One of my fondest memories from junior year of high school was playing hooky with my friends and going to IHOP for National Pancake Day. I remember the outing clearly: We all pretended we were driving to school and then met up at my best friend's house (badass, I know). Once everyone was accounted for, we all got into the car and drove to the closest International House of Pancakes. When we arrived, we sat down at a table and indulged in some seriously fluffy flapjacks. In that moment, there was no place I'd rather be. Now that the special day is upon us again, you're probably wondering how to get free IHOP for National Pancake Day. Well, my friends, I'll walk you through the steps.
Hopefully, you won't have to actually skip school to get the free pancakes. The tasty promo is on Feb. 27 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., which means you can probably make it after the school day ends. Of course, there will probably be tons of hungry costumers waiting for their short stack, so just call ahead of time to see how long the wait is. If you do get caught up in a long line, try not to get too hangry. Patience is a virtue, especially when free pancakes are involved.
Once you're at IHOP, all you have to do is order a free short stack of original buttermilk pancakes. That's literally it. Then, you can enjoy them. Pour some syrup on 'em (my favorite is the blueberry). Lather them with butter. Eat them, save them for later... whatever. They're your free pancakes, and you can enjoy them as you please.
Even though the pancakes are technically free, IHOP does suggest that you make a donation after indulging in your short stack. The company is using donations to help children in need by offering money to organizations like The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, according to Fortune. Costumers' donations can be big, or they can be small. Regardless of the size, IHOP encourages them. The company's goal is to raise $5 million, and all of these free pancakes and donations can certainly help.
National Pancake Day 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of selling free flapjacks for a good cause. Darren Rebelez, IHOP's president, talked about the promotion in a statement. According to Fortune, he said,
At IHOP, we think doing good is delicious. Every stack of pancakes we serve on our signature day counts toward helping our charity partners improve the health and lives of millions of children and families across the country.
I don't know about you, but I'm so ready to visit IHOP after work, eat some tasty pancakes, and donate to the cause. I don't think anything feels better than eating a free short stack and donating to a good cause.
Of course, Twitter agrees. So many users have expressed their excitement about National Pancake Day, and I can relate to just about all of them.
Some people are reminding others about the free pancakes. That's a true friend.
"Today is my favorite day of the year."
"THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!!"
"A great reason to have pancakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
Some people are "salty" that they're missing out.
Hopefully, you don't miss out on the free short stack, too. If you do, there's always next year.
Like I said, the process is simple: Go to IHOP (the 2018 promotion will extend to Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Mexico), and order a short stack of original buttermilk pancakes. Once you're done eating, you can leave a donation to help a child in need.
