One reason why I will never eat at IHOP

[nile455]

Those island counters that house the condiments and sauces. Know what I'm talking about? This is the only restaurant I can think of where guests can (and in some cases, must) walk right by the uncovered sauces to get to their table. It's bad enough that it's not stored back in the kitchen where only a few (hopefully) clean employees have access to it, but it's right there smack in the middle of the front lobby of the restaurant, uncovered for all the hundreds of people eating there every 24 hours to pass their germs on.

 

[Stephieann]

Last time i ate at an IHOP i got SICK

 

[Minniespal]

I've eaten breakfast and it was fine but dinner was blachhhhh.

 

[2BigKIdz]

I have never noticed condiments sitting uncovered in our IHOP. I personally don't like their food so we have only eaten there when dropping our vehicles off for service (right next to the dealer and only place open early in the am). Once I had bacon that was covered in white lint, I guess they had put it on a hand towel to dry

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh Lord!! Germs are everywhere! Let's see...
How many times have you guys drink fountain soda or tea at any restaurant, hotel, etc?
You SHOULD see the mold and nasty stuff that grows inside those ice machines, nasty!
Hotels is another world of germs, the drinking glasses and coffe maker pot, coffee mugs are wash in the sink with left over shampoo from the shower, and wiped with the same toilet rag.

Those ketchup bottles are better out there, some restaurants pour the almost empty ones to make one or two full ones.

I know this bcs i worked for a hotel and also for the health deparment, and the things you see in restaurants, hotels, bars etc! Nasty.
We found rats in a restaurant oven one time, bugs in the fryer (roaches) and much more.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

Hotels is another world of germs, the drinking glasses and coffe maker pot, coffee mugs are wash in the sink with left over shampoo from the shower, and wiped with the same toilet rag.

.

Oh yeah, I've been a Job Coach and have seen that with my own eyes. I tell everyone to make sure they wash that coffee pot and the cups prior to using

 

[powellrj]

I have never noticed condiments sitting uncovered in our IHOP.

It must be the way the resturant is laid out. I have never noticed it at our IHOP. We don't eat there very often, its just not someplace we like very well.

 

[nile455]

It must be the way the resturant is laid out. I have never noticed it at our IHOP. We don't eat there very often, its just not someplace we like very well.

I can almost assure you they are all like this, at least in Florida. Some might not have that island counter, but they definitely have the condiments totally uncovered near the kitchen where guests can sneeze on. If I have to go (with friends for example) like the other night, I'll order food that I know doesn't use that stuff... which doesn't give many options lol.

 

[funhouse8]

The last time I went to Ihop I placed my order and went to use the rest rooms. I can't tell you how gross it was. I couldn't even use it(And I go camping) I told my DH and he aasked the waitress if they had a clean Bathrom I could use and she said no they use that one. AHHHHH I told her I was sorry but I had to cancel my order and leave. Found a very nice Home Depot bathroom nearby.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Last time i ate at an IHOP i got SICK

We like IHOP.

 

[hydster]

Last time we ate at IHOP my bil ordered french toast and after he ate a few bites of it he moved it and found about 4 maggots under the french toast. They ended up closing that place down right after that because of numerous health infractions. Before that we ate there a few times at one that just opened by our house and I found a long black hair (mines light brown) and it grossed me out. That did it for me....I'll never eat at IHOP again.

I do have to say that the grossest thing ever besides the maggots was eating at a Coco's in California and finding a pubic hair in with the fries

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to eat out.

 

[RadioNate]

I've never seen an Ihop with open condements just sitting around where any one can get to them. I've been in a lot of Ihops too. I guess the next time we go to one in FL I'll look but I've been to ones in many states and never have seen that.

 

[Tina]

We have a new IHOP near our house and eat there all the time. Our's doesn't have an "island counter" so I'm not sure what you're referring to. Our appears very clean, including the bathrooms.

 

[mommaU4]

We used to eat at IHOP all the time out in CA.

DH loves the Harvest Grain Nut Pancakes, and we never once had a problem. And I never noticed about the condiments either.

Since we moved to MI the closest one to us now is about a 3 hour drive so we havn't eaten there in a long time. We miss it though.

Sorry some of you have had bad experiences. I have an uncle who's always worked in various restaurants. I refuse to repeat some of the things he's seen. It's enough to make you never want to eat out again.

 

[Christine]

Our IHOP does not have this condiment set up you are describing. I have seen a "station" of some sort right near the kitchen entrance where they have all this stuff but guests don't walk by it at all. Now, our IHOP has been built within the last 10 years so maybe they have been redesigned at some point.

My kids love IHOP, but I'm a Cracker Barrel person. The IHOP just stinks like smoke. They have a smoking section at night and they don't allow smoking during breakfast but since there is carpet, the place REEKS. And the bathrooms are kind of yucky. Cracker Barrel =

 

[Disney Ella]

I've never noticed the condiment thing, but we ate there a few weeks ago and decided that was the last time. The restaurant was only about 1/3 full, but it took fifteen minutes for a waitress to even come by our table and get our drink orders. My pancakes were tasteless and whatever DH had wasn't very good either. It's been the same way the last two or three times we tried IHOP, so I think we'll go somewhere else from now on.

 

[sha_lyn]

never seen the condiments out in the open at an of the IHOPS we eat at. Has been awhile, but we've eaten regualarly at 4 in the area and I've never seen what the op has described.

 

[Shugardrawers]

I won't eat at IHOP until they allow me to order off the senior or kids menu. I have an extremely light appetite. Usually, the meal I want in the size I want is available on one of the special menus. I'm not so worried about price, I just hate having to order enough for 3 meals for me. I was told once I could order the senior size meal but would have to pay full price for it. WHAT??? What difference does it make what age the tummy is that it goes in to? I've never had this problem at any other restaurant. If Dh is ordering something that sounds good to me I just share but usually I want something different. We go to either Cracker Barrel or Denny's and they don't give me a hassle about wanting to order from a special menu.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

never seen the condiments out in the open at an of the IHOPS we eat at. Has been awhile, but we've eaten regualarly at 4 in the area and I've never seen what the op has described.

Me neither. In fact the IHOPS around here are typically very clean and sanitary. Usually more so than Dennys, although there are some very nice Dennys around here too.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I don't recall ever seeing this--but I don't like IHOP for their food anyway. BLEK!

Took mom there for her birthday b/c she likes them. And I was reminded by the food of why I stay away.

I LOVE Cracker Barrell though. Yum!