Omigosh, IHOP so totally doesn’t get it
An International House of Pancakes recently opened in Harvard Square.
Harvard Square is in the midst of Harvard University, and is populated mainly by college students. It was once a really hip, cool shopping area, and is now occupied almost entirely by banks and huge ATM bays. Who hangs out in Harvard Square? Teenagers, college students, and grad students.
IHOP recently opened a restaurant in Harvard Square. It’s right across the street from the Kennedy School of Government, chock full of grad students. But for some reason, IHOP business may not be too good. So their windows have huge signs advertising their specials: SENIOR SPECIAL, 50% OFF! and KIDS EAT FREE TUESDAYS.
Wow. Omigosh, wow. They’ve located their restaurant in the heart of a neighborhood whose occupants are between the ages of 18 and 25, largely unmarried, and virtually without kids. Are they really so clueless that they think a SENIORS SPECIAL and KIDS EAT FREE will increase their business? Or maybe they’re niche marketing to the six families in the area who have senior citizens or young children.
We’re taking a trendy, hip, cool shopping area and turning it into a wasteland of financial institutions and IHOP. This is progress?
I have to agree. Harvard (and even Central and Porter) are all a bit too commercial for my tastes. Davis is nice, and free of most bigname/bigbox stores that simply don’t get it. Lots of small hip places, to target the young/hip/tufts crowds.
October 10th, 2007 at 11:57 am