IHOb is no longer, as IHOP has officially returned to its original name and admitted its recent name change was all in the name of publicity.
The company admitted to the fake-out on Twitter on Monday while tweeting about its upcoming pancake deal.
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“That’s right, IHOP!” the tweet read. “We’d never turn our back on pancakes (except for that time we faked it to promote our new burgers).”
Weโre giving away 60ยข short stacks on July 17 from 7a-7p for IHOPโs 60th birthday. Thatโs right, IHOP! Weโd never turn our back on pancakes (except for that time we faked it to promote our new burgers) pic.twitter.com/KsbkMJhKuf
โ IHOP (@IHOP) July 9, 2018
Last month, IHOP announced that it would be changing its name to IHOb, initially keeping the new initial’s meaning a secret.
“For 60 pancakin’ years, we’ve been IHOP,” read the post. “Now, we’re flippin’ our name to IHOb. Find out what it could b on 6.11.18.”
For 60 pancakinโ years, weโve been IHOP. Now, weโre flippinโ our name to IHOb. Find out what it could b on 6.11.18. #IHOb pic.twitter.com/evSxKV3QmT
โ IHOP (@IHOP) June 4, 2018
The restaurant soon revealed that the new letter stood for burgers, with a new line of burgers arriving on the menu in an attempt to expand the chain’s audience beyond breakfast.
Dear Internet, we abbreciate your batience. Now letโs see who guessed right. B-hold!!!!! #IHOb pic.twitter.com/Fh3SkZ7s3Y
โ IHOb (@IHOb) June 11, 2018
The announcement didn’t go over too well with social media, with fans and fellow fast-food restaurants alike slamming the move.
“Not really afraid of the burgers from a place that decided pancakes were too hard,” Wendy’s wrote.
Not really afraid of the burgers from a place that decided pancakes were too hard.
โ Wendy’s (@Wendys) June 11, 2018
Burger King took a page out of Taylor Swift’s book with their response, tweeting “sorry, old Burger King can’t come to the phone right now…”
sorry, old Burger King canโt come to the phone right now…
โ Burger King (@BurgerKing) June 11, 2018
The restaurant had been tweeting with the hashtag #IHOb up until July 7 and used the platform to reassure customers of its loyalty after revealing the name was a publicity stunt.
“We were always IHOP, we just had some burgers to bromote,” the chain explained to one fan.
“The blan was to get beople talking about our new burgers,” it wrote to another. “And it worked.”
To a third, they tweeted, “You can definitely trust us.”
Photo Credit: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com