【Gary Eberhart Archives】

IHOP has mastered the art of flipping everyone's world upside down and Gary Eberhart Archiveswe're here to offer some comfort.

On Monday, the breakfast chain announced that after 60 years of identifying as the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) it's re-branding to IHOb. And while no one knows for sure what the lowercase b stand for, after journeying down a dark internet hole we've got a prettygood idea.

Burgers, baby. 🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔🍔

SEE ALSO: This attempt at making a giant macaron fell flat, literally

The first and most logical guess is that the chain's ditching its focus on pancakes and broadening the meal scope to become "International House of breakfast." That seems a bit toopredictable though, so instead, we think the "b" stands for BURGERS.

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In a Reddit thread asking for IHOP employees to spill the beans on the name change, Reddit user lumpsr explains, "It's about burgers. We're coming out with a line of 100% Black Angus beef, hand pressed burgers. Had training on them this week and, I have to say, they're pretty good."

After a little more digging Mashable discovered that lumpsr appears to work at IHOP as a manager. So, like maybe some people didn't get the memo this thing's supposed to be a secret? IDK. But IHOP's Twitter account still refuses to crack.

Upon further sleuthing, more info on the alleged burger plan was uncovered:

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UPDATE: June 6, 2018, 3:45 p.m. PDT The original comments to Reddit have since been deleted.

And other inside IHOP sources seem to be on Team Burger, as well, betraying their brand like it's no biggie.

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More proof may come from IHOP's announcement itself. "We’re flippin’ our name," the brand wrote. What else do you flip? Burgers.

It's unclear if IHOP will actually permanently change its name to IHOb. Sadly, this is probably a very effective use of viral marketing.

However, someone does own the Twitter handle IHOb, and it is a verified account. Still, a quick search for trademark patents returned no results for IHOb linked to the chain. It's unclear who owns the domain IHOB.com.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The IHOP Twitter account ran a poll on Tuesday, listing "Biscuits, Bacon, Butternut Squash, and Barnacles" as options, but we've got a feeling the brand's just trying to throw fans of the scent.

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Other popular guesses include bagels, Beyoncé, Blockchain, and BITCOIN!? But please, dear lord don't let it be Bitcoin. (Don't worry, it's probably almost definitely going to be burgers.)

Sadly, since IHOP decided to re-brand in the most painfully slow and torturous way possible, we'll all have to wait until June 11 to find out for sure. So until then, sit back, channel your inner IHOP, and brainstorm what the franchise's new name will be like everyone else.

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You know what they say: Come Hungry. Leave Confused.

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