"Free Pancakes today, bring your own pitchforks and torches!"

There are few foods worse than pancakes.

@HIV 2 Elway Resurrected: There are few foods better than pancakes.

There. Fixed it for you.

Mmmmmmm

Pancakes!

The fact that it's a dine-in only thing means it's a massive opportunity for IHOP to make money. Sure, the pancakes are free, but when you're smelling that bacon and the syrup and the ham and the eggs....

Then before you know what happened to you, you're out $10.

@pecan 3.14159265: Disclaimer: I may go anyway because who can resist pancakes?

I've already packed up my ShamSnuggWow! and am waiting in line.

@pecan 3.14159265: I will bring my own bacon, sausage, toast and coffee.

@jscott73: I might order the hash browns though, they don't travel quite as well as the rest and who would eat soggy hash browns anyways.

Free diabetes screenings tomorrow, I hope.

hmmm... did someone say "bacon"....

Yes, you can just eat free pancakes and go, but it is a fund-raising effort for Children's Miracle Network, with a target of $1,000,000 (after last year's $875K effort).

@It's Segador's birthday:
Nice, can I get one too?

So free pancakes served with a side of guilt?

I just have say, you gotta love Meg. She is doing a bang up job and keeping us informed with the greatest day in the world. FREE PANCAKES DAY

@Con Seannery tells the Facebook haters to badge up!: Suck on the first two feet of this baseball bat, recommends the diabetic low-carber whose blood sugar is normal through diet.

@HIV 2 Elway Resurrected:

I can understand. Since they had to stop using the word "pancake" to describe their product(s) b/c they actually come from genetically engineered animals and the government will no longer permit them to be referred to as "pancakes".They actually use genetically manipulated organisms. These so called "pancakes" are kept alive by tubes inserted into their bodies to pump blood and nutrients throughout their structure. They have no ears, no fur, and no fingers. Their bone structure is dramatically shrunk to get more meat out of them. This is great for IHOP because they do not have to pay so much for their production costs. There is no more removal of the fur and fingers. The government has told them to change all of their menus so they do not say "pancakes" anywhere. That is why they call them "Flapjacks"!

More info can be found on the webiste FlapJackTruth.corg.

@SkokieGuy: Last year was a failure. Don't let it happen again.

Not even for free..

@pecan 3.14159265: It's actually to raise money for charity.

@SkokieGuy: Sweet, Boysenberry guilt.

@aerick79: If only it could fall on dress like a pirate day as well...

Yeah thanks for posting this right on time!

By Meg Marco, 2:13 PM on Tue Feb 24 2009

We'll have plenty of time to get out there, thanks for the heads up!

@LordieLordie: For an OPTIONAL donation.

@jake7294: "Not only do I want to know about free things, at no cost to myself, but they must follow my scheduling needs."

Stay classy, johnny entitlement.

@jake7294: Did you want Consumerist to make you aware of it before they were? Because that seems like what you are asking for. Here's two steps for you:

1. Eat free pancakes for dinner.

2. Stop whining.

@OscarWinner_GitEmSteveDave:

Hee hee, that was funny.

@cynical_bastard:

Oh my God. That would be amazing. A restaurant full of pirates eating pancakes! And then they get into a fight and before you know it loganberries and bacon strips are flying everywhere and the syrup is upset and people are screaming and yelling "ARRRRRRR!!!!" and the cops come and--

Sorry, I got a little carried away. I love Talk Like a Pirate Day. :)

This was one thing that was NOT heavily advertised, at least as far as I know so I doubt we will get the replay of the Denney's madness since Denney's advertised their free Grand Slam during the Super Bowl.

The only reason I knew about it (and remembered to send it in to the Consumerist) was that I ate at iHOP on the 20th, before going to see the HORRIBLE "Madea Goes to Jail", and they had a couple of signs on tables to advertise it.

Anyone remember any commercials for this? I don't get home from work until after midnight and didn't see any ads.

Just got back from this. They ask you for a small donation, but it's not a real big deal. And I don't know about everywhere else, but my local IHOP (I almost spelled that as iHOP, damn Apple brainwashing) was only slightly more busy than usual. Probably about a 15 minute wait or so. I think most people are just eating their pancackes and getting out without lingering too long.

@HogwartsAlum: But you have to be careful that it doesn't turn into another "Free Credit Report . com" commercial. But then again, they were in a seafood eating joint so maybe history won't repeat itself.

Bailouts, entitlements, welfare, free pancakes, is America a great country, or what?

Husband and I dropped into our local IHOP at 8 this morning and there wasn't even a wait for a table. There was only one couple I noticed who just got pancakes and water and didn't spend a dime (except on a tip, I hope). Even the bums sitting near us bought some coffee.

The promotion worked on me -- this particular IHOP is smack between my home and my office, about a mile from each, and I'd never been there. But give me a chance to celebrate National Pancake Day in recessionary style, and I'm there.

@kwsventures:

Damn right and don't you ever forget it.

@Custodial_Ninja:

Never is heavily advertised.

I checked their website on Friday and there was no mention, yet today the website is updated.

No reason to heavily advertise:
A) Repeating event, held every year.
B) It is a charity fund raiser.

Not only is today Mardi Gras, but there's free pancakses from IHOP. Could a drunk (like myself) ask for anything more?

@jake7294: There was a notice over the weekend that it was coming...

@Corporate-Shill: I saw several commercials over the weekend.

You know, watching TV instead of doing cool things and actually living my life.

If I go home local instead of highway, pass three IHOPs on the way.

I'm curious if I can down three separate and free stacks of pancakes.

In the south, people eat pancakes on Mardi Gras day. Gotta have some rich foods before lent starts.

In case nobody noticed, it is Shrove Tuesday, which is historically a day for eating pancakes. In some places in the UK they even have pancake races.

@Custodial_Ninja:

Freecreditreport.com guy in a kitchen up to his ass in dishes:

"My dream girl and my posse went to Pancake Eatin' Day...
We knocked back a ton of food there and then we went to pay...
But my credit was all wonky and I didn't get just hoooooowwwww.....
If I'd gone to freecreditreport.com I'd have the dishes done by now!!!!

@SkokieGuy: No, very low key. Just a box as you leave. Can't do it on the bill even. Cash only, no mention of it.

@jake7294: Wow, not only did you feel the need to whine about a post for free pancakes, you were so moved by the injustice you posted twice. There can be only one: Douchelander.

We had about a 10-15 wait at 4:15pm. Great deal, we spent $6.50 including tip for me and my daughter.

I just went to my local IHOP at 8pm this evening. An hour wait and the host told us that they were out of free pancakes. But they still had pancakes we could pay for.

@OscarWinner_GitEmSteveDave: I once got into a heated argument with the grandmother-to-be at a baby shower because she was CONVINCED that KFC peddled 5-legged mutant "chickens." I eventually just nodded my head and took a good swig of mimosa.

@pecan 3.14159265: Nah, once you get through those horrible pancakes, you can't stomach any more of their garbage food. But I won't complain, it was free.