IHOP Unveils New Menu With an Exciting Change

This week is a big week for International House Of Pancakes Restaurant, which has four locations on Oahu — Pearl City, Kaneohe and two in Waikiki — and one on the Big Island. Not only has the restaurant’s Kuhio location recently reopened with delightful new decor, but all of the locations also are rolling out some menu changes starting tomorrow.

But not to worry, pancake lovers. That certainly doesn’t pose any risk to IHOP’s already incredibly varied and vast menu that includes everything from classic, breakfast foods to hearty dinners and decadent desserts. Rather, the new menu simply makes one crucial change that all customers are certainly going to love, no matter what kind of food you’re after: Prices are getting lower. Yes, you did read that correctly.

“The menu stays the same, but the prices drop significantly,” says director of operations Jason Aldaba.

A bold move in any economy — let alone this one — IHOP’s decision to lower its prices stems from a love for its customers.

“We just thought that a lot of people are looking for value, and there is a lot of choices when dining out. So we looked at our menu pricing and decided that it’s time for a change, so we lowered a lot of our prices throughout the menu,” Aldaba says.

“We have a variety of everything. IHOP is a national staple when it comes to breakfast,” Aldaba says. “But we offer way more other than breakfast … Anything you like would be on our menu.”

Some popular menu items include Spinach and Mushroom Omelette ($14.99) and Big Steak Omelette ($15.59), which includes tender strips of steak, hash browns, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and Cheddar cheese with salsa. Another customer favorite is Chicken and Waffles ($8).

And if you’re going to IHOP, trying the pancakes are a necessity. Aldaba says that a popular option is Pick-A-Pancake Combo ($11.75), which gives you a choice among a wide array of IHOP’s tasty pancakes, including Original Buttermilk, Chocolate Chocolate Chip and Double Blueberry.

If you’re looking for something other than breakfast food, IHOP has that covered as well. One tasty option for lunch or dinner is Tuscan Chicken Griller ($11.99), which features grilled chicken with melted Provolone cheese, oven-roasted tomatoes, lettuce and sun-dried tomato pesto.

Also coming up this week, in honor of Fourth of July, IHOP is offering a special Red, White and Blue Ultimate Combo ($9.99), which includes hash browns, two eggs, two pieces of meat and two pancakes that are topped with strawberries, whipped cream and blueberries.

“Normally every year we do the Red, White and Blue Ultimate Combo just for Fourth of July to show our appreciation,” says Aldaba. And the combo — as well as any of IHOP’s other menu items — certainly is something that the customers will appreciate.

On the Side

The IHOP restaurants that you find here in the Islands are a part of a larger chain that first started in California more than 50 years ago. Local owners Sarah and Vince Espino brought IHOP to Hawaii in 2006, when they opened the Kuhio location. With its wide variety of breakfast foods — including its famous, fluffy buttermilk pancakes — along with sandwiches, soups and more, IHOP’s popularity soon caught on. The owners expanded their restaurant to include five locations throughout the state.

Although IHOP is derived from a larger international chain, it features a lot of local flavors, too. IHOP strives to buy local as much as possible, and often uses local eggs and produce in its dishes.

Just a couple of weeks ago, the Kuhio location unveiled its renovations — brand new decor in the dining room. “The decor and everything in the restaurant is different,” says director of operations Jason Aldaba. “The paint, the chairs, the carpet are all new.”

Customers will feel at ease in the comfortable, homelike dining experience that IHOP has created. And starting July 9, there is a new reason to bring your entire family to IHOP. Beginning that day, IHOP will kick off its Kids Eat Free promotion. “That will be in the afternoons,” Aldaba explains, “but we might extend it as we move forward.”

IHOP

2211 Kuhio Ave., Honolulu (and various locations)
921.2400
Open daily 6 a.m.-10 p.m.