IHOP Cancels National Pancake Day and Now We Have No Reason to Get Out of Bed

The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent quarantine have ruined so many traditions that we hold dear. But now, COVID has gone too far. Why? Because it’s the reason IHOP has canceled National Pancake Day (aka the best day of the year and our only reason for getting out of bed in the morning).

Normally, the pancake free-for-all happens the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. (Go ahead, Google it. We know you haven’t seen the inside of a church in a while…if ever.)

“For more than 15 years, National Pancake Day has historically been one of our busiest days of the year, and a moment we’ve celebrated with our guests, but the health and safety of our guests and Team Members will always remain our number one priority at this time, so we knew this year’s celebration had to look different,” IHOP president Jay Johns said in a statement.

But don’t despair, breakfast lovers. If you’re incapable of making your own pancakes at home and simply have to have a plate of the IHOP variety, there’s still hope. It’s called the IHOP IOU program. Simply sign up for the MyHOP email club by March 31 to receive a coupon redeemable a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes any day in April. You can even order your short stack through IHOP’s website or mobile app and skip the in-house dining experience.

The annual tradition, though unfamiliar from previous years, will still benefit IHOP’s national charity partner Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

IHOP’s cancellation of National Pancake Day isn’t the first to rock the food world, but it is the largest event of its kind to get the kibosh. Chick-fil-A’s annual Cow Appreciation Day got pushed back, Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day went by the wayside, and 7-Eleven’s free Slurpee day got shut down last year due to COVID concerns.

We could stomach all those changes in plan, but take away our pancakes and we’ll go postal. Coronavirus, we’re coming for you, and one day, you will be canceled, too.

Cover Photo: Jeff Greenberg / Contributor (Getty Images)

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