IHOP says it's changing name to IHOb. Huh?

CNN Money ^ | 06/07/2018 | Paul R. La Monica

[SeekAndFind]

IHOP stands for International House of Pancakes. The chain has been around for 60 years and has used the IHOP acronym since 1973. So what in the name of a Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity is IHOP thinking by changing its name to IHOb? IHOP tweeted and posted to its Facebook page on Tuesday that it plans to "flip" the "P" in its name on June 11.

The announcement clearly got people talking.

People started to wonder if the b stood for breakfast, brunch or bacon, which would make sense.

ihop ihob But some had more amusing suggestions, such as broccoli, burritos, bitcoin and even breakdancing.

International house of bitcoin

— Greg Harmon, CMT (@harmongreg) June 6, 2018

There were also numerous votes for bears, beets and Battlestar Galactica -- a reference to a popular meme from the American version of "The Office."

This is what the B stands for. @IHOP pic.twitter.com/6aIDg4XBZD

— ƤΛɄȽ 🐧 (@Paul_Is_Penguin) June 6, 2018 The IHOP social media team was clearly having fun with the speculation -- and they came up with some goofy suggestions of their own for people to vote on in a Twitter poll, such as butternut squash (yum!) and barnacles (yuck!)

IHOb? What could it b? #IHOb

— IHOP (@IHOP) June 5, 2018 Is this just a short-term marketing gimmick?

Spokespeople for IHOP and Dine Brands (DIN), the restaurant company that owns IHOP as well as Applebee's, were not immediately available for comment.

And it's not as if Dine Brands needs to reinvent the company. The stock is up nearly 25% this year because sales are growing at both IHOP and Applebee's.

[robroys woman]

All publicity is good publicity. They must have really been hurting.

When I lived in Seattle, IHOP was known as the place where, once it’s dark, homosexuals went to hook up.

[Red Badger]

International House of Broccoli!...............vegans are ecstatic!......................

[7thson]

Something to think about - where I work, on June 11, they are celebrating the LGBT community. My thoughts - is June 11 LGBT day? If so, does this name change somehow tie into that? If it is and does - my prediction - IHOP will tank like JCPenny did a few years ago.

[ShadowAce]

The “b” is just a flipped “p”.

[catbertz]

IHOBoneheads)

[AppyPappy]

It’s IHOP upside down

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Or International House of Bacon.

[rfp1234]

Int’l House of buggery.

[TexasGator]

“All publicity is good publicity. They must have really been hurting.”

In the article:

“The stock is up nearly 25% this year because sales are growing at both IHOP and Applebee’s.”

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

International House of Borscht.

It is the Russians.

[Carpe Cerevisi]

International House of Blues.

[Red Badger]

International House of Baklava!...............

[Red Badger]

LOL!..................

[GSWarrior]

Burger King announced it will change its name to Crappy Junk Food King.

[Rebelbase]

After 11:00pm the name changes to International House of Beatings.

[max americana]

so what? It’s still the favorite hangout for the Amish animals after 1 am.

[Red Badger]

International House of Baba Ganoush!...............

[dsrtsage]

I am sure pancakes were deemed racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic or something

[rovenstinez]

I wonder if there were some legal issues that they didn’t resolve with the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. They also used the acronyms IHOP.