The International House of Pancakes, affectionately referred to as IHOP, is a favorite breakfast place for many people across the country. Their bustling atmosphere, friendly staff, and famous pancakes easily make it a go-to destination when looking for a flavorful, hearty breakfast.
And while IHOP is reasonably priced, we all like to save some money when we can, especially when eating out!
Fortunately, we’ve collected all the tips you need to save some serious cash while indulging in fluffy pancakes, rich french toast, omelettes, and more. Read on for all you need to know!
1. Join MyHop and Score Rewards
This one is a no-brainer. Signing up for MyHop, IHOP’s rewards club, is one of the best ways to save money fast. Once you sign up, IHOP will keep you in the know about all things rewards-related!
First things first – let’s talk breakfast! When you sign up, IHOP will send you an offer for a FREE stack of pancakes, just for signing up!
The excitement keeps coming after that – be the first to know about deals and promotions available to members only and score free pancakes. Who doesn’t love that?!
When you sign up, there will be a checkbox at the bottom of the email to opt-in for information about special offers. Make sure that box is checked – that’s your ticket to savings!
2. Take Advantage of Birthday Perks!
When you sign up for email notifications, you’ll notice that one of the fields you’ll be asked to fill out is your birthday. Make sure you do that because when your big day arrives, IHOP will celebrate you with a FREE stack of pancakes! Even better? The pancakes are entirely on them – NO purchase necessary!
That’s right! FREE pancakes just for being born? Yes, please!
3. Three Words: National. Pancake. Day.
Every year, IHOP hosts a National Pancake Day to raise money for charity. In years past, this special event was one day only; this year (2021) IHOP restructured National Pancake Day due to the pandemic. That’s our gain because now it’s … Pancake Month! This still allows you to get some free pancakes while raising money for worthy causes.
This, my friends, came in the form of an IOU for 2021:
- Members received a FREE short stack coupon good for all of April 2021 through email.
- Non-members were still able to take advantage of this deal just by visiting IHOP online to grab their own coupons, which gave them FREE pancakes with a minimum $10 purchase!
This information specifically pertains to this year (2021), but keep an eye out each year for this promotion. Whether a day or a month, it’s a tradition now. IHOP is sure to keep it going for years to come!
4. Give their social media accounts a follow to keep up to date on exciting new offers
IHOP is always up to something, and that almost always involves some sort of offer or deal for you. And if you want to hear about it, simply give their social media a follow – check out their Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter!
Recent posts announced new Burritos and Bowls for $5.99, the FREE pancake IOUs (for National Pancake day mentioned above), and more!
5. Take advantage of IHOP’s Happy Hour…which lasts EIGHT HOURS
You read that right. Eight. Hours. While their timekeeping knowledge may be suspect, putting on happy hour from 2 pm-10 pm each day (cheerfully dubbed “IHOPPY Hour”) is definitely something to jump on.
Available for eat-in and to-go, IHOPPY Hour features $5 menu items ($6 in some areas) for you and your family to feast on.
Some examples:
Their Classic Steakburger with fries? $5
BLT Sandwich? $5?
Maybe you want breakfast during IHOPPY Hour? Well this is IHOP, so choose a Ham and Cheese omelette or a 2-Egg Breakfast for … you guessed it – $5.
As if those prices weren’t exciting enough, they also have a $3 menu featuring snacks and sides. These include chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, and Candied Bacon Pancakes (that one just might be my favorite)!
So what are you waiting for? Get going! (But call first – locations vary and IHOPPY Hour only runs for a limited time!
6. Take the survey on your receipt and get rewarded!
No matter what you purchase on their menu (and we hope you used some of these tips!) take a look at the bottom of your receipt. You’ll see a code there.
Think of that code as the Keys to the Kingdom – where the Kingdom is free food, in exchange for your opinion. Take the survey using the code, and IHOP will give you free food as a thank you for your honest feedback!
7. Keep an eye out for the chance to snag “bonus” gift cards during special times of the year
Recently on the app (more on that coming up), IHOP ran a Mother’s Day promotion where you could purchase a $25 gift card and get a bonus $5 gift card. That comes out to a 16.7% discount altogether!
Keep an eye out in the app, social media, etc to find out when those kinds of deals are running! If we’re getting close to a holiday, that may be your cue to cash in!
8. Save money with discounted gift cards online
The bonus gift cards mentioned above are great, but unfortunately only happen during certain times of the year. However, there are other ways to score deals anytime!
