Update on IHOP

So. I am even less impressed with IHOP than ever right now. After I wrote this post about the original IHOP fiasco, I emailed their corporate office. As did Jessica. We both sent separate emails, worded differently, on different days. She sent hers first.

Here is the message she sent:

problem_code = Service
summary = Free Kids Meals that aren't.
comments = My friends and I ate at IHOP yesterday evening before going Trick or Treating at a local mall. We saw the kids eat free signs on each of the tables we pulled together, and on the window and thought, "Cool...we get to save a few bucks!" So, we ordered, eat (after waiting a LONG time for food to come, we had restless babies when the food finally arrived!), and get the checks. Imagine my surprise when my bill is much higher then I expected, as is my 2 sets of friends.When we asked the waitress about "Kids Eat Free", she informs us WE have to ASK for the Kids Eat Free deal. WHAT? In what universe do you have to ASK for an special that is plastered all over a store? None of us had to ASK for the price advertised on the holiday pancakes deals. None of us had to ASK to be charged for drinks or extra bacon.We could tell the waitress was embarrassed about this and took the meals off our tickets when we paid.However, we should not have had to ask, nor should she have!
had to look like and idiot in the process.I want for you and anyone you can forward this to in IHOP world, to know that requiring your wait staff to do this causes the wait staff to look uneducated AND causes your customers to get VERY pissed off, as in, one of my friends declared chances are she isn't coming back b/c it too so long to get our food and she felt she was being tricked into buying something that is obviously advertised for free.I'd like to know how you are going to keep the three families from abandoning IHOP for another dining establishment? Right now none of our families of 4 will be going back because of your stupid policy.Jessica R********

The response she got:

Dear Ms. R********,

Thank you for taking the time to contact us concerning your experience at the IHOP in Omaha. While it is always disappointing to learn that we have not lived up to our guest's expectations, it is invaluable to receive feedback so that we are able to continually improve our level of guest satisfaction.

We are sorry to learn of the difficulties you encountered at this location. Please be assured that the matter will be shared with the proper individuals to address your concerns.

I have forwarded your concerns to the franchise owner regarding your recent dining experience in this restaurant. We have every confidence that the franchise owner or his representative will contact you shortly. It is our hope that you will once again allow us to earn your patronage.

Thank you for keeping us informed.

Sincerely,

Marcia Gettings
Guest Service Representative
IHOP Restaurant Support Center

Here is the message I sent:

summary = Very Poor Policy
comments = I came to the restaurant on Friday 10/30 with 3 other families at 5:30 pm for dinner, with our children. On our table was a sign clearly stating that Kids Eat Free Monday through Friday from 4-10pm. Each family purchased two adult entrees. Two of the families also ordered 1 childs meal each, while the third family ordered 2 kids meals. Each family clearly met the criteria in 1 free kids meal per adult meal.When we all received our bills, we were ALL charged for the kids meals. When we approached the waitress about this, she said IHOP doesn't assume we would want the free meal, and once we ask, all of our bills had to be recalculated.This is a RIDICULOUS policy. If you are going to advertise that kids eat free, (as it was clearly advertised on each of our tables, with little signs) then we should NOT have to ask for the meal free. This was really a hassle. The waitress acted annoyed with us, and it took her over TEN MINUTES to re-calculate all of the bills. We all !
had children that we finished eating, bored, and ready to go. So we had to wait over ten minutes, trying to keep them quiet and calm, while the bills were re-totaled.The waitress also argues with us about how one of the meals wouldn't be free, that it was only one free meal per family. The sign clearly said up to TWO free meals, if two adult meals were purchased. It is in very poor taste to have your employees argue with a patron.I was not at ALL pleased with any of this, and am hugely disappointed in IHOP. Next time we go out as a family, it will be elsewhere.

Here is the response I got:

Dear Ms. Rayer:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us concerning your experience at the IHOP in Omaha. While it is always disappointing to learn that we have not lived up to our guest's expectations, it is invaluable to receive feedback so that we are able to continually improve our level of guest satisfaction.

We are sorry to learn of the service level and difficulties you encountered at this location. Please be assured that the matter will be shared with the proper individuals to address your concerns.

I have forwarded your concerns to the franchise owner regarding your recent dining experience in this restaurant. We have every confidence that the franchise owner or his representative will contact you shortly. It is our hope that you will once again allow us to earn your patronage.

Thank you for keeping us informed.

Sincerely,

Teara Pendleton
Guest Service Representative
IHOP Restaurant Support Center

In case you don't want to read it all, let me save you some time. Two totally differently worded complaints were mailed to IHOP on two different days. We each got a "response" from a different customer service rep, and yet, they were the same. Word for word.

Translation? IHOP doesn't even care enough to write a response. Ten bucks said they didn't even read the complaint. Supposedly, they have forwarded our complaints to the local franchise we ate at. I'll believe it when I see it. I'm so glad to know that IHOP values my business so little. That's fine, I'll take my business elsewhere. There are PLENTY of other local restaurants who I would hope treat their customers much better.

Here is the final email I sent them:

I guess taking the time to let you know of my experience was a complete waste of time. Clearly you send the same canned response to anyone with a complaint. I doubt you even read my complaint. Since you don't have the time to bother writing me a sincere email, I won't bother continuing to eat in your establishment.

You see, one of the other members of my party that night at Ihop wrote a complaint to you, too. Lo and behold, she received the EXACT same response. Word for word! From a different customer service representative. If you don't care, then I won't bother to eat in your establishment any longer.

But you know what? I HAVE blogged about it. For all the world to see. It's times like these that I'm glad I have a blog, and hundreds of readers. Hopefully the next time they make a choice of where to dine with their family, they'll skip IHOP.

Hope you enjoy the read: http://www.newlywednewlybred.com/2009/11/update-on-ihop.html

Unimportantly yours,

Megan

Thanks for nothing, IHOP.