IHOP — Restaurant in Maryland

A nightmare. 07/16/22. We never go to IHOP in WHEATON because friends have shared their bad experiences with the staff in this restaurant. But we were passing with our kids and we saw an offer that says that kids eat free everyday from 4 to 10 pm. We asked the waiter (Bryan A) how it worked and he explained to us from what part of ​​the menu we have to order so that the kids can eat for free. Also in the kids menu it says that they can choose any of the options in there, he said no, that it was only one dish and that the kids cannot choose, so we ordered that dish for the kids. When we asked for the check, he said that the offer was until 8 pm (it was 9 pm at that time). We told him to go see the sign that said it was until 10. He did so, and apologized to us. Later he came back saying that the menu we ordered does not cover the free food for the kids. We told him that he told us what we have to order and he just said he was sorry that maybe he didn't explain it well but we still had to pay for the whole food. So we asked him to call the manager and a boy much younger than the waiter came (they both look like teenagers) with no experience in how to treat customers, and after he argued for some time with the waiter in front of us and my children, He said it was the waiter's fault but we still had to pay. To no longer continue in that unpleasant place and not have to see those 2 guys anymore, I paid everything and we left. To make matters worse, when I was paying, the waiter told me not to worry about tipping him. Seriously 😳. It is worth mentioning that the coffee was cold, and the toilet was boarded up, my kids couldn’t use it. The food was very poorly prepared, none of my kids ate it, we leave everything...

I usually don’t leave negative reviews, but I believe it’s important to share this experience for the sake of constructive feedback.

During our visit, our group was wrongly accused of using a vape at the table, when it was clearly the adjacent party. The accusation came from our server, Brandon, wrongly identifying the table to the security, who approached us. Brandon was very combative and had a very confrontational tone without first confirming the facts. Despite our calm clarification, he remained dismissive and aggressive throughout the interaction.

Being falsely accused in a public setting was not only embarrassing but also completely avoidable with a more thoughtful approach. We were patrons who came to enjoy a meal, and the assumption and accusatory behavior turned the experience sour.

Situations like this can be handled professionally by first observing or confirming before confronting, and then addressing guests respectfully. A quick apology or acknowledgment of the mistake could have also helped defuse the tension.

We decided to not eat the food and only wanted to pay for what we did indulge in which was only the drinks and a stack of pancakes. Brandon informed us that we had to sign a waiver stating we refused to pay for our food which was not the case. We did not sign and paid for what we drank and ate.

While I understand restaurants can be high-pressure environments, respectful communication makes all the difference. I hope the management addresses this kind of behavior and emphasizes a more professional way of handling...

I LOVEEEEEE HOW YOU GUYS TRIED TO DELETE THE REVIEW I LEFT LAST NIGHT THINKING I WONT POST IT AGAIN AND AGAIN EVERY SINGLE DAY LOLLLLLL CLEARLY YOU AREN’T SMART THATS WHY YOU WORK AT IHOP LOLLLLLL

Piss poor service. Janelle the part time waitress took 5 minutes at the register looking me up and down before acknowledging my presence… she then called to her boss Fernando who was a flaming… you know what.. he then STARTED preparing my order even tho I had already ordered and PAID for my food in advance, 30 minutes prior. On my way out I notice he had not given me ANY syrup at all… I asked politely for a few packets and he rolled his eyes, mumbled something to her in Spanish and then said I had to pay for it (even tho I had already paid). He quickly scurried off into the back. When I tried to pay with the loose change I had on me in my wallet Janelle told me they couldn’t take it, “You guys don’t take cash?” I asked, to which she replied “We take cash, not coins.” I’m sure the American currency must’ve confused her so I asked if I could pay with my card, making my third attempt at paying for what I again, had already paid for. I wanna know does the International House of Pancakes at large condone this behavior and treatment of patrons? I shutter to believe it was racially motivated however I struggle to find any other reason two employees would conspire not to give out one or two syrup packs. Do the syrup packs come out their checks? I’d love a follow up on this and will continue to pursue an...