• by Teresa Buyikian , February 12, 2024

IHOP has launched a new way for its customers to give back to their community, just in time for National Pancake Day on Feb. 13.

Stacking Up Joy is the chain’s new nationwide platform “designed to bring people together in the communities its restaurants serve,” according to a release. The platform kicks off this month through a partnership with Feeding America for a “Month of Giving,” which addresses food insecurity in local communities. Customers dining in-store or ordering online can add $1, $2, $3 or more onto their check total. Ten meals will be provided to those facing hunger for each $1 donated for the month of February.

“Our purpose of spreading more joy to more guests in our communities is why establishing a program like Stacking Up Joy is a natural fit for us, as we support families facing hunger around the country,” said Kieran Donahue, CMO, IHOP, in a release.

To bring attention to the Month of Giving initiative and National Pancake Day, the brand has tapped actress Xochitl Gomez, who appears in online social promotions. Customers who dine in-restaurant between 7 A.M. through 7 P.M. on Feb. 13 will receive a free Buttermilk Pancakes Short Stack.

IHOP’s Feeding America initiative, a part of the Stacking Up Joy platform, “will fight hunger in local communities and support the organization’s efforts of advocating for policies that create long-term solutions to food insecurity,” per the release.

“Millions of people are working hard every day to provide for themselves and their families, yet nearly 1 in 7 people in the U.S. are unable to access the food they need to thrive,” said Lauren Biedron, senior vice president of corporate partnerships at Feeding America in the release. “Tackling food insecurity is not something we can do alone, and we are thrilled to have partners like IHOP join us in the movement to end hunger – to directly support our communities and nourish futures.”