Top exec: IHOP has momentum in 2011

Pancake purveyor IHOP has momentum in 2011 and is putting a challenging restaurant environment behind it, the chain's president told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Jean Birch said IHOP has "weathered this storm better than most." The dinner segment is growing, and sales at U.S. restaurants open at least a year rose 1.1 percent in the fourth quarter. Limited-time offers helped, as did the promotion of all-you-can-eat pancakes. Higher average spending helped offset a decline in guest traffic. IHOP is touting its lower-calorie options.

IHOP is encouraging more of its franchisees to stay open around the clock to compete with Waffle House and other all-night establishments. About two-thirds of the company's restaurants stay open 24 hours a day. "Typically, there's quite a bit of business to be had overnight," Birch said.