ATLANTA, Sept. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Holiday Inn Express^® brand, part of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG^®) and proud hotel sponsor of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), knows breakfast. Whether a football player, game day analyst or super fan, the brand knows that a hot and fresh breakfast is the key to fueling up before the big game. To demonstrate its dedication to helping fans BE THE READIEST^® for game day, the brand challenged ESPN and SEC Network personalities Jesse Palmer, Jordan Rodgers and Maria Taylor to create their ultimate breakfast sandwich in the first-ever READIEST Breakfast Challenge. SEC Network's Paul Finebaum moderated the challenge, while social media influencers and breakfast enthusiasts Jane Ko of A Taste of Koko, Jason Piper of Nola Party of 2 and Cullen of Cullen and Katie sized up the contending creations from the judges' stand.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8410651-holiday-inn-express-jordan-rodgers-readiest-breakfast-challenge/

During the reality TV-inspired competition, Palmer, Rodgers and Taylor had three minutes to create their game-winning breakfast using any combination of ingredients available at the Holiday Inn Express brand's Express Start^® Breakfast bar. The brand's signature breakfast bar features more than 30 items from which to choose, and it's all new, hot and fresh. Fans can fuel up with pancakes at the push of a button; freshly cooked bacon, eggs and sausage; or a just-baked cinnamon roll, in addition to healthy items such as egg white and veggie omelets.

The trio went head-to-head in a race to create to the most inventive and over-the-top breakfast creation. Each item was judged based on its deliciousness, creativity and portability, but ultimately, only one contestant would BE THE READIEST. In one of the all-time upsets in breakfast making, Jordan Rodgers created the winning breakfast play, "The 7-on-7," an over-the-top, seven-layer stack of pancakes, sausage, bacon and eggs, plus a veggie omelet to really take it to the next level. Rodgers bested Palmer's "Quarterback Slider," a split cinnamon roll with eggs, sausage and hot sauce, and Taylor's "Paco," a cleverly named pancake taco.

Jordan Rodgers, SEC Network College Football Analyst and READIEST Breakfast Challenge Winner said: "I won. I always knew I would, but it feels good to be the first-ever winner of the Holiday Inn Express READIEST Breakfast Challenge. My strategy was to win, and once I layered the best parts of breakfast into the ultimate sandwich, it was game over. Sorry, Jesse and Maria. Better luck next time."

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

Jennifer Gribble, Vice President, Global Holiday Inn Express, Mainstream Growth commented: "We are incredibly excited to share the READIEST Breakfast Challenge with fans across the country, which is bringing even more spirited competition to the college football season. Together with Jordan Rodgers, Jesse Palmer and Maria Taylor, the Holiday Inn Express brand hopes to inspire fans across the country to BE THE READIEST for game day with our energizing Express Start breakfast."  

In honor of his history-making breakfast victory, Rodgers is inviting fans to create their own winning breakfast sandwich at Holiday Inn Express hotels nationwide with 15%* off stays booked by Dec. 1, 2018. To BE THE READIEST for the next away game, fans can book by visiting holidayinnexpress.com/readiestbreakfastchallenge. *Terms apply.

The READIEST fans will also have the chance to meet Rodgers at the Holiday Inn Express brand's experiential activation at SEC FanFare in Atlanta on Dec. 1, 2018 ahead of the SEC Championship Game.

For the latest BE THE READIEST campaign updates, consumers can visit holidayinnexpress.com, as well as the Holiday Inn Express brand's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube pages.

About the Holiday Inn Express^® brand
Holiday Inn Express^® hotels are modern hotels for value-oriented travelers. Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. Guests Stay Smart^® at Holiday Inn Express hotels where they enjoy a complimentary hot Express Start^® Breakfast with new healthier offerings and free high-speed Internet access. There are currently 2,653 Holiday Inn Express hotel locations around the globe. For more information about Holiday Inn Express hotels or to book reservations, visit www.holidayinnexpress.com. Find us on Twitter www.twitter.com/hiexpress, Facebook www.Facebook.com/holidayinnexpress and Instagram www.instagram.com/holidayinnexpress.

2018 INTERIM RESULTS

Notes to Editors:

IHG^® (InterContinental Hotels Group) (([LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG)] 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™ Hotels, 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 5,400 hotels and 810,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,800 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG^® Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members.  

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 375,000 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: www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

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SOURCE Holiday Inn Express(R) Brand