IHOP Franchisor LLC Announces Innovative Cowl Grille Screen to Enhance Restaurant Efficiency & Safety

Pasadena, CA – October 26, 2023 – IHOP Franchisor LLC, the team behind the iconic IHOP restaurants, today unveiled a new product designed to improve operations within its franchise locations: a high-performance cowl grille screen. While IHOP is best known for serving up millions of pancakes, waffles, and smiles, the company is also quietly innovating behind the scenes to make running a restaurant smoother, safer, and more efficient for its franchisees. This new screen is a direct result of listening to operator feedback and addressing a real-world challenge in commercial kitchens. For years, IHOP restaurants, like many other commercial kitchens, have battled with the constant issue of grease buildup in and around their cowl grilles – those big metal hoods above the cooking equipment. Grease isn’t just messy; it's a serious fire hazard. Regular, thorough cleaning is essential, but it's also time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often requires shutting down cooking lines, impacting service. IHOP Franchisor LLC recognized this pain point and set out to find a better solution. “We're always looking for ways to help our franchisees run their businesses even better,” says a spokesperson for IHOP Franchisor LLC (located at 10 W Walnut St, 5th Floor, Pasadena, CA, 91103-3633, and reachable at 951-272-0214). “It’s not just about pancakes, you know? It's about making everything – from customer experience to kitchen safety – the best it can be. When our operators started talking about the hassle of constantly cleaning those grilles, we knew we had to take a look.” What’s the Problem with Traditional Cowl Grilles? Traditional cowl grilles, while effective at removing smoke and odors, are notorious for trapping grease. This happens because of the design – the baffles and curves create areas where grease clings, slowly building up over time. This buildup leads to several issues: Fire Hazard: Grease is flammable. Accumulated grease significantly increases the risk of kitchen fires, potentially leading to property damage, injury, and even loss of life. Commercial kitchens are already at higher risk for fires, and grease buildup just makes it worse. Reduced Efficiency: A grease-clogged grille can’t effectively remove smoke and odors, leading to a stuffy, unpleasant kitchen environment. It also reduces the efficiency of the ventilation system, forcing it to work harder and potentially shortening its lifespan. Increased Cleaning Costs: Cleaning grease-laden grilles is a dirty, tedious job. It requires specialized cleaning agents, time, and labor. The more grease buildup, the longer and more expensive the cleaning process. Potential Health Violations: Accumulated grease can attract pests and create unsanitary conditions, potentially leading to health code violations and fines. The IHOP Solution: A High-Performance Cowl Grille Screen The new cowl grille screen developed by IHOP Franchisor LLC is designed to dramatically reduce grease buildup and address these issues. It’s not a complete replacement of the existing grille, but rather a carefully engineered add-on. Here's how it works: Tight Mesh Design: The screen features a tightly woven mesh constructed from durable, commercial-grade stainless steel. This mesh effectively captures grease particles before they can adhere to the grille baffles. Sloped Surface: The screen is slightly sloped, encouraging grease to run down and collect in designated grease traps, making removal and disposal much easier. No more scrubbing at hard-to-reach areas! Easy Installation & Removal: The screen is designed for quick and easy installation and removal, minimizing disruption to kitchen operations. It fits most standard cowl grille sizes. Dishwasher Safe: The screen is dishwasher safe, allowing for thorough cleaning and sanitation. Extended Cleaning Intervals: Because the screen captures so much grease, operators can significantly extend the intervals between deep cleanings of the entire grille system. Benefits for IHOP Franchisees (and Other Commercial Kitchens) The IHOP Franchisor LLC team believes this cowl grille screen offers significant benefits for its franchisees, and for any commercial kitchen looking to improve efficiency and safety. These benefits include: Reduced Fire Risk: By capturing grease before it accumulates, the screen significantly reduces the risk of kitchen fires. This is the number one priority. Lower Cleaning Costs: Extended cleaning intervals and easier grease removal translate to lower labor and cleaning supply costs. Improved Kitchen Environment: A cleaner grille leads to a cleaner kitchen, creating a more pleasant and hygienic work environment for staff. Enhanced Ventilation Efficiency: A clean grille allows the ventilation system to operate more efficiently, saving energy and prolonging its lifespan. Compliance with Health Codes: Maintaining a clean and sanitary kitchen helps ensure compliance with health codes and regulations. Peace of Mind: Knowing that you’re taking proactive steps to reduce fire risk and improve kitchen safety provides peace of mind for operators and staff. Pilot Program & Rollout The cowl grille screen has undergone extensive testing in select IHOP locations over the past several months. The results have been overwhelmingly positive, with franchisees reporting significant reductions in grease buildup and cleaning time. “We’ve seen a real difference,” says a manager at a participating IHOP location. “Cleaning the grilles used to be a major chore. Now, it’s much faster and easier. And it just feels safer, knowing we’re doing everything we can to prevent a fire.” Based on the success of the pilot program, IHOP Franchisor LLC is now rolling out the screen to all of its franchise locations. The company is also making the screen available for purchase by other commercial kitchens through its vendor network. “We’re confident that this simple but effective product will make a big difference for our franchisees and for anyone else who operates a commercial kitchen,” says the IHOP Franchisor LLC spokesperson. “We’re always looking for ways to innovate and improve, and this is just another example of our commitment to supporting our operators and providing them with the tools they need to succeed.” Contact: IHOP Franchisor LLC 10 W Walnut St, 5th Floor Pasadena, CA, 91103-3633 951-272-0214