IHOP’s renaming experiment from 2018 might have been a disastrous gimmick, but the company’s most recent menu change is making people rethink the “IHOB” name.
The chain named after—and known mostly for—its pancakes has announced it will add biscuits to the menu on a nationwide basis for the first time. The move comes as the company looks for new ways to bring in customers in an increasingly competitive market.
“IHOP’s biscuits menu is a continuation of our menu evolution that offers craveable and flavorful items any time of day for us,” said Kieran Donahue, chief marketing officer, in a statement. “IHOP’s off-premise ordering continues to account for over 20% of our business, and the brand has leveraged this latest biscuit menu addition to ensure items can be enjoyed whether guests dine in or take their meal to go.”
The chain has sold biscuits in some Southern markets for years, but this is the first time it has offered them in all of its stores. IHOP is offering a variety of biscuit options, including a buttermilk biscuit; a breakfast biscuit sandwich with bacon, American cheese, or cheese sauce and eggs; a chicken biscuit sandwich with pickle chips and country gravy; and a fresh strawberries and cream biscuit filled with cheesecake mousse, strawberries, and syrup.
To kick-start sales, IHOP says the breakfast biscuit sandwich, along with a side item, will be on sale for $7 through Sept. 26.
Biscuits have proved increasingly popular at restaurants over the past few years, in part because they’re an easy breakfast food to eat on the go. McDonald’s saw big gains when it launched its all-day breakfast menu, and Chick-fil-A has seen big success with its breakfast offerings as it has expanded nationally.