More than just good pancakes

I am in a good position to talk about food and fat because I used to be a heavy weight. Yeah I like average guy stuff like fried chicken, good cheese burgers and pizza but if that was all I ate I'd still be a big guy.  So what the wife and I have agreed to do is to focus on eating a healthy low fat organic diet most the time that are mid carbs and mid protein meals.We have cut out the pork, shellfish, and are eating red meat only once a week. We like the average American meal once in a while so we don't go on the diet train and make a round trip back to blubber ville.
I can't take anything extreme because it doesn't ever work for me but I do eat a lot of salad by choice, so much so that I think I qualify to be a rabbit in 13 western states. Something I've learned from all the diets I've done is " it's not counting the calories but making the calories count" yes I said it first as far as I know. Go ahead use it, just tell'em where you heard it.
Anyway I have a friend Zack, he's the GM of the local Naples IHOP,  he introduced me to the new menu and I was happy to see some good solid low cal choices. IHOP now carries turkey bacon, order it crisp, turkey sausage and some great healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner items in a section called "IHOP for me".The food not only tastes good but fits into a healthy lifestyle. At the same time you feel like you eating like a normal person, which to me is very important, more so than staring a diet down when I'm out with friends! The best part of it is if you just happen to be doing a dawn patrol and IHOP is the only restaurant open you don't have to just drink coffee instead sharing a meal with your friends. There is actually some great other menu items for people who are not crazed about this stuff like me.
The only thing I don't understand is why IHOP is not going after the people who eat well by expanding the 'IHOP for me' menu? And what about advertising the choice of turkey bacon and sausage, egg substitutes for those who don't want real eggs. Then to bring it home for the really intense there is the chicken and fish choices that can be cooked with out oil or fat of any kind.
As a side note, in the fall of 76 and winter of 77 I moved to South lake Tahoe to ski all season.  I got an apartment at the base of Heavenly Valley ski resort. Guess where I found a job? Thats right at IHOP on Hwy 50. I worked a great schedule in order to ski allot that season, from 10 pm until 6am I was a short order cook. After work I napped for a couple of hours and then hit the slopes for the remainder of the day. At least that was the plan. There was no snow that season because of the drought. So much for the perfect ski season, right! Anyway that was then...
 I would like to suggest that IHOP sponsor a American Pro team to race all the American Tours because cycle racing is becoming very popular in the US and it would be a great way to attract this segment of population.Talk about taking it your target group in a grassroots campaign. Naw, this would mean  IHOP corporation would have to enhance their already good start at a healthier menu. That would be to easy. Bon appetite!
Remember, if I pass you on the road, stop at Peets because your buying or maybe IHOP for lunch, this time!

 PS, I haven't met a pancake I didn't like...yet!