The Popular Breakfast Side That's A Total Skip At IHOP

Despite the fact that IHOP tried to change its reputation to one of a burger joint, it remains a stalwart among breakfast enthusiasts everywhere. Not only does it cater to those looking for value from their breakfast plate (you can score an entire meal for under $6), but it also carries an array of options, from pancakes and waffles to family-sized portions, breakfast tacos, biscuits, and more. However, among the IHOP menu items that you should avoid entirely, one in particular stands out: the hash browns.

Any self-respecting breakfast joint should be able to do hash browns well. It's part of what makes American breakfast, well, breakfast. But this is not the case for IHOP. "Does IHOP make them bad on purpose?" one reviewer asked in a thread on Reddit, claiming that they always come out dry and tasteless. Some have experienced burned hash browns while others have noticed that IHOP will serve the side cold on occasion. While other folks in the thread suggested that quality and cook vary by location, some have found that lackluster hash browns were a common theme for the chain.

The biggest issue that most customers seem to have with IHOP's hash browns is that they are never cooked consistently, so it's hard to know what you're going to get. "Why are the hashbrowns always stale?" one Redditor pondered. "I love IHOP, but 9 times out of 10 the hash browns suck." Another person on that same thread pointed to the fact that the potatoes are pre-cooked before a shift and sit under the heat until they're served. This could account for the inconsistent texture and poor cooking, but it's clear that breakfast-goers expect a chain specializing in breakfast to do better.

It's not just the plain hash browns that get negative feedback, either. One user expressed frustration about the chain's cheesy hash browns, which appear to be a slab of undercooked hash browns with a slice of half-melted cheese on top. "So, did they just slam a hot iron against some shredded [potatoes] and call it a day? That looks barely cooked," the Redditor suggested. Another observed, "Undercooked on one side, overcooked on the other. Money changed hands for this garbage."