IHOP Sweetens Its Website With a New Look
IHOP's new look and feel, in restaurants and online, updates one of America's best loved brands, and represents the most significant changes for the Company since it was founded in 1958. The efforts are the result of extensive consumer research and testing.
"Our new website brings to life the changes we've made in our restaurants for online visitors," said Carolyn O'Keefe, chief marketing officer for IHOP Corp. "All of these changes are designed to enhance our guests' dining experience. Guests that have not visited an IHOP lately will be pleasantly surprised, and can get a sneak peek of what's new by visiting IHOP.com."
Nearly half of the IHOP system has undergone remodels that provide a dining environment that is warmer and more welcoming. Changes include new fabric-backed booths, new interior colors, and an enhanced lighting scheme. Employee uniforms in remodeled restaurants also have experienced a makeover, with a look and feel that is both comfortable and fashionable. All locations are expected to feature the new look by the end of 2008.
New restaurants being built utilize the ICON prototype design, which incorporates IHOP's famous blue A-frame roof in a modern, contemporary building. Recently, the Company unveiled a new menu featuring eight new breakfast, lunch and dinner items that guests can enjoy any time of day. This is the fourth evolution of the menu in the last two years.
IHOP's new website, which reflects the changes the brand has made, includes a trip planner feature that is a perfect tool for guests traveling this holiday season. The trip planner lets users find IHOP locations along a planned travel route. The new site also includes a graphical timeline that documents IHOP's history from its first restaurant opening in Toluca Lake, Calif., through the first National Pancake Day celebration held earlier this year.
Website features also include detailed company information, a restaurant locator with driving directions, franchise opportunities, a news room with archived news releases, and a full menu to entice guests with breakfast, lunch and dinner choices. Visitors can also purchase IHOP gift cards on the website in denominations from $5 to $50.
The redesigned website was created by FrontGate Creative, which has served a clientele of market-leading, national and Southern California-based clients since 1996.
ABOUT IHOP CORP.
The IHOP family restaurant chain has been serving a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner selections for more than 45 years. Offering 14 types of pancakes as well as omelettes, breakfast specialties, burgers, sandwiches, salads, chicken and steaks, IHOP's diverse menu appeals to people of all ages. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, California-based IHOP Corp. As of December 31, 2006, the end of IHOP's fourth quarter, there were 1,302 IHOP restaurants in 49 states and Canada. IHOP Corp. common stock is listed and traded on the NYSE under the symbol "IHP." For more information, call the Company's headquarters at (818) 240-6055 or visit the Company's website located at www.ihop.com.
Contact: Jennifer Pendergrass IHOP Corp. 818-637-3603 James Doyle/Tracy Garcia IHOP News Bureau 866-202-6688
SOURCE: IHOP Corp.