IHOP Serves the Troops With First Restaurants on Military Bases

By: IHOP | 2 Shares 99 Reads

Norfolk and San Diego Navy Bases Now Open, Part of IHOP's Expansion of Non-Traditional Locations

GLENDALE, CA, Dec 13, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- IHOP, one of America's favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, is opening IHOP Express restaurants on military bases. Today, an IHOP Express restaurant opens at the Naval Base San Diego, the largest Naval base on the West Coast. This follows the successful November opening of an IHOP Express restaurant at the Naval Station Norfolk, occupying the largest U.S. Naval station.

"One of IHOP's core strategies is to make IHOP more accessible to our guests," said Jean Birch, IHOP President. "Military bases operate as cities with large populations of both military personnel and civilians, and until these openings, IHOP was not available to the enlisted or civilian personnel. These military base openings are clearly aligned with our expansion strategy."

The decision to expand through non-traditional locations such as military bases and college campuses is part of a larger strategy to make IHOP available to guests that are not currently patronizing IHOP or are visiting infrequently. Along with non-traditional locations, to further this strategy, the company has strategically embarked on a licensing program that allows select business partners to use the IHOP name in key product categories.

The primary expansion vehicle for IHOP continues to be traditional restaurant locations. In spite of a challenging economy, the Company opened, on average, a new restaurant more than once per week in 2010. In November, IHOP opened its 1,500th restaurant -- in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC.

For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.ihop.com. Follow IHOP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ihop.

ABOUT IHOP

For 52 years, the IHOP family restaurant chain has served its world famous pancakes and a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items that are loved by people of all ages. IHOP offers its guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. The first IHOP opened in Toluca Lake, Calif. in 1958, and as of September 30, 2010, there were 1,483 IHOPs in 50 states and the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, Calif.-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).

SOURCE: IHOP

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