Free pancakes at IHOP March 4

Ninth annual National Pancake Day fundraiser aims to raise $3 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

For the ninth consecutive year, IHOP restaurants nationwide will offer each guest a free short stack of their famous buttermilk pancakes on National Pancake Day in an effort to raise $3 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals programs nationwide.

For every short stack of buttermilk pancakes served on National Pancake Day, IHOP guests are encouraged to make a voluntary contribution to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. IHOP hopes to raise $3 million this year, with a goal to bring the total amount of funds raised to nearly $16 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities. To find a local IHOP or to donate online, visit www.ihoppancakeday.com.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 4, 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.

WHERE: Participating IHOP restaurants in the Buffalo area.

National Pancake Day Fun Facts:

•IHOP served 4.5 million free pancakes on National Pancake Day 2013, and pancake lovers donated nearly $3 million to children's charities.

•All of the free pancakes served on National Pancake Day 2013 would create a stack nearly 13 miles high.

•Since the inception of National Pancake Day in 2006, IHOP has raised nearly $13 million and given away more than 22 million pancakes to support charities in the communities where it operates.

•Pancake Day is a tradition that dates back several centuries to when the English prepared for fasting during Lent. Strict rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products during Lent, so pancakes were made to use up the supply of eggs, milk, butter and other dairy products - hence the name "Pancake Tuesday," or "Shrove Tuesday." This year, IHOP's National Pancake Day will be celebrated on Shrove Tuesday, March 4.

For more than 55 years, International House of Pancakes LLC has been a leader and expert in all things breakfast and a leader in family dining. As of September, there were 1,602 IHOP restaurants in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the Philippines and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, visit www.IHOP.com. Fans can follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter.