IHOP to Change Name

I assume the new name stands for International House of Breakfast - and yes they have a lot more than pancakes and always did but why bother?

It reminds me a bit of a few years ago when Pizza Hut tried to rebrand as "The Hut" and trying to get people to view it as a dine in Italian restaurant.

I think you are thinking of Dominos going from "Dominos Pizza" to just "Dominos". "The Hut" is what Pizza Hut refers to their "express" stores that don't have the full Pizza Hut menus.