IHOP Rewards Program Free Smiles, Free Pancakes Commercial Song

IHOP has dropped a series of new ads and one of them says that pancakes can be, just like smiles, free.

The spot features a variety of consumers sitting at tables in IHOP restaurants and enjoying their favorite menu items in the company of their dear ones. “The smiles have always been free. Now the pancakes can be too,” onscreen lines read throughout the 30-second ad, which also announces that the IHOP Rewards Program is here and it’s delicious.

Viewers are encouraged to join the “International Bank of Pancakes” and start earning PanCoins toward free food before the tagline “Let’s put a smile on your plate” appears on the screen.

The soundtrack music is a cover of “When You’re Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)“, originally performed by Henry Thies and His Hotel Sinton Orchestra (with Vocal Refrain by Don Dewey) and made famous by Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra.

The chain launched its “International Bank of Pancakes,” offering customers the chance to earn digital tokens, called PanCoins, that can be used to buy more food, last month (in March).

Guests can join the program, which is an upgraded loyalty program, through IHOP’s website or mobile app. They can subsequently earn PanCoins in three different ways – by paying directly from the app via a QR code at their table, entering a code or scanning a bar code on a physical receipt, or placing a to-go or delivery order via the brand’s website or app.

Every $5 spent is worth one PanCoin, and one PanCoin is worth one pancake.