IHOP Struggles

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Alpha8472
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IHOP Struggles

Post by Alpha8472 »

IHOP is struggling. Their restaurants around me are closed for indoor dining and are not getting many customers. There is a new limited-time happy hour menu that they're calling, "IHOPPY Hour." IHOPPY Hour runs from 2 PM to 10 PM or longer (depending on the location) and includes entrees for $5 ($6 in some areas) most with fries and pancakes, $3 snacks and sides, and drinks for $1 ($1.50 in some areas). $5: Chicken & Pancakes, Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Quick 2-Egg Breakfast, etc.

Snacks and sides for $3 each: Mozza Sticks, French Fries & Onion Rings Sampler, Original French Toast.

Several IHOP restaurants in my area are only open for breakfast and lunch. They are totally abandoned by 2 PM.
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Re: IHOP Struggles

Post by storewanderer »

While I noticed a lot of Denny's set up tents for outdoor dining (there is a mix of various franchise Dennys, corporate Dennys, etc. around here), IHOP did not seem to do anything during the pandemic at all in this area (there is a mix of various franchisees here).

IHOP's prices have been way out of line for decades now for the quality of food/service and atmosphere (yuck) that they offer. While Denny's has focused on keeping some value options which are closer to being in line with the quality of food/service and atmosphere they offer, IHOP has not and it is points like this when customers will really abandon a place that does not provide good value. IHOP may be a little better than Denny's, but it isn't worth the extra cost.

I will be surprised if these IHOP franchisees want to participate in these low price promotions. The last time I ate in an IHOP, which was a long time ago, somewhere in CA, they wanted 3.49 for a beverage and most breakfast entrees were above $10. Way out of line, and I never went back.

IHOP has struggled with the dinner time period for a long time and since they historically were not a 24 hour operation they never got that odd late night business bump that Denny's gets since people know Denny's is "always open" (not sure all locations are... but most are).
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Re: IHOP Struggles

Post by steps »

IHOP is struggling because they aren't open long enough.

There have been many times I crave IHOP for dinner but they are closed? WHY??? If you see Denny's getting your business, why wouldn't you stay open longer?

IHOP is digging it's own grave by not staying open longer. Most IHOPs in SoCal close at 6pm.
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Re: IHOP Struggles

Post by Super S »

steps wrote: October 4th, 2020, 10:56 pm IHOP is struggling because they aren't open long enough.

There have been many times I crave IHOP for dinner but they are closed? WHY??? If you see Denny's getting your business, why wouldn't you stay open longer?

IHOP is digging it's own grave by not staying open longer. Most IHOPs in SoCal close at 6pm.
The 24-Hour restaurant format was already struggling a little bit before the pandemic. Shari's used to be mostly a 24 Hour operation, now many locations have cut back. Even my local Denny's cut back for a while, and I am not sure if they have returned to 24 Hours.
storewanderer wrote: October 4th, 2020, 10:37 pm
IHOP's prices have been way out of line for decades now for the quality of food/service and atmosphere (yuck) that they offer. While Denny's has focused on keeping some value options which are closer to being in line with the quality of food/service and atmosphere they offer, IHOP has not and it is points like this when customers will really abandon a place that does not provide good value. IHOP may be a little better than Denny's, but it isn't worth the extra cost.

I will be surprised if these IHOP franchisees want to participate in these low price promotions. The last time I ate in an IHOP, which was a long time ago, somewhere in CA, they wanted 3.49 for a beverage and most breakfast entrees were above $10. Way out of line, and I never went back.
In my area, you can't get out of a restaurant (with the exception of most fast food) by yourself for less than $10 any more. Even breakfast at Denny's. I had already (pre-pandemic) scaled back my restaurant visits in general because it simply got too expensive...prices shot up but the quality of the food remained the same. Part of this has to do with increases in the minimum wage, but still, when dining by myself, a restaurant visit for a basic meal is over $10 for breakfast, often in the $20-$30 range for dinner. It's easy to see why restaurants as a whole are struggling.
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Re: IHOP Struggles

Post by Brian Lutz »

My wife and I went to an IHOP in Tukwila on Friday, it certainly seemed like they weren't doing much business. When we arrived on a Friday evening (usually a pretty busy time for a lot of restaurants) we were the only customers in the place (a couple more parties arrived a bit later though.) It does seem like they're doing at least some takeout buisness, but I can't imagine they're exactly thriving right now. As noted, they tend to be on the expensive side for what you get, and often I walk out of an IHOP feeling like I paid $15 for dessert.

Then again, at least around here they are staying open to 10pm (there were also some 24 hour locations before the pandemic, don't think there are now) They've probably also benefited from the fact that a majority of the Denny's locations in this area have gone out of business over the past few years. Speaking of Denny's, the ones I've been to around here are currently closing at 7pm.
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