Ihop

French fries, slathered with ketchup and washed down with a pint of soda, are a favorite part of fast-food lunches and dinners for millions of American youngsters. But taking a cue from nutritionists, a group of 19 restaurant companies are pledging to offer more-healthful menu options for children at a time when concern is growing over the role of fast food in childhood obesity. Burger King, the nation's second-largest burger chain, for instance, will stop automatically including French fries and soda in its kids' meals starting this month, although the items will still be available.

Happy National Pancake Day! Perhaps you’re planning to celebrate by swinging by an IHOP Tuesday (if you haven’t done so already) --  the restaurant chain is offering free short stacks to all comers until 10 pm. This IS a health blog, so we can’t help relaying the following information, courtesy of the IHOP Nutritional Information website. A short stack of 3 Original Buttermilk pancakes contains: 490 calories 18 grams of fat (including 8 grams of saturated fat and 1 gram of trans fat)

Could pancake peace be at hand? The International House of Pancakes has dropped its trademark infringement lawsuit against a church, agreeing to resolve its dispute with the International House of Prayer out of court. On Dec. 21, the restaurant chain dismissed its case against the church, with its lawyers citing "ongoing mediation with the defendants," according to documents filed in federal court in Los Angeles. The restaurant chain sued the church in September, alleging it misappropriated IHOP trademarks with its website, ihop.

Glendale-based IHOP has served up a federal lawsuit against a church with ministries in Pasadena and elsewhere, alleging International House of Prayer is violating its trademark. The suit asks International House of Prayer to stop using "IHOP" and similar phrases, and seeks to have the court give the Web address ihop.org to the restaurant chain. Officials at the church, based in Kansas City, Mo., declined to comment. In a statement, church officials said they were aware of the lawsuit and reviewing the claims.

In the late afternoon of April 12, 32-year-old Nguyen Tran of North Hollywood stepped into the KFC at the corner of Witmer and West 6 t h streets near downtown Los Angeles. After a few minutes of scrutinizing the menu board, and glancing at the store's signage, he leaned across the counter and asked the man behind the counter, in an almost conspiratorial voice: "Do you guys have that … you know … the Double Down?" When the cashier tentatively bobbed his head in affirmation, Tran pumped his fist in the air, uttered an excited "Sweet!"

Animal rights activists are going after DineEquity Inc., the Glendale parent of the IHOP and Applebee's restaurant chains. They want the restaurant company to start buying eggs from suppliers that they believe treat chickens in a more humane fashion. The Humane Society of the United States is circulating a video of what it describes as inhumane conditions at a Le Sueur, Minn., facility owned by Michael Foods Inc., one of IHOP's egg suppliers. The video shows decomposing dead hens in cages with live hens, sick and injured chickens, and both living and dead hens stuck between cage wires.

The sudden departure of the chief financial officer and key strategist of the Glendale company that owns the Applebee's and IHOP restaurant chains sent shares of DineEquity Inc. tumbling 26% on Tuesday. Late Monday, DineEquity said Thomas Conforti was leaving the firm immediately to pursue "other opportunities." He was replaced by Controller Greggory Kalvin while the restaurant chain conducts a search for a new CFO. The surprise resignation spooked investors. Shares of DineEquity plunged $6.20 to close at $17.77 on Tuesday.

After watching more of their customers turn to drive-thrus for a quick morning meal, family dining restaurants such as Denny's and IHOP are fighting back. In an attempt to lure diners back to the breakfast table -- or at least to the curb -- the chains are introducing more portable products, offering to-go and curbside pickup programs and remodeling their locations.

Former IHOP Corp. Chief Operating Officer Dennis Farrow sued the U.S. restaurant company, claiming he was fired Jan. 14 without severance after refusing a demotion. Farrow joined Glendale-based IHOP in September 2006 from rival Wendy's International Inc. IHOP Chief Executive Julia Stewart led him to believe that he would become president, Farrow said. Stewart eliminated his position last year, according to the complaint.

IHOP Corp. shares rose 2% after the restaurant operator said its Applebee's business unit signed a sale-lease-back deal that was expected to generate gross proceeds of about $347 million. Glendale-based IHOP said the deal with Fortress Investment Group's Drawbridge funds involved 187 company-owned real estate parcels. It is expected to close by June 16. IHOP shares rose 98 cents to $51.28.