Sacramento, CA…While most of the country was preparing for Sunday’s big game, the hungriest pancake eaters in Sacramento got in on the Bowl season action by competing in IHOP® restaurants inaugural Pancake Bowl. An elite few qualified for the competition at their local participating IHOP restaurants in the Sacramento area by ordering “All You Can Eat Pancakes” and enjoying as many buttermilk pancakes as they could to earn a spot on the local leader board. The guests with the 10 largest totals as of January 26 were invited to come out on February 1 to compete head to head for a $500 IHOP gift card and the title of Pancake Bowl Champion!

For the first time Sacramento area IHOP restaurants named Chris Pena II as the Pancake Bowl Champion, who ate an astonishing 20 pancakes in just 20 minutes.

With the January return of “All You Can Eat Pancakes” at IHOP restaurants nationwide, participating IHOP restaurants invited pancake lovers to join in a good old-fashioned pancake eating contest, giving them a chance to get in on the Bowl season action. In addition to the $500 IHOP gift card awarded to the winner of the Pancake Bowl, the top-scoring pancake eater at each participating restaurant received free pancakes for one year! (defined as one free full stack (4) of any same-flavored pancakes from the IHOP menu per week for one year).

“All You Can Eat Pancakes” are available nationwide through February 9, 2014. The pancakes can be ordered as part of IHOP restaurant’s delicious combos featuring eggs any style, crispy hash browns, and a choice of pork sausage links, crisp bacon or ham — all with a plate of two delicious signature buttermilk pancakes, or they can be ordered as a stack of five buttermilk pancakes as a main course. But either way, when those pancakes are gone, guests can get an additional serving of two pancakes. And they’ll keep on coming as long as the guest can keep eating them!

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES, LLC
For over 55 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. Beyond offering “everything you love about breakfast”® 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, 2013, there were 1,602 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 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.