IHOP — Restaurant in Maryland

Ok so my husband and I usually prefer this IHOP location and normally frequent this location together. Well I got a bad feeling when we were seated and I notice how all the tables weren’t cleaned had dishes all over then I noticed a young lady cleaning a table well needless to say she was also our waitress they have to clean tables take customers orders and bring customers there food. Okay so we order I go to restroom and it’s a mess toilet tissue literally all over the restroom stalls and the entrance way this lady and I both stated we will let the manager know she was an older lady and she went directly to the manager. I get back to my seat my husband says coffee is cold so I inform our waitress she goes back brings another this is while my husband went to restroom. I poured my coffee cold waitress said well it doesn’t come any hotter I asked for manager he says all ihops doesn’t make their coffee any hotter and the waitress even said she reheated and made a fresh pot. But how you do both? Either you made a fresh pot or reheated the old one. He just lied and what he didn’t know is that my husband yesterday went to Catonsville ihop and his coffee was Hot which is what upset my husband because the Manager stated all ihops coffee is the same temperature. So we said ok and left I reviewed several ihops and drove to the other side of town to the location in Cockeysville Cranbrook we walked in greeted immediately clean atmosphere clean tables polite staff not to mention HOT COFFEE poured out cattle we saw steam. ALSO they had separate staff to wait tables and clean tables as it should be. As long as that male manager is at the Columbia location and until they CLEAN UP we will NEVER go to the Columbia ihop EVER AGAIN VERY DISGUSTING and an EMBARRASSMENT to the food chain. I work for the State of Maryland and you can guess what my next step is. Oh and I had to request another set of utensils because my spoon I unwrapped had some food on it. Extremely...

The manager needs to be fired. We arrived with a toddler after church service, two Sundays ago, and no surprise it was packed with families together for the end of a religious holiday. With other guests waiting, amidst the joy of the many families, we waited to be seated. The wait was about 25 mins (as we were told), but then another 10 mins before a waiter arrived to take our order. Our toddler received nothing to write on, etc. (usually four crayons and a coloring sheet) and was hungry & thirsty. Finally, our order was taken, including water with lemon, juice, and coffee. The drinks were brought 10 more mins later, and our toddler’s food arrived 15mins after that (1hr so far). 20 more mins later, I finally catch a waiter to share my food was never brought out - the waiter forgot to put in my order! The manager comes to the table to share how ‘busy’ they are, however families seated after we were had been enjoying their food and one another all around the restaurant. My food finally arrived after 20 more mins, but items added had been forgotten. I asked again for the food, and for the check. The check was brought faster than any other part of the experience. The total was not adjusted, and as a retired school administrators, we’re usually big tippers, the decision was made to pay the bill, not leave a tip, except for a note of what customer service should feel like even on the busiest days, especially for families with small children, and to leave a review of the disgraceful and unapologetic service on Google Reviews, and pass it on to Maryland State Educators and Maryland families. We’ve led multiple school buildings, in our state, way busier than that morning with better service, attention to detail, and care than the treatment received...

Its a typical IHOP & it is one of two that have opened in the last few years that are A LOT closer. Before, if you wanted an IHOP you had to drive a half hour to forty-five minutes to get there & that was without traffic. This location seems to be kept up with very nicely & still looks new, although it is the newest of the the three. I believe its been there about a year?? ( its currently march 2019 ) Give or take a couple months ... lifes been hectic. Its located in Ellicott City. When we have been the employees were very friendly, the food has been very good ... the chefs there are great! And even when they seem to be busy it seems like the wait for your food isn't any longer. It still comes out pretty quick. Just a heads up though, since the next closest IHOP is about fifteen to twenty minutes away, if you ever go to this location on National Pancake Day, go during off hours or you'll never get in. We saw it on Bing last year that IHOP was doing the free pancakes special. We decided to go. We are only five minutes away & this one is surrounded with more businesses than homes. When we got there the parking lot was packed full & the line went out the door & followed along the outside of the building. Unfortunately we didn't get pancakes on Pancake Day after all. 🙁 This location is one of the best I've ever been to! One a scale of one to ten I'd give it eleven...