IHOP — Restaurant in Thornton Township

I’ll give it one star because I have to but the service and food doesn’t even deserve that. Last night I wanted pancakes and decided to patronize IHOP on Torrence. I should have known better when I arrived and there was only one car in the lot. Against my better judgment I went in anyway. I was not greeted at the door and had to wait several minutes before the young lady came to the front. She went in and out if the kitchen a couple times so I am sure she knew we were there and needed to be seated. Finally she came to seat us. After a while she came to take my order. Didn’t bring water or anything! Eventually it was time to place orders. My order was very simple yet she kept laughing and saying she didn’t know how to put it in. I tried ordering two different things and she couldn’t figure either one of them out. Then to scramble my eggs soft she said she didn’t know how to edit that and would just tell the cook. She repeated the order twice and still got it wrong. The wait time from entering the restaurant to receiving food was about an hour. This is ridiculous for an IHOP. I eventually got my hot tea and the person with me some water. I never got water. The appetizer (if you can call it that) came with the food. It wasn’t the appetizer sampler. Some dry fries cheese sticks, no sauce. Then later a plate of onion rings came out. This sampler is supposed to have chicken strips. Nothing came out together everything was plate by plate with several large gaps of time in between. I ate a taste of eggs and hash brown. My food was inedible! I didn’t consume any of it. Those eggs taste like cotton. The pancakes when they eventually came were dry and cold. The person with me ordered the hot Nashville chicken and waffles and was given regular strips that were overdone, dry and had no sauce. We ordered the cinnamon bites. She asked several times did we want the ice cream to which the answer was yes. When they came out there was no ice cream. During the time I was there one couple came in to eat. They had several problems as well. The waitress was significantly more attentive to that table and did not give ours any attention. She slammed plates down and walked away. It took forever for the bill to be given. She stated she was not able to give any discount or take things off the bill even though I was served food that was not for animals. Finally she took my card and ran it. On the way back she again stopped at that other table with my card in hand. I asked if she could bring my card so I could leave as I was not comfortable with her standing around with my card in hand. She brought it and stood over me as I signed. I placed a zero and the tip area. She yelled at me that I didn’t have to do that. First of all you have paid us no attention all evening now you want to stand over me for a tip. She tried blaming everything on the cook but the service was trash as well. This was a horrible experience and I paid all that...

I’m giving this review hoping that it can truly help the work environment within this establishment. I’m not complaining but somebody has got to be REAL with management and owners. So please take this as constructive criticism.The one star given was for the waitress whom had nothing to do with the quality of food and also the host who sat me down promptly. They deserve 5 but collectively it’s a 1star for me. I was sitting directly by the kitchen door so I was able to over hear conversations and watch the in and out of it all. But there is no reason I should see management having group conversations in the lobby area while food is coming out of the kitchen “piping cold” ! The lady across from me ask them to heat her food…the next table left all their eggs and hashbrowns because they were cold….and my food was “ very cool” as well. The only thing warm on my plate was the eggs and they were just “warm”. The servers were going in and out constantly but have no control over when the food is plated and as soon as it is done instead of management having a fun conversation in the lobby…they should be expediting that food to make sure IHOP doesn’t constantly lose money just because the food is cold. When I say cold I mean undercooked lawsuit cold. Someone could very well get sick. Thank you to the waitress that when I told her what was wrong …had it removed with no hassel …no crazy looks…just good customer service. My bill was only 3.71 but I tipped the waitress the rest of what I would have paid because the lack of teamwork is affecting the food tremendously and i won’t be fooled in making it the servers fault. Not only that…no manager came and apologized for the cold food or even offered replacement …I mean not nothing. So whatever is going on in that building …when y’all have a meeting….it should be about teamwork and everyone is a team member regardless of hired position. I’ve worked in food service and to some this may not be a big deal because it’s only ihop. And your correct…the food is too “easy” for the food to be that cold & bad… I pray somebody of importance sees this...

Should have taken photos when I was there. I had just left Pepboys and it was pouring raining. I knew they were short of staff, but I said why not it's just me, it shouldn't be a problem. First thing first I waited to be seated for about 7 minutes, someone ordered takeouts she looked like she had been waiting for while.

Well I finally got seated, the seats were dirty instead of cleaning it I was moved to another seat while I went to the bathroom. I was seated across from the kitchen. I went to the bathroom, the bathroom wasn't clean. One stall didn't have tissue, the second one the tissue was stuck and the last one I used, had just ran out of tissue.

That's a little funny but not, because it remind me of Goldedlocs and the three bears. Well, the bathroom wasn't Clean. Now my food, it didn't take long I ordered pancakes and added bacon and scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, she bought out bacon and harsh browns, took the harsh browns back and I had to wait for my eggs, which was nasty. My tea I ordered first wasn't hot and my glass of water was okay with a straw but the glass didn't look to clean. The tables weren't that clean, I had to clean it, wipe it myself. Then she seated this family with kids behind me and they kept hitting the back of my chair.

My pancakes she forgot my syrup, I had to ask for some and I didn't have any regular utensils, she gave me a silver spoon for my tea and plastic folk and knife. I was sitting across from the kitchen, dishes was piled up and a young man was mopping. I was seeing all this while trying to eat my food, I just felt uncomfortable.

This used to be my favorite spot, I don't want it to close, just get better at your service. It smelled bad in there also. Post Hiring signs, on the doors, on the IHop high post, Post on Facebook anything and also fix the parking lot, it was flooded on both sides, the back and side of the building and the door been stuck like...