IHOP's first location (1958)
International House of Pancakes opened its first restaurant in Toluca Lake, California, in July 1958, serving pancakes, waffles, and breakfast staples. It grew into a national chain with thousands of locations.
The first store drew long lines and proved breakfast-out could sustain a business.
IHOP helped make breakfast a mass-market fast-casual category nationwide.
A single licensed location can be the start of something larger. Breakfast Social's Chicago license is its first formal step toward serving customers.
