Why IHOP Became IHOb and Then IHOP Again
In 2018, IHOP announced it would temporarily rename itself IHOb to promote its new hamburgers, then reverted to IHOP in 2019. The change was a marketing stunt, not a legal rebranding, and the restaurant returned to its original name within about a year. This profile explains the timeline, stated business rationale, legal constraints, and measurable effects of the name change.
Background: The IHOP Brand Before the Change
International House of Pancakes (IHOP) launched in 1958 and built a long-term identity around breakfast all day. By the late 2010s, the chain sought to highlight its dinner menu, particularly burgers, without diluting its core pancake and breakfast image. The decision to temporarily become IHOb was framed as a way to test a dual-positioning strategy and drive traffic with a novel, media-friendly stunt.
The 2018 Name Change to IHOb
On September 17, 2018, most IHOP locations in the United States began operating as IHOb to promote the launch of the "Honorable Burger" and reposition the brand for dinner. The change was primarily signage and marketing; menus adapted to feature burgers more prominently. The company stated it was an experiment to broaden its appeal beyond breakfast, using the acronym OB for "Occasionally Burger."
Return to IHOP
In early 2019, IHOP began reversing the change, restoring the original name and logo. By late 2019, the rebrand was largely complete, though some locations transitioned at different speeds. Public feedback was mixed, with notable online attention and memes, but the move succeeded in generating widespread awareness for the chain’s dinner offerings.
Measurable Outcomes and Business Impact
The stunt drove significant earned media, increased social engagement, and temporarily boosted sales at test locations. Analysts noted short-term traffic gains during the IHOb period, with particular strength in burger sales. Because the change was time-limited and regionally phased, the long-term brand equity impact was modest, allowing IHOP to retain its breakfast-centric core while testing dinner appeal.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement Date | September 17, 2018 | Corporate press release |
| Temporary Name | IHOb (IHOburger) | Marketing campaign documentation |
| Reversion Start | signage updates underway in early 2019, full restoration by late 2019. Company stated test objectives met and customer sentiment favored returning to the heritage name. Legal ownership of the IHOP trademark remained unchanged; the shift was treated as a promotional campaign rather than a permanent rebrand.