IHOP — Restaurant in Virginia

Be prepared to go through several sets of silverware before you get a clean set. Also, unless you very specifically ask for a fresh pot of coffee, the server will simply add fresh coffee to heat up the existing coffee from the previous table. This is a regular practice at all IHOPs that I've witnessed numerous times.

Further, this location recently performed some cosmetic upgrades, but it's really just putting lipstick on a pig. The tables, especially at the booths, are in terrible condition. Also, there is only one table with an electric outlet. That is absurd. EVERY table and booth should be outfitted with electric outlets.

Moreover, I recommend IHOP placing signs throughout the restaurant--in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Farsi, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Russian, and Arabic--to remind guests that they need to remove their children from the eating area during their numerous outbursts of civil unrest. It is so unpleasant. And the manager needs to enforce this policy.

Don't bother to come here on Tuesdays when kids eat for free. The children are so misbehaved, the parents don't care or know our parenting practices, and management is too scared to tell these parents to take their bundles of joy out of the dining area until they calm down.

Moreover, don't bother to come here on Thursday nights for college night because you will leave with an awful migraine. The armed security guard is a lovely touch. Who doesn't love to eat in a high security, decibel defying setting?

For a truly international experience, IHOP on Blake Road is the place for you.

UPDATE: If anyone gives this location more than 2 stars, either you work at this location, you have never actually been to this location, you are high on meth, or you are comparing this location to the worst ghetto IHOP location in the U.S. This place is incapable of providing clean silverware, several employees look like gang members, most servers don't speak fluent or understandable English, and management is impotent at this location. Management is probably scared that the employees will knife them. Also, the booths are literally falling apart, and the servers don't provide clean, fresh pots of coffee...

✍️

Food as fuel, solid, basic, reliable fare competently prepared and served at reasonable prices. Not fine dining but way better value than any fast food. Solid.

Update 04.25.2020

Restaurant dining now limited to carryout and stay-in-place policy limiting that. My work classified as essential, though I try to do as much as possible at my home office, when I do go out for work I often order carryout to support restaurant business and hope restaurant culture someday returns.

Early yesterday morning I called IHOP for carryout breakfast my typical order, 2 eggs over medium, 2 slices of bacon, red potatoes well done sans chopped green peppers and onions, 2 slices whole wheat toast buttered with grape jelly on the side asking them to burn the toast, and cup of coffee. Came out perfect in a box. I paid approximately $11.00 in cash, foregoing my senior discount, tipped $5.00 cash.

Now then, unemployment filings reaching 22M this week, if you are lucky enough to be in demographic that can afford restaurant ordering in this time, even though it is carryout, please tip the folks in restaurant industry generously.

Update 08.31.2020

Dining-in has been available now for about 4 weeks and this IHOP has adapted pretty well in my opinion working out kinks in distanced dining and mask policy. Masks are required to enter and of course you cannot eat with a mask on so you remove your mask to eat when seated. Seating is limited because half the tables are not available to be seated at for distancing layout. The restaurant is meticulously clean and the staff are congenial and upbeat in my experience dining there....

I saw this ad for buy one, get one free deal. I went in and tried to carry-out and the lady at the front desk goes to ask her manager. The manager tells her that is for dine-in only and I have to purchase two drinks with it. I told the manager that no where on the ad does it dine-in only or with the purchase of two drinks. So my question is, if it was only me buying two crepes, I would still have to purchase two drink with that order? How does that make sense? Just because I was carrying out with mom, he said I need to purchase two drinks? How is that fair?Then another lady at the front desk tells me it is for senior citizens only (not to mention that my mom who was with me is a senior citizen, it was such an unnecessary comment). Then I proceed to look for the crepe section on the menu and there isn’t any. I saw a crepe that has crème and chocolate on it, but there was no description for this crepe on the menu so I asked her what is in it and she went to ask her manager again and he tells her it’s cinnamon when clearly it’s chocolate. So at this point, I just bought my mom her crepe and decided to go somewhere else to get my own breakfast. In the picture you can see no where does it state dine-in with the purchase of two drinks or senior citizens only. Why falsely advertise? Also, the lack on knowledge of the manager and the employees is baffling. I am not sure why the employees have to run to the manager for every little question and description about the items on the menu. It seems the manager himself is lacking in knowledge. I am disappointed and will not be returning to...