http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/celebrities_blog/2009/02/ihop_is_dishing_out_free_panca.html
IHOP is dishing out free pancakes for Mardi GrasRemember when you were a kid and a trip to IHOP was a special day? Remember when you got older and a trip to IHOP was a special day?

Now, you need to remember that on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009, aka Mardi Gras, aka Fat Tuesday, IHOP is serving free short stacks in exchange for a donation to the Children's Miracle Network. Actually, their site says one free short stack per customer and "All we ask is that you consider making a donation to support local children's hospitals through Children's Miracle Network, or other local charities."

From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. - yes that's a 15 hours of pancake lovin'! - feast away on IHOP's delicious griddle delicacies. Now you can finally try every syrup option without the threat of ruining your meal. Hey, just order up another short stack and then really consider making a donation. We're of the belief that if you promise a donation, you'll get a second stack for "free."

(Hmmm, note to self: Call the accountant and see if this is a tax writeoff.)

Good stuff: Pancakes!

Do-gooder stuff: Since 2006, IHOP has raised almost $2 million for children’s charities. Last year, they threw 1.5 million free pancakes in front of donors. For those of you without a long-enough ruler, that's roughly a 12-mile short stack. Yeah, that's pretty much a half-marathon worth of pancakes.