On Feb. 24, both Tallahassee locations of the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) will be giving away free pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m in honor of National Pancake Day.
Each customer is eligible for a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes.
In exchange, patrons are urged to make a donation that will support the Children’s Miracle Network and other local charities.
The Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals.
They have more than 170 hospitals where they provide medical care, research, and precautionary education to children about diseases.
National Pancake Day began in 2006 and has helped IHOP to raise almost $2 million dollars for the charity.
Last year alone, the company raised $875,000. This year, the goal is $1 million.
Dean Kinnear, general manager of the IHOP on North Monroe street, said he believes the Children’s Miracle Network is a good organization.
“If anyone is aware of the work that the Children’s Miracle Network does, then they would want to donate. This isn’t [required],” Kinnear said. “This is a good cause.”
In addition, the Apalachee Parkway location of IHOP is adding two extra staff members for Tuesday’s schedule, but they won’t prepare extra food ahead of time, in anticipation of more customers.
“We are basically just going to treat National Pancake Day as a regular workday,” said Matthew Brogandoff, manager of the IHOP on Apalachee Parkway. “Our policy is to never make anything ahead and we don’t plan on changing that.”
Damien Lizana, assistant manager of the North Monroe location, said people should come at a certain time to get their pancakes.
“The best hours to come to IHOP would be between three and five in the afternoon,” he said. “That is when the crowd dies down. People can also come in the morning, right after the high schools have begun.”
For more information about the charities and National Pancake Day, visit the IHOP National Pancake Day Web site at ihoppancakeday.com.