IHOP tweet hints at changing name to 'IHOb' starting June 11

Ben Tobin | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption IHOP is changing its name to... IHOP is officially changing its name, but hasn’t announced why or exactly what it means yet. Veuer's Sam Berman has the full story.

IHOP is hinting that a big change is coming -- with just the small flip of a letter.

The pancake chain, in a tweet Monday morning, suggested that it would change its name from "IHOP" to "IHOb" starting June 11.

That's right. It's not a typo, although the company has not disclosed the meaning of the new acronym.

For 60 pancakin’ years, we’ve been IHOP. Now, we’re flippin’ our name to IHOb. Find out what it could b on 6.11.18. #IHOb pic.twitter.com/evSxKV3QmT — IHOP (@IHOP) June 4, 2018

“We’re serious about the quality of food and our menu, and this name change really reflects that,” says Stephanie Peterson, IHOP’s executive director of communications.

Founded in suburban Los Angeles by Al and Jerry Lapin in 1958, the International House of Pancakes shortened its name to IHOP in 1973, according to the company's website. Now, 45 years later, IHOP appears to be heading for another tweak.

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The likely change comes in the middle of an important year for the restaurant. In late February, Dine Brands Global, the parent company of IHOP, announced it would close 30 to 40 IHOP restaurants along with 60 to 80 Applebee’s restaurants in an effort to acquire and grow small chains that offer healthy and ethnic food. This move followed a trend from the year prior, in which Dine Brands Global shut down 23 IHOP restaurants.

At the same time, though, Dine Brands has offset some of the losses by opening new restaurants in select markets. IHOP opened 60 restaurants and Applebee's opened up 19 restaurants in 2017.

People had mixed reactions to the tweet suggesting a name change was coming. Some guessed at what the acronym "IHOb" stood for, while others took the opportunity to complain. .

I am not ok with IHOP turning into IHOB — Krista Nikole (@kristanikolee) June 4, 2018

The company will announce the likely name change on June 11.