Hockey Legends Doug Gilmour and Guy Carbonneau Face Off in the Holiday Inn Express® READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada

Guy Carbonneau defeats Doug Gilmour in the Holiday Inn Express^® breakfast showdown

TORONTO, April 5, 2019 /CNW/ - The Holiday Inn Express^® brand, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG^®), knows that whether its guests are hockey players, sports analysts or super fans, a hot and fresh breakfast is the key to fueling up before a big game. To celebrate the rollout of the new Express Start^® Breakfast Bar in Canada, the brand challenged two Canadian champions and hockey-rivals—Doug Gilmour and Guy Carbonneau—to create the ultimate breakfast creation in the READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada. Hockey analyst and former player Mike Johnson acted as referee and sampled the competing creations from the judge's stand.

In a spirited Toronto versus Montreal showdown, Gilmour and Carbonneau had three minutes to create their game-winning breakfast using only ingredients available at the Holiday Inn Express brand's Express Start Breakfast bar. The signature breakfast bar features more than 30 items to choose from, including hot and fresh options, such as fluffy pancakes at the push of a button; freshly cooked bacon, eggs and sausage; and healthy alternatives, such as hard-boiled eggs, turkey sausage and fresh fruit, all available at 100+ Holiday Inn Express hotels in Canada.

The two hockey legends went head to head in a race to develop the most inventive breakfast creation that was judged based on its deliciousness and creativity. Ultimately, Carbonneau was crowned the winner with his "Power Play Pancake Cup," made with a fluffy pancake cone filled with fresh scrambled eggs and sausage. This bested Gilmour's "Gloves Off Breakfast Sandwich," a biscuit topped with strawberry jam, a sausage patty, scrambled eggs and cream cheese.

Guy Carbonneau, Montreal hockey great and READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada Winner, said: "With one of the oldest rivalries in hockey history, I knew I had to bring my A game. So, I packed all sorts of breakfast greatness into The Power Play Pancake Cup. It feels great to be the winner of the Holiday Inn Express READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada."

Fans can watch the action unfold when the READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada launches on the Holiday Inn Express digital and social channels today.

Jennifer Gribble, Vice President, Global Holiday Inn Express, Mainstream Growth, commented: "A high-quality, hot breakfast is a key differentiator for the Holiday Inn Express brand and a major driver of guest satisfaction, and we are excited to share the READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada with fans across the country. We know the Montreal versus Toronto rivalry runs deep. Together with Guy Carbonneau, Doug Gilmour and Mike Johnson, we hope to inspire Canadian fans to fuel up for game day with our new fresh and hot Express Start breakfast."  

To celebrate his big win, Carbonneau is inviting fans to create their own game-day breakfast combo at Holiday Inn Express hotels nationwide. Guests will receive 15 per cent off their stay when they book at holidayinnexpress.com/readiestbreakfastchallenge.

For more on the READIEST Breakfast Challenge Canada, visit holidayinnexpress.com/readiestbreakfastchallenge.

About Holiday Inn Express®: 

For travelers on the go, Holiday Inn Express offers the basics done brilliantly – a great night's sleep with EXPRESS Recharge, free high-speed Internet, and the Express Start® breakfast included – to help guests feel more than ready for their day. As the fastest growing brand for the InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG®), Holiday Inn Express hotels can be found around the world, offering a simple, smart travel experience for both business and leisure travelers. In 2017, Holiday Inn Express introduced the updated Express Start breakfast featuring more than 30 complimentary hot and fresh items to choose from, including the signature one-touch pancake machine. For more information, visit www.holidayinnexpress.com, and connect with us on Facebook www.facebook.com/holidayinnexpress, Twitter www.twitter.com/HIExpress, and Instagram www.instagram.com/holidayinnexpress.

About InterContinental Hotels Group:

IHG^® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental^® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton^® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo^®, EVEN^® Hotels, HUALUXE^® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza^® Hotels & Resorts, voco™, Holiday Inn^®, Holiday Inn Express^®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations^®, Holiday Inn Resort^®, avid™ hotels, Staybridge Suites^® and Candlewood Suites^®.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 5,600 hotels and approximately 837,000 guest rooms in more than 100 countries, with almost 1,900 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG^® Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members.  

In February 2019, IHG acquired Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, adding 16 hotels (1,347 rooms) to its system and 18 hotels to its development pipeline.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 400,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihgplc.com/media and follow us on social media at: https://twitter.com/ihgcorporate, www.facebook.com/ihgcorporate and www.linkedin.com/company/intercontinental-hotels-group

SOURCE Holiday Inn Express