IHOP is bringing back its stuffed French toast at participating restaurants nationwide and positioning the fan-favorite menu item as an accessible indulgence through a new campaign, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
A 30-second hero spot features a diverse array of diners — all outfitted in rococo stylings reminiscent of Sofia Coppola's “Marie Antoinette” that put the French in French toast — enjoying the decadent breakfast item. The spot is set to Katseye's hit single “Pinky Up,” and when a server enters the scene and makes the song's titular gesture, the crowd cheers.
“This whole campaign is centered around our fans, and the fans have positioned stuffed French toast as French toast, but fancy,” said Lenna Yamamichi, vice president of brand creative at IHOP. “‘Fancy’ became this rich creative territory that we could base this campaign around, because it turns an item into an experience.
Advertising stuffed French toast as a small luxury is in line with a larger cultural trend around “little treats” that consumers, especially Gen Zers, seek as respites during times marked by persistent consumer pressures. Brands spanning restaurants, alcohol and food have sought to tap into this trend, including a recent Hershey’s campaign that also used “Pinky Up” as an ad soundtrack.
“It's a true testament to how awesome the song is, that people are leaning into the meaning behind it, of redefining what luxury means to you [and] what it means to live life,” Yamamichi said of the song, which is popular with consumers like her teenage daughters and their friends. “That's a testament to the connection that we can have with the younger audiences, and that excitement that it brings.”
The stuffed French toast campaign was created by IHOP, Deutsch and DeVries Global. It will run on TV and the brand’s owned social and digital channels with influencer and PR support.
IHOP’s stuffed French toast debuted in 2003 but has been off the menu for six years. During that time, diners have never stopped asking for it, making it the chain’s most requested item on social media, Yamamichi said.
“I want to stress how important social listening is,” the executive said. “It's really important to know who you are and know what your true value is to customers and continually listen to what they need and how they want us to show up for them. There's no better insight than leaning into what guests want.”
IHOP doesn’t just listen on social — it also speaks. The brand teased the returning menu item and campaign by going back and commenting on old consumer posts and comments requesting stuffed French toast.
“We saw years of demand across social media and beyond, and we knew this was the right moment to bring back a fan favorite in a way that feels relevant for today,” IHOP President Lawrence Kim said in a statement. “By pairing a beloved classic with new flavor innovation and a fresh marketing approach, we're creating excitement for longtime fans while introducing a new generation of guests to one of IHOP's most iconic breakfast experiences."
IHOP’s domestic same-store sales increased 1.5% in Q2, and the brand outperformed Black Box Intelligence benchmarks for sales and traffic for the third consecutive quarter, per an earnings call from parent Dine Brands. Executives on the call attributed the growth in part to a value-focused advertising campaign.
