IHOP Serves Free Pancakes

Fans of IHOP can get free pancakes Feb. 5 during what the pancake chain restaurant has dubbed National Pancake Day. The chain's inspiration for its pancake day is Shrove Tuesday, a tradition in which the English prepared for fasting during Lent by using up their remaining supplies of eggs, milk, and butter to whip up pancakes the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

IHOP's eighth annual National Pancake Day, which falls on the Tuesday before Shrove Tuesday, is a fundraiser for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, which raises funds for 170 nonprofit children's hospitals in the U.S. and Canada.

Diners visiting the more than 1,500 IHOP restaurants in the U.S. from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. will be served a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes. While there, guests can make a contribution to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals,

"Millions of free pancakes served on National Pancake Day mean millions of miracles for those in need," said Julia Stewart, interim president of IHOP and CEO of its parent company DineEquity, Inc.

The pancake chain will flip nearly 4 million pancakes during its largest annual philanthropic event, which has raised more than $10 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other charities.

Lauren Mack is the Special Projects Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @lmack.