', 'bacon', 'butternut squash' and 'barnacles.' At the time of writing, 'bacon' was in the lead with 41%, followed by 'biscuits' with 28% and 'barnacles' with 25%. 'Butternut Squash' stood with a lowly 6%. In the comments IHOP was giving no clues. To one commenter suggesting "breakfast", the company wrote: "So many options, what could it b?" It's not yet clear whether the change is the real deal or a marketing ploy. On Esquire, a poll asking whether people believed the whole thing was an actual change was heavily swayed towards "PR stunt!" On Facebook, one commenter said that even if the name changes "you will always be referred to as ihop," to which IHOP replied: "Don't worry, the flip will b great." For those with an interest in the linguistic side, both 'b' and 'p' are known as bilabial stops or plosives in the study of phonology—meaning that they are sounds made with both lips and a stop in the airflow. The difference between the two sounds is only in the vocal cords: 'b' is voiced, meaning the vocal cords are used, while 'p' is voiceless. Presuming that the change is not there to teach people a phonology lesson, reasons behind the new name should be revealed on June 11, as the company has been trailing. An IHOP spokesperson even told the New York Post that the change is indeed not a joke. There's only one question to ask, as IHOP themselves said in a reply, "there are so many options.. what could it b?" This article was updated with added information about IHOP social media posts.<doc-sep>For a week, the well-known breakfast chain was hyping up a name change. On Monday, it revealed why it is know going to be known (at least for a short time) as IHOb. WASHINGTON — If you happen to be a fan of the International House of Pancakes (better known as IHOP) and follow the breakfast chain on social media, you’re well aware that it’s been hyping a name change. For about a week, IHOP has been posting as “IHOb,” and asking its fans to guess what the “b” stood for. Many people chimed in with their guesses, including Questlove, the drummer from The Roots, who wanted to know if the b stood for “breakbeats.” The chain, which opened its first restaurant in Burbank, California, in 1958, played along all week, even going so far as changing the signage outside its restaurant in Hollywood to “IHOb.” Some wondered if the “b” stood for “breakfast,” since after all, the restaurant serves bacon, eggs, omelets and more along with its traditional pancakes. But no, the stunt wasn’t that easy to figure out. In an effort to put the spotlight on its lunch and dinner offerings, the chain announced on Monday that the “b” stands for “burgers.” It revealed a number of new burgers on its menu, calling them “ultimate steakburgers,” including a “big brunch” burger that comes topped with an egg. That, however, wasn’t the end of the day’s “IHOb” related jousting on social media. One Twitter user asked the burger chain Wendy’s if it was just going to stand-by and let a pancake house encroach upon its turf. so @Wendys u just gonna let @IHOb sell burgers on your block? thought you were the og? — Tony X. (@soIoucity) June 11, 2018 Wendy’s shot back, saying they’re “not really afraid of … a place that decided pancakes were too hard.” Just north of Washington, D.C. the University of Maryland Baltimore County athletic department’s Twitter account got in on the action, too. No, we are not changing our name to University of Maryland, Burger College. — UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) June 11, 2018 The Retrievers were the sensation of the NCAA basketball tournament in March when they defeated the top-ranked University of Virginia. The Twitter handle gained thousands of followers overnight. And no, they will not make burgers their specialty in the next academic year.<doc-sep>People think IHOP's new logo looks like a tampon ad, and this is why we need women on design teams It looks like IHOP is introducing some major changes soon, starting with their name. Instead of the iconic “IHOP,” they’ll now go by “IHOb” — at least temporarily. The marketing campaign is designed to promote the fact that the chain will now be serving…burgers (Get it? International House of BURGERS). The brand also introduced a slightly new logo to reflect the change, which some are (hilariously) pointing out looks like an o.b. brand tampon ad. It’s…unfortunate. And also a solid reminder why we need women on design teams. The similarity was first noted by Twitter user Lizzy O’Leary on June 5th, who retweeted the initial IHOP post along with, “A tampon logo. You made a tampon logo.” She followed it up with advice to “always have a woman on your design team.” PREACH. Check out the IHOP ad for yourself. Now compare it with a box of o.b. tampons… ob-tampons.jpg Credit: Walmart And as expected, the people of Twitter had a field day with the revelatory observation. false false The company has yet to comment on the similarities (and we honestly doubt they will), though a spokeswoman did open up about the IHOP name-change in general. “We’re serious about the quality of food and our menu, and this name change really reflects that,” Stephanie Peterson, IHOP’s executive director of communications, said in a June 4th statement. On June 11th, IHOP president Darren Rebelez reiterated that the name-change is only temporary in a statement to CNN Money. “We are definitely going to be IHOP, but we want to convey that we are taking our burgers as seriously as our pancakes.”<doc-sep>
IHOP created quite a stir last week when it told Twitter users that it would be changing the last letter of its acronym from a "P" to a "b," teasing major changes for the brand. However, the company won't be IHOb for long. On Monday, the company announced that the name change was just a promotion for its new line of burgers. In an effort to rebrand its restaurants and lure in diners after the breakfast rush, IHOP is adding seven new burgers to its menu. "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," Brad Haley, chief marketing officer of IHOP Restaurants, said in a statement. International House of Pancakes changes it's logo from IHOP to IHOB. Source: IHOP The company changed its Twitter handle as well as the signage at its flagship location in Hollywood. However, in its most recent press release, IHOP noted that "IHOb" is a slogan of IHOP and the name change is just "for the time being." While restaurants like IHOP are able to get customers through the door in the wee morning hours, keeping them coming after 11 a.m. has been a struggle. Lunch represents 33 percent of total food service industry traffic, according to The NPD Group. However, lunch sales have been in a decline over the last few years, with more workers staying at the office and nibbling their midday meals at their desks. IHOP Cheeseburger Source: IHOP