The truth behind IHOP

Is IHOP really all smiles? The International House of Pancakes ( IHOP ) is a restaurant that has been around for generations providing breakfast across the nation. According to their website, IHOP was founded in 1958 by the Lapin family with the intent to allow people the opportunity “as the place they can enjoy their favorite breakfast experience,”(IHOP). The International House of Pancakes began to expand in 1960 ( IHOP ). The restaurant was beginning to get praise from customers worldwide, with signature dishes like the Stuffed French Toast and the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘n Fruity ( IHOP). IHOP was recognized as one of a kind establishment that provides fresh breakfast food at any time of day served breakfast, lunch and dinner time. IHOP is known worldwide for its delicious variety of foods and amazing service. There was truly never a bad time at IHOP. IHOP continues to expand through franchises across different parts of the world such as Bahrain, Canada, Dubai (UAE), Guatemala, Kuwait, Mexico, The Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (IHOP). The IHOP franchise also has links with Applebee as their partner with the popular “Grill and Bar” restaurant. The company has gained massive success with the general public. The company has to supply mass ingredients to thousands of stores across America and the world. The restaurant has probably resulted in getting their resources in an unethical way. Their food remained constant, or else the business wouldn’t have become so successful as it is. The food has to be rapidly produced and shipped to its million stores worldwide. With that in mind, I believe that IHOP’s main focus is to get rich and doesn’t care about who they hurt.

"IHOP" by JeepersMedia is licensed under CC BY 2.0

IHOP specializes in breakfast foods. The food ranges from eggs and pancakes to omelets with also having burgers, salads, and even steak dinners. IHOP has to supply eggs, meats, and other ingredients to its stores worldwide.The cooks take their time to make sure the food is being properly cooked and are always willing to remake any food that seems to be a problem with customers.The food that is provide to IHOP comes from plenty different vendors. Wendall Berry brings up a point in his writing called “The Pleasures of Eating”. He states “...and they mostly ignore certain critical questions… How fresh is it? How pure or clean is it… the food has been manufactured or “processed” or “precooked.” How has that affected its quality or price of nutritional value?” ( 47 ). Berry was trying to explain that the customers will pay for any food that they have no understanding about the making of. Plates are usually prepared with a cook giving their attention to one part of the meal whether it be eggs, pancakes, meats, or hashbrown. For omelets, the cooks usually handling the meat will get it done as soon as possible. After this process, The food will come to us, the servers. Servers are the face of IHOP, and usually, it can be a good thing or a bad thing. Working in the customer service industry there have been times when a customer is dissatisfied with either the food or service, then in which many of the serves have to swallow their pride and walk away as if it's nothing. Not only are the servers a victim of unsatisfied customers but the hosts are too. The hosts are the first people that greet the customers. When the busier time comes there are moments in which people can become impatient and put it out on the hosts. Technically servers get paid two dollars and thirteen cents an hour, but after taxes the majority of the time, it is zero dollars, our main source of income being cash/credit tips so on some days we could work a seven-hour shift and make less than seventy dollars depending on the day. There have been many times where if a customer is rude to the server, the server won’t attend to them as much because of the following, A. They don’t want to get yelled at or get attitude from the rude guest or B. They know very well that they aren’t going to get tipped from them. It’s a bad practice that servers do but it discourages the server to put in the time and energy when they know they are not getting a tip when it's their whole income. I always try to be as nice and provide the best service possible, but find myself rolling my eyes walking back to the kitchen after dealing with difficult customers. According to my fellow coworker, Shantel Neal stated that “It’s a very unstable job. There are months where I work everyday, and I barely make enough to pay rent.” She is a single mother of two boys one in elementary and the other middle school. It’s tough watching her struggle as she’s super charismatic and friendly, so even the best of the best servers struggle to make a living working every day. One of the bubbliest people to walk the streets, Jessica Lerma shines out as most of the guests enjoy her bright smiles and her sweet comments. She does this as a way to make her customers feel like family and to build a relationship with her customers. According to Jessica, she makes around a hundred dollars a day as many people feel her passion to make people smile. She gets regular customers daily as her fairy-like personality makes anyone want to come back for more. It’s an amazing trait to have as she perfected it to work for her. Servers can’t rely on a single day as it’s the tough reality that we face such as having to pay bills, food, and necessities. The customers are the life of the restaurant, without them, the restaurant won’t be up and running.

"Bethany, Mike, and Me" by justinbaeder is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Customers play a pivotal role in paying the servers for their hard work and time spent on their feet. Customers who come week after week asking for the same server have built a special bond with them. For some customers that are understanding, it is very easy to open up to someone that is there and willing to listen, and feel like family. These guests are special to the servers, because who doesn’t want to feel wanted. Unfortunately the nice and friendly ones aren’t the only types of guests to set foot into the establishment. There are times when a customer would seem them as uneducated, less, and stupid, and they fail to realize that servers are human too that are trying to make a living as they are. Picky and rude people that think less of a server, has an effect on the work environment because it makes everyone upset. This kind of person usually gets workers annoyed because of how much complaining they do and causes a step back in the rhythm in the food and service. These guests usually have the waiter walk back and forth trying to please them only for them not to gain anything in the end. There are some people that don't believe in tipping, for example, they believe they should only pay for the food and not the service provided “it's your job to serve me”. Not thinking of wasting the servers time and energy and on top of that money, yes, money. Time is money for a server, and when a customer takes a part of the server’s section ( tables) that’s one less tipping customer for the server. It can end up being very discouraging, to say the least, and have an emotional toll on the server. Since that is our income, our source of food, and necessities, that many fail to realize. IHOP is a food establishment where people go to get breakfast food to relax, start their day off, and catch up with family and friends. The customers are the heart and soul of the restaurant, it's a chain in money flows. Everything they do has a toll on the servers, cooks, and the environment of the restaurant. IHOP servers are friendly and loving with the occasional outliers. The family-friendly breakfast place definitely has it’s up and downs, however, their downs outweigh them. The tips are simply not enough for the late nights, the rushed feeling, and the high expectations of guests. This should turn off anyone who is considering working at IHOP. So is it worth working at IHOP? Is it worth taking all the rude and picky customers?

 Work Cited
 Berry, Wendall. “ The Pleasures of Eating.’ Food Matters, Second Edition, Spring 2020, pp. 47           Jessica Lerma. Personal Interview. 02 Mar. 2020.
Shantel Neal. Personal Interview. 02. Mar. 2020.
 ”59 years of smiles. And counting.” IHOP. www.ihop.com/en/about-ihop/history. Accessed on 28 Mar.2020.