Instagram/@lindsarnold
Recently, Lindsay Arnold Cusick took the family to an IHOP pancake dinner with the kids eating free being the most attractive promotion of the chain. The cafe outing led to different reactions from the followers with some of them talking about their own restaurant experiences while others were pointing out the bad food quality as a reason for their visit to IHOP being over.
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Lindsay Arnold Cusick is still a very open and honest person. She admitted in a video that she wasn’t prepared for dinner because the work was late, the fridge was empty and the family wanted to have reason of breakfast for dinner. What was her decision? Going out to IHOP with husband Sam and their two daughters.
Cusick shared that family dinner at IHOP did not let her down! Besides, she told about the ongoing promotion where the kids can eat free of charge with an adult entrée purchase until December 21st. She said in her video that the chain not only has a family favorite of pancakes that ‘literally taste like cake’ but also the activity sheets that keep her girls busy. ‘My craving is officially satisfied,’ she said and pointed at her girls who were happily eating.
The post was received quite positively, though not always in an ideal way for a brand partner. Despite the fact that many people praised the impressive and relatable family time, the conversation became a bit more extensive than just compliments.
The comments overwhelmingly focusing on the positive side were accompanied by the families’ and children’s laughter and happiness. One user wrote: ‘What a fun dinner! Enjoy those cravings. Lindsay you have such a beautiful family.’ The other user exclaimed, ‘Breakfast for dinner is the best!!!’ The feeling was obvious—there’s general approval all over the world in the idea of swapping meal times and soaking them in syrup.
However, next to the heart emojis, there was another nostalgic and different line running. IHOP stands for many people not just food but a memory—an experience. One user compared the moment to a coming-of-age movie: ‘Honestly the only time I have had IHOP was after a summer concert… on the way home we found one and got omelettes and all the breakfast and took leftovers home I miss it.’ That’s the greatest kind of marketing trap—the specific, pure, and greasy happiness of a post-concert.
However, not every memory is a sweet one. The comment section had also been a place for local disappointments. ‘They closed the ihop in willoughby Ohio. I always liked the food,’ one follower complained. Another person bluntly opined, ‘They demolished ours!’
With this collective mourning for closed places, a picture of changing neighborhoods and disappearing late-night spots was painted.
The most unambiguous remarks, however, were related to the food. One comment just got straight to the point: ‘I hope has changed like many restaurants. It’s not good food anymore.’ This is a strong criticism that is very different from Cusick’s ‘cake’-like pancake image; it also points to a widespread consumer opinion that the once so beloved chains have just lost their charm.
Even a comment which humorously started with, ‘You’re such a liar…lol kidding’, talking about how the influencer’s life is always curated, made a quiet acknowledgment of her misperception and later turned into a show of support. Audience engagement today is characterized by a combination of jest and empathy.
Cusick’s post was very much aimed at getting the specific deal promoted—mission accomplished. But the multitude of reactions did something quite the opposite, it became a mosaic of the dining experience in America—one that is rich in personal tradition, nostalgia, and protest. The dialogue demonstrated that even a simple post about family dining out could reflect people’s real feelings about the places they have been to, the meals they remember, and their present-day expectations.
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In the end, Lindsay Arnold Cusick managed to get her pancake fix and share a cute moment with her kids. In contrast, her followers took this opportunity to do away with a solo performance and instead turn the spotlight on themselves, sharing loss stories, late-night cravings and the never-ending hope that possibly the pancakes at some place still taste like the good old times. She also recently shared her 10k running experience. The family’s adventures include Elf on the Shelf shenanigans. Fans celebrated with her after Sam Cusick’s Ironman triumph. In other personal news, she shared an emotional pregnancy test reaction.