IHOP — Restaurant in Town of Irondequoit

My recent dining experience at IHOP was nothing short of a nightmare, showcasing a complete lack of leadership and management. Upon arrival, the lack of direction was immediately apparent. I stood at the host stand for several minutes without being acknowledged, and when I was finally seated, the atmosphere felt chaotic and uninviting. The energy was frantic, with no clear sense of organization or professionalism from the staff. This lack of basic hospitality was a glaring red flag from the start.

Unfortunately, this disorganization continued once my meal arrived. The food was warm, but barely, and the presentation was a mess. It was evident that poor handling had taken place, and the meal was nearly inedible. As someone with years of experience in the service industry, I was appalled by the lack of care in the food preparation. While I sat waiting for someone to address the issue, I saw no effort from the management to step in or offer an explanation. After twenty minutes of silence, I had to request a manager from my server, who remained patient and kind despite the growing chaos around her.

When the manager finally arrived, I was met with a female supervisor whose appearance immediately struck me as unprofessional. She wore a mask that appeared worn and dirty, making me question how someone in a leadership position could appear so unkempt around food. Instead of taking responsibility for the situation, the manager offered weak excuses about why my experience was subpar—ranging from poor service to bad food quality—without offering any tangible solutions. This only further underscored the lack of accountability and professionalism at the establishment.

Having worked in the service industry for years, I can say that what I witnessed at this IHOP was more than just a series of unfortunate events. It was a clear breakdown in leadership and a reflection of systemic mismanagement. The dysfunction of the restaurant was not an isolated incident, but a pattern that I’ve noticed in many other reviews. It’s evident that this location is struggling with both internal communication and staff cohesion, which only worsens the dining experience for guests.

Despite all of these issues, there was one shining light in the experience: my server, Juju. She was an absolute delight, a breath of fresh air in an otherwise chaotic environment. Despite being overwhelmed by the lack of support from management, Juju remained attentive, resilient, and positive. I could feel the stress she was under, but she carried herself with professionalism and grace. Without her, I likely would have left, but her genuine care for my experience allowed me to stay and enjoy my time—despite the disarray around me.

Juju was a true representation of what great service should be, and I want to give her all the credit she deserves. She went above and beyond, ensuring I felt heard and valued despite the challenging circumstances. Her ability to smile, joke, and provide excellent service reminded me why I prefer dining-in over takeout—because we’re looking for an experience. If IHOP wants to salvage any reputation at this location, they need to take a hard look at the management and staff, and prioritize the kind of leadership that Juju exemplified. Thank you, Juju, for being a light in a dark, dreary, and poorly...

I would like to start off by saying that I have been to this IHOP location before and didn’t have any issues. Today was different. I had my bonus sons with me for lunch. The waitress came and took our order. Shortly after she took our order, we heard her and the kitchen staff and possibly the manager arguing. They were screaming and swearing at each other. The dining room was half full of people, including several children. When she brought our drinks back, she only brought two waters instead of three. One of the boys ordered a milkshake, but she said she had to go make it still and she had to go get the ice cream for it and all the other ingredients. I’m not sure why the weight staff is responsible for that. I would think that the kitchen staff would be. When our food arrived, part of my order was missing. I ordered a side of hashbrowns with my breakfast burrito. The waitress handed me pancakes instead. I told her that I didn’t order them and she said they came with my breakfast, but they were not mine. (I discovered later when I got the bill that they actually belonged to the breakfast that one of the boys ordered.) I asked her if she could bring me a side of hashbrowns and she said they would be right up. She never brought them. She also never returned with more coffee, which I did ask for, but I have never had to ask for a coffee refill there before. When she brought the check, the hashbrowns were still on there. I asked her if she could take them off the bill because I never got them. I also asked her if she could bring one more carry out box. She was clearly annoyed by my request and snatched the bill off the table and walked away. I heard her talking to her manager about The hashbrowns and he told her just to take them off the bill. When she returned with the readjusted check, she slammed it and the carryout container on the table. She walked away and came back with a paper bag. She opened it quite aggressively, and dropped it on the floor next to one of the boys. The fact that I spent $80 for food that was subpar, not so great service, and a terrible atmosphere does not sit right with me. As I said, I’ve been to this location before and have not had any issues. Every other time I’ve been there, the staff has been friendly and accommodating, and the food has been very, very good. I’m extremely disappointed by today’s visit and honestly may never come back again after that. Food issues aside, there was absolutely no reason why any of those staff member should’ve been screaming and swearing at each other in front of a dining room, half full of people, including children. It was extremely unprofessional and uncalled for. I understand the frustrations of working in food service because I did it for many years, but there is a time in a place for that type...

I was very excited to get out for breakfast after the shutdown. Figured let's get a really sugar filled breakfast and splurge. They take your number and text you when your table is ready. Great. We got the page and sat down Noticed that the seating was adhering to the social distancing. Great. After seated we realized the table was dirty, eww. Not great. The waitress came over to take our order, we explained the table was dirty, she apologized and quickly cleaned it. Great. She was fantastic, friendly, made eye contact and small talk. Great. They are only using plastic disposal silverware. Would have preferred a real fork, but not a deal breaker. Coffee was good, she brought out flavored creamers. Great. Orange juice sweet but a little to pulpy for me. Just a preference nothing wrong with it. It was nice and cold. Great. I got French toast with strawberries and bananas on top. Mmm, can't wait! Sadly it was cold, the French toast was barely room temperature. Bad! I don't think it was made in the last hour. It was rubbery and kind of chewy. Bad! The strawberries were frozen. Bad! Bananas were fresh and yummy. Great. Suggestion: don't put frozen strawberries on what should be hot French toast. My boyfriend got an omlet, hasbrowns and toast. The cheese wasn't melted on the outside but he said it wasn't cold. Great. Toast didn't have any butter on it. Bad. He likes jelly so not a big deal to him. Great. We had many greats but the bads far out way them for me. Very...