There are several sites online that sell gift cards for percentages off the face value, saving you money when you use them.
One site is Gift Card Wiki. Recently, they featured a $10 gift card for $9.25, which is a savings of 7.5%.
CardCash is another one – they had a $25 card for $23.38 – that’s a 6.5% discount. These are far from the only sites – some quick Google searches will net you these sites and many others. Shop around to see what deals you can find!
9. … Or from your favorite warehouse club!
Gift card sites not your thing? Head to your nearest warehouse club, in-person OR online: Sam’s Club had a $30 pack of gift cards recently available for $28.38 – that’s a 3.4% discount.
We looked online at Costco and BJ’s and didn’t see any gift cards for IHOP there. That doesn’t mean they won’t have them in the future, so check them again later on.
10. Celebrate Halloween with a FREE pancake for your kiddos
Last year for several days before Halloween, IHOP celebrated the season and your little ghoul or boy with a FREE Mr. Mummy Pancake.
We doubt this will be the only time IHOP runs a similar promotion, so be sure to keep an eye out to score free food like this for you or your little one!
11. Download the app
Want to grab some awesome deals in the palm of your hand? Download the app on GooglePlay or Apple to score some great deals.
Recently the app had a code for 20% off your first online order, announced a Mother’s Day gift card offer (mentioned above), and more! This is a great way to learn the hottest happenings!
It looks like you can find everything on the app online as well, but it’s always nice to have the best deals in the palm of your hand!
12. Get 20% off your first online order
Yep. Use the app! We just mentioned this deal above when we were hyping up the app, but it’s a big deal and deserves its own mention: recently IHOP gave app users a promo code for 20% off their first online order. (It’s available online, too.)
Spoiler Alert: the code is IHOP20. This code was good as of late April 2021, so keep an eye out for this and other codes over time!
13. Look for deals on delivery
If you want to enjoy fluffy pancakes and stuffed omelettes from the comfort of your home, you’re in luck! IHOP has delivery through several services, and a couple of Google searches can help you score savings. Recently we found:
- Uber Eats offering $25 off the first time you order with them
- DoorDash offering $0 deliveries on your first order
And that was just a quick look – different delivery services will run different deals at different times. So keep your eyes peeled – you may come across some awesome savings just for having your food brought to you!
14. Check out cashback offers on delivery through Ibotta
Using just the delivery service deals will help you save, but you can net even more when you launch them through Ibotta!
Recently, you could order your IHOP cravings through GrubHub, through the Ibotta app. When you do this, you can score 1% cashback.
Also through Ibotta – $1 cashback on first order through Postmates, and there are others on the Ibotta app, too. Keep an eye out to see what you can find!
Look through Ibotta or similar apps to see where you can score the best deals!
15. If you’re a Veteran, get a free or discounted breakfast!
IHOP recognizes the sacrifices our brave men and women make to serve our country, and they aim to thank them for their efforts. That’s why they offer a 20% discount on their meals – just show your military ID! This is available to veterans and those currently serving.
And on Veterans Day, November 11, IHOP offers a FREE Red, White, and Blue pancake!
Just call ahead and make sure your local IHOP is participating – every restaurant is different.
16. Grab a Senior Discount
Are you 55 or over? Lucky you, because IHOP’s got some special perks for this special group.
As a member of the 55 or over crowd, IHOP will offer a 10% discount on your purchase. You may also have access to a menu just for seniors, featuring smaller portions at smaller prices.
And some take it even further than that, by offering a half-price dinner one night per week. Every location is different, so be sure to check it out before you stop in!
17. Check out the deals on Koopy!
We’ve reviewed specials and promos far and wide to bring you the best deals on IHOP – check out our offers and score some big savings!
FAQs for IHOP
What is the cheapest thing on IHOP’s menu?
This question is a little tricky – are you going to Happy Hour? Are you over 55 and checking out the Senior Menu? Maybe you’re all about the sides or apps only?
To answer that question simply, let’s assume you’re after traditional breakfast options. If you’re not using any of the above tips (and if you’re not, are you even trying?), a review of their current online menu shows some of the best prices:
- The most affordable combo is the 2 x 2 x 2 – score two pancakes, two eggs, and two bacon strips/sausage links for a low $7.99.
- Grab a Belgian Waffle or the Strawberry Banana French Toast for the same price if you’re looking for something a little more indulgent.
- Omelette-wise, your best bet is the create-your-own: snag a cheese omelