Pancake Day

I think that technically speaking, Pancake Day is really Shrove Tuesday, which is a moveable feast each year.  In fact, I made cinnamon pancakes on Shrove Tuesday this year.

But according to IHOP this is National Pancake day and the restaurant was giving away "short stacks" to everyone.  Free.

It was a fund raiser for the local hospital and you got your pancakes and then were expected to "donate" $5 each to the fund.  

We have eaten at IHOP often...in fact, Walt's "old guys" group (retirees from his office) have lunch there once a month, and have for years.  It's a good place to take my mother as a reward after she sees the doctor--Kaiser is right next door.

But in all the times we have been to IHOP, I have never seen it as busy as it was today!  Lots of people were taking advantage of the free pancakes.

To make things easier on the servers, these pancakes came on paper pates with plastic place settings and instead of the usual assortment of syrup flavors, each table only held maple (which was fine because that is my preference anyway).

When the pancakes arrived, I took a picture of Walt to send to Jeri...then found out he was taking a picture of me to send to Jeri.

The thing I love about this two-some is that we both have pancakes sitting in front of us, and both of us are looking at our cell phones instead of eating! (and both of us are unaware that the other one is taking a photo.)  Ahhh..."togetherness" in the 21st century!  

(I'm betting Jeri looked at these pictures, which we both individually sent to her, and thought that we are cute.)

Though the pancakes were free, the coffee was not.  I have to admit I was surprised to discover that a cup of coffee costs nearly $3.  I know it makes me sound very old, but I remember when you could get coffee for 10 cents.  I could understand if this were gourmet coffee....but it's IHOP, for Pete's sake!

A table of college girls came in while we were eating and each of them had the free pancakes.  I was intrigued when I saw one of them pour hot sauce and then Sriracha on her pancakes, then pick up a big forkful and hold it in front of her and pour maple syrup over it.  Definitely not a way I have ever seen pancakes eaten before!