IHOP — Restaurant in Houston

I am writing to address a concerning experience I recently encountered at your IHOP location 5729 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057 on Tuesday February 13th at 7:50 PM. Unfortunately, the service I received during my visit was far below the standard of excellence that I have come to expect from IHOP.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, I was eager to partake in the happy hour menu advertised on your website. However, to my disappointment, when I attempted to order from the happy hour menu, I was informed by the server, who happened to be Hispanic male, that the happy hour menu was not available, despite clear indications to the contrary on the menu. Keep in mind he didn’t promote the happy hour menu . I had to look behind the hostess stand to grab the menu to see what the actual hours were and unsurprised It said 8 PM on it. But when I called previously around 7:30 PM he stated the happy hour was over, but I knew that wasn’t the case because I had checked the website and saw that advertisement.

Despite this initial setback, I respectfully requested to speak with the manager, whose assistance I sought in resolving the discrepancy between the advertised menu and the information provided by the server. Regrettably, the manager dismissed my concerns without offering any resolution. Furthermore, she asserted that it was after hours, despite the time clearly indicating that it was only 3 to 5 minutes before the specified happy hour timeframe.

To further exacerbate the situation, the manager older white female refused to provide her name and neglected to fulfill her duty to assist me, citing potential repercussions for honoring the advertised prices as per company policy. This response not only failed to address my concerns but also left me feeling disregarded as a customer.

Moreover, I must emphasize that I have video evidence documenting the interaction with the manager, including her refusal to provide her name and her unwillingness to address the issue at hand. I would be more than willing to share this footage with you if necessary.

As a loyal patron of IHOP, I am disheartened by this unfortunate experience and the lack of accountability demonstrated by your managerial staff. I sincerely hope that this matter can be promptly addressed and resolved to ensure that other customers do not encounter similar difficulties in the future.

I kindly request that you investigate this matter thoroughly and provide me with an update on the steps taken to address these concerns. Additionally, I would appreciate any measures that can be taken to rectify this situation, whether through compensation or assurance that appropriate actions will be taken to prevent similar occurrences.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you and to the opportunity to continue enjoying the quality dining experience that IHOP...

I wanted to take time to write this before coming to this review with anger. So I’m going to write this from a business standpoint when you were in the customer service business, especially hospitality or food there is a certain level of expectation that needs to be held when dealing with customers. If you are upset, having a bad day or simply just not feeling it, do me a favor and don’t show up to work it’ll be for the best. This IHOP is surely losing a significant amount of business, especially due to the location that it is right next to the galleria. Curtis was our server, and he consistently made us feel as though it was our fault for wanting to eat there. Numerous of tables were left uncleaned and dirty resulting in a great loss of business as there’s no place to sit down. flipping tables fast equals profit for the location.

As we begin to order, Curtis does not greet us, offer suggestions or nothing. He took the orders down and ran off did not offer water or come back to check on us. I had to ask for water and he was annoyed. The music in there was turned off, and the vibe was just very glam. There were two other tables in there who are also consistently complaining to Curtis. We asked him to take dishes off of the table and clean up the cups so we could have more space for ourselves. He proceeded to lift them with an attitude, and then throw them in the wash bucket in front of everyone!! again music is off so everything that’s going on in the restaurant can be heard.

Our food took over 35 minutes to make and keep in mind there’s only three tables in there. Another table got up, physically, walked to the kitchen counter and said that his food was wrong. The waiter then proceeded to yell in the back at the kitchen woman with the customer (highly unprofessional). Five minutes later, the woman comes out of the kitchen, walks over to the table and proceeds to tell them that today is her first day and she does not know what she is doing. Things slowly went downhill from there. Another woman emerges from the back doesn’t even check the floor, but simply goes on her phone and hangs out in the front. Keep in mind there are now 5 to 7 tables full of dirty dishes that are piling up, and the floors were disgusting and covered in food . Again, this location is in a prime location and could be making a significant amount of money for you at the parking lot as always empty and the service here is trash Moral of the story here quit your job or stay home if you do not like the work you are doing This was a disturbing experience as everyone’s energy was not ready to work. I heard others complaining...

If there were a way to give negative stars, this IHOP location would be the first to earn them. I have never in my life walked into an establishment and felt so immediately judged, disrespected, and hurt—and all for simply wanting to enjoy a meal.

From the moment I stepped in and said, “Table for one,” I felt the energy shift. The server on duty, who later said his name was Curtis, made it clear through his tone, body language, and blatant indifference that I was unwelcome. I was the only customer seated in the restaurant around 2:30 PM, and yet it took him nearly 17 minutes to return and take my order. No greeting, no apology for the delay—just attitude.

Then came the insult that made it impossible for me to stay. Not five seconds after I gave him my order, he came back and asked whether I’d be paying with cash or card. I said card. That should’ve been the end of it—but no. He then claimed their credit card system was “acting up” and insisted I pay before receiving any food to “make sure it worked.”

Let me be clear: that was a lie. I watched with my own eyes as another customer came in shortly after and placed a to-go order, paid with a card, and left with no issue. This wasn’t about technical difficulties—it was about prejudice. Curtis sized me up the second I walked through the door. He saw someone alone, with a bag, and assumed I wouldn’t pay. That’s not customer service—that’s profiling.

I refused to pay in advance, told him to cancel the order, and got up to leave. Before walking out, I asked him his name. “Curtis,” he said. I asked for his manager’s name, and his district manager’s. His response? “Look it up on ihop.com.” No accountability. No professionalism. Just a smug, dismissive attitude.

I left stunned and genuinely upset. Never in my life have I been treated like a criminal for simply trying to eat a meal. This kind of behavior is unacceptable in any business, but especially in one that claims to value hospitality. IHOP, if you care at all about your brand, your customers, or basic human decency, this employee needs to be held accountable. No one should be made to feel humiliated or targeted based on how they look or what they’re carrying.

This wasn’t just poor service. This was blatant...