IHOP 2011 Annual Report Download - page 18

DineEquity.
Making a difference.
Applebee’s Veterans Eat Free Event
In 2011, we evolved the Veterans Eat Free
program at Applebee’s into the Thank You
Movement, a cultural phenomenon devoted
to expressing our gratitude to the nation’s
veterans and active duty military. Nearly all
1800+ Applebee’s restaurants nationwide
served more than one million free thank you
meals this Veterans Day — bringing the total
number to more than three million since the
program began in 2009.
We kicked off this year’s Veterans Day event
with a declaration ceremony in Times Square,
featuring military leaders from Pinnacle Five
and Disabled American Veterans. Since its
inception, all five of Country Music Television’s
2011 Artists of the Year — Jason Aldean, Kenny
Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley and
Taylor Swift — have joined the movement,
which has steamrolled into an ongoing initiative
to honor American veterans and active duty
military. Today, over two million people and
counting have left thank you messages on our
microsite: thankyoumovement.com.
At Applebee’s, we’re excited and encouraged
by the impact our Veterans Day program has
created from coast to coast. Today, Veterans
Day has become a day when many businesses
are taking the time to stop and say thank you
to America’s veterans and active duty military.
IHOP National Pancake Day
Every year, National Pancake Day reminds
us of how sweet it feels to give back. We
celebrated IHOP’s sixth National Pancake Day
on March 1, 2011, when guests from around the
country enjoyed more than four million free
buttermilk pancakes — and we raised a
total of $2.5 million in donations for Children’s
Miracle Network Hospitals® and other
local charities.
Since its inception in 2006, National Pancake
Day has raised more than $10 million in
donations to support Children’s Miracle
Network and other charities. These donations
support research, training and equipment
purchases and help pay for uncompensated
care. In 2011, newly crowned Miss America,
Teresa Scanlan, served as spokesperson for
the event.
To raise awareness for National Pancake Day
we brought back “Stacks for Good Acts”, a
national online contest that invites individuals
to submit stories of good deeds to www.
IHOPPancakeDay.com. Thus far, it seems like
our efforts are paying off. Today, National
Pancake Day is covered by thousands of media
outlets across the country, bringing much-
needed attention to the life-saving efforts of
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other
charities across the nation.
On February 28, 2012 we celebrated the
seventh annual National Pancake Day by
shattering our previous record. We exceeded
our previous fundraising total by more than
20%, raising more than $3 million in donations
for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and
other local charities.
At DineEquity, winning together also
means giving back to our communities.
Every year, our team members and
franchisees raise millions of dollars and
donate thousands of hours of volunteer
service to a spectrum of worthy causes.
16 DineEquity 2011 Annual Report