LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - IHOP Corp IHP.N said on Thursday that same-store sales rose 3.7 percent at its IHOP pancake chain, helped by improved traffic and higher average guest checks.

The newly-acquired Applebee's chain posted a same-store sales increase of 0.5 percent in the United States, IHOP said.

(Reporting by Alexandria Sage; editing by Carol Bishopric)