IHOP (International House of Pancakes) is a popular restaurant chain famous for it's pancakes and breakfast foods. Unfortunately, currently there is not a vegan waffle, French toast or vegan pancake option. But there are a few menu items that can fit in with a vegan diet. So what are the vegan options at IHOP? Read on to find out.
NOTE: All nutritional and allergen information can be found on the IHOP web-site. They have also posted a Vegetarian and Vegan Menu Guide.
Vegan Sides
While there aren't full vegan meals on IHOP’s menu, there are several side vegan items.
- Hash Browns - no butter
- Crispy Breakfast Potatoes
- Mixed Fruit Cup
- Grits
- French Fries
- Steamed Vegetables or Broccoli - no butter
- Sautéed Veggies (spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and onions)
- Multi-grain toast - no butter
- Avocado
- Corn Tortilla
- Crispy Potato Pancakes
- Rice and Barley Medley
NOTE: Bread options vary by location. Some restaurants serve sourdough toast or an English muffin but you'll need to check at the restaurant to check if they're egg and dairy free.
Soup, salad and dressings
What's really surprising is that IHOP doesn't have any vegan salad dressings. Even their balsamic vinaigrette isn't vegan. So while they might have salad options, you'd have to eat it without dressing. However, their minestrone soup is a good lunch option, especially combined with a side dish.
- House Salad (no dressing)
- Chicken & Veggie Salad (No chicken or dressing)
- Minestrone Soup
Syrup and Jam
There are several kinds of vegan syrup varieties. But, without any vegan pancakes, waffles or crepes, I'm not sure what the syrup would go on top of.
- Various Jelly/Jam Flavors
- Blueberry Syrup
- Old Fashioned Maple Syrup
- Strawberry Syrup
Meal Ideas
If you are creative, you can put together a filling meal at IHOP made without animal products. Any of the following would be great with a fruit bowl on the side.
- Order the multigrain toast and a side of avocado to make avocado toast.
- Try topping the hash browns with tomatoes and sautéed veggies.
- You could order a corn tortilla, sautéed veggies, avocado and crispy breakfast potatoes to make a veggie breakfast burrito.
- Try a bowl of minestrone soup with some French fries on the side.
NOTE: Check your local IHOP location as not all options are available at all restaurants.
New Vegan Breakfast Sandwich
IHOP is testing it's first vegan breakfast sandwich at one location in New York City. It's called the Plant Based Cali and is made with with Sweet Earth brand vegan sausage and JUST Egg. It also features arugula, roasted tomatoes and avocado, all on a vegan bun. This location is operated by franchisee Bryan Mckenzie who is also vegan and wanted to respond to a growing demand for plant based options. Check out this article by VegNews to find out more. Hopefully the Plant Based Cali will be a new menu item at locations across the country.
Summary
While I wouldn't call IHOP Restaurant a vegan-friendly place, there are solid choices beyond fries and a side salad. If you stop there for lunch, you can put together a decent vegan meal with their side dishes. A veggie burger or other plant based option would be great additions to the menu that hopefully will be there in the future. As consumer demand increases, the restaurant chains will respond. The pancake house really lacks breakfast items without dairy products. All the pancakes, waffles, and French toast contain dairy and/or eggs. Hopefully one day they'll have vegan pancakes as they aren't difficult to make and they should be aiming to be more inclusive.
Interested in finding out what's vegan at other restaurants? Check out:
What's Vegan at Cracker Barrel?
Really in the mood for pancakes? Try this recipe for Vegan Sheet Pan Pancakes.