IHOP is continuing its streak of wacky promotions with the launch of a new limited-time delivery product that’s positioned tongue-in-cheek as a cross between a pancake and a pizza.
The family chain describes the Pancizza (pronounced pan-keet-za) as “a combination of America’s two most favorite round foods.” It characterizes the mashup as a “milestone.”
The pizza influence isn’t clear: The Pancizza looks like an oversized flapjack, though served in a pizza box with space inside for four of IHOP’s signature syrups.
The Pancizza is available in three versions. Only the bacon and cheddar-topped variety looks anything remotely like a pie. The other versions are Original Buttermilk and the dessert-like Cupcake. Each order consists of one 7-inch “personal-sized” pancake.
The Pancizza will be offered only through a pop-up restaurant in New York City, on the site of Bleecker Street Pizza in Greenwich Village and via delivery from select stores in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Dallas for a week. The IHOP Pancizza Shop pop-up will serve the item by the slice at no charge on Feb. 9, which is National Pizza Day.
DoorDash, IHOP’s third-party delivery partner, will offer free delivery of the pancakes where they’re available. That offer extends from Feb. 8 through Feb. 14.
The deal will be commemorated with a limited-edition Pancizza T-shirt, available for purchase at the pop-up restaurant and via IHOP’s website.
The promotion is the latest bizarre grab for attention by IHOP, a holding of Dine Brand Holdings. Last year, the chain said it was changing its name to IHOb to call attention to a new line of burgers, though the signage of only one store was actually altered. The brand has also launched a line of pancake-themed leisurewear.
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