A TikToker who claims to have worked at six different IHOP locations is warning diners to find food somewhere else.
"Don't eat at IHOP," reads the text overlay on a TikTok originally posted by @openn_eyess_world in mid-December. "I've worked at six different stores. And they are all nasty."
The video, which has been viewed over 1.5 million times, includes images allegedly backing up the user's claims. The pictures show moldy spoons and spatulas, decaying fruits and vegetables, and a moldy refrigerator.
"The bananas are always turning black. They say the [customer] won't notice since it's cooked in the pancake," they wrote. "Pancake batter[s] are supposed to be made daily, but they only make more when the first batch has ran out and some sit for days."
Not all of the images necessarily validate the claims. It's impossible to tell just how long the bacon and sausage has been sitting out, for example. But exposing how disgusting things can get behind the scenes at various restaurants is a popular topic amongst TikTokers. Other restaurant workers jumped into the comment section with similar anecdotes.
"Yup no one ever [cared] to rotate the bottles of toppings for pancakes—so grime would build up like crazy," wrote @chickymini.
"Worked there too and I saw one of the cooks pick up food they dropped and put it back on the plate," @j3nny_mar recalled.
"This is every restaurant I've ever worked at," claimed @sinsoftheflessh. However, they opined, "only real issue is the mold."
Although the casual dining industry has been struggling lately, a familiar name like IHOP still has devoted fans. In fact, more than one commenter claimed that they were actually at the restaurant when they came across the video.
So it's not hard to imagine that some people were quite bereft by the video's warning against eating at IHOP.
"NOOOOO I LOVE IHOP," @mliyah224 said.
"Literally sitting in a booth right this second," wrote @la.bianca04.
Although the original poster claims to have worked at six different IHOPs, with over 1,750 locations internationally, it's inevitable that the experience would vary from place to place.
@melissahendricks0, who identified herself as a general manager at an unspecified IHOP location, had a different take.
"I don't know where you've been going but my store doesn't look like that!" she wrote.
"Some of them are admittedly better than others," @random_nameunicorn replied. "But as someone who started working at one of these stores before, they definitely get this bad sometimes."
@openn_eyess_world ♬ Hinoki Wood - Clavier
Regardless of the specifics, the overall vibe in the comments section was definitely wary.
"This is why I hate eating at restaurants bc you just never know how your food is really being prepared," wrote @madeline_spamzzz.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @openn_eyess_world via TikTok comment and IHOP via email.
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The post ‘NOOOOO I LOVE IHOP’: Person who worked at 6 different IHOPs warns against eating there. Here’s why appeared first on The Daily Dot.
