5 Things You Didn't Know About IHOP
- IHOP stands for International House of Pancakes, though the restaurant is an American chain serving breakfast, lunch and dinner items.
- The IHOP in South Burlington, Vermont is the only IHOP that serves real maple syrup, while the other IHOPs serve a variety of flavored syrups.
- An IHOP in Washington, D.C., has a singing waitress. Her name is Rosetta Patterson and she loves to sing to customers, especially Aretha Franklin numbers.
- IHOP hosts a Free Pancake Day every year as part of a charity event for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
- A competitive eater in California once ate 66 IHOP pancakes in one sitting in 2011, beating the record for downing 65 pancakes.
IHOP Review
The International House of Pancakes is better known as simply IHOP. Similar to Denny's or Waffle House, IHOP is a casual restaurant that specializes in serving breakfast items such as pancakes, waffles, French toast and eggs. They also serve lunch and dinner menu items like hamburgers, salads, soups and a variety of entrees ranging from shrimp to fried steak.
IHOP had its beginnings in 1958 when Jerry Lapin and Albert Kallis opened the first International House of Pancakes restaurant in Toluca Lake in Los Angeles, California, across from the oldest existing Bob's Big Boy eatery. The restaurant first served only breakfast food, later expanding the menu to include lunch and dinner items. By 1960, the company was offering franchises. In 1973, the name was shortened to IHOP for advertising purposes and an iconic brand was born. Both restaurant names are now used, with IHOP being the favored name. In 2007, the IHOP Corporation bought out Applebee's International and franchised 500 Applebee's restaurants.
IHOP offers customers meals that are tasty, moderately priced and served in a family-style atmosphere. The restaurant's slogan is "Come hungry. Leave happy." It was introduced in 2003 and won the Advertising and Marketing Awareness award. Even IHOP's brick-and-mortar restaurants are iconic, with its original buildings utilizing a signature A-frame blue roof design, a homey look, making the eatery instantly recognizable.
A large part of IHOP's popularity, aside from the menu variety, is its casualness and family-friendly atmosphere. You don't have to dress up to eat at IHOP; you and your family can just come as you are and enjoy a good meal in comfortable surroundings. The menu options at IHOP include a Breakfast Builder. You can construct your own breakfast from a variety of combo choices, some of which include Three Eggs and Pancakes or Country Fried Steak and Eggs.
The IHOP website offers up a complete explanation with photos, including nutritional and allergen information on all of their menu items. For breakfast, choose from a large variety of pancake, waffle, egg, French toast and crepe choices. IHOP is known for their large variety of pancake syrups available to drizzle over your breakfast delights. The combinations you can order are huge and all are delicious. Try the Double Dipped French Toast: brioche slices dipped twice to make it crispy yet soft, which are then drizzled with toppings like the new Blackberry & Vanilla or Banana, Peanut Butter & Chocolate for a delicious sensory overload. The flavor combinations for Double Dipped French Toast are awesomely decadent.
For coffee drinkers, IHOP prides themselves on their Never Empty Coffee Pot and their Roast Flavored Coffees.
If you are hungry for lunch or dinner, IHOP has you covered. The menu offerings can get you started with a choice of appetizers; an appetizer sampler, mozzarella sticks, a quesadilla or chicken strips will get your mouth watering. Craving a salad? Chicken salad choices and a house salad will definitely satisfy. Alternatively, perhaps a soup is just the thing to make your meal a special one. You can ask your friendly IHOP server about that day's soup selections.
Sandwiches and burgers will hit the spot when you're hungry for something more substantial like real turkey breast or white-meat chicken breast sandwiches with all the fixings. Melted cheese sandwiches and wraps and much more are on the IHOP menu to get you through lunch or dinner. The Burger Bar orders are cooked to your specifications and served on a soft potato bun with an order of fries. It doesn't get more delicious or more filling than a Mega Monster Cheeseburger with your choice of toppings, pickle and French fries.
When you're hungry and you want something that's a cut above the usual sandwich item, IHOP has an entree menu consisting of choices that include shrimp, chicken, steak, turkey and fish. Their All You Can Eat Shrimp gives you an endless supply of popcorn shrimp with fries at a great value that cannot be missed. If you crave something a little more French in taste, try the Chicken Cordon Bleu with melted Swiss cheese and ham served with smashed red potatoes and onions for a delicious tasty meal.
Are you ready for dessert at IHOP? An ice cream sundae or fruit crepe will surely satisfy anyone's sweet tooth.
IHOP Social Media Links
IHOP on Twitter: Share your IHOP photos or comment on your favorites. Stay on top of the latest IHOP news.
IHOP on Facebook: Leave a comment on the latest menu offerings. Be the first to learn about the most recent promotions, especially holiday events when you may learn about $1 short stack specials. Read commentary posted by IHOP to clue you in on what's happening now.
IHOP on YouTube: Learn about and comment on the latest IHOP menu innovations, when to help them celebrate National Pancake Day and enter video contests.
IHOP on Instagram: Join over 300,000 Instagram Followers drooling over IHOP photos and catch up on $1 pancake day events. Post your photos for others to drool over.
IHOP on Tumblr: Get the latest savings offerings from IHOP and enjoy the GIFs. Be the first to know when National Pancake Day is celebrated at IHOP. Post your own delicious-looking food photos.
IHOP Contact Info
IHOP franchises are owned by DineEquity, Inc. (Corporate Offices)
450 N. Brand Blvd., 7th Floor
Glendale, California 91203-4415
Telephone Number: +1 (866) 444-5144