Morning finally came for the much-anticipated National Pancake Day, held by the International House of Pancakes last March 3 for the benefit of Kythe Foundation. All proceeds from IHOP’s promo of unlimited buttermilk pancakes for PHP250 funded the Child Life Program, continuing the brand’s advocacy to support worthy causes.
A great number of diners gathered at the IHOP branches in Bonifacio Global City, UP Town Center, SM Mall of Asia, Century City Mall, Filinvest City, and Araneta Center, and were attended to by IHOP staff, specially dressed in Kythe shirts for the occasion and readily giving out Kythe brochures to customers.
“We arrived at IHOP [Araneta Center] at 8AM,” says longtime Kythe volunteer Jem Benzon, in the company of fellow volunteer and Artist Madhouse co-founder Carolyn Tongco. “It was so early, but the restaurant was already so crowded. And from what we saw, most customers were ordering pancakes—so we knew that that was really for Kythe.
“As for the food, the buttermilk pancakes were so good and very filling. We got to try them with all four of the different syrup flavors.”
Inside the branches were drop boxes for donations, posters, and tarpaulins with details on how to learn more and give to Kythe Foundation.
“Overall, we had a great experience,” says Jem of their IHOP breakfast. “We’d been looking forward to pancakes for a week ever since we saw the IHOP ad for unlimited pancakes. But of course a big factor was how we would be able to give to Kythe in joining this event, so of course we wouldn’t have missed it for the world. We took a lot of pictures and posted them on social media so that more would be encouraged to go to IHOP, and [like what we posted on our invitation] ‘come home with a happy heart and tummy.’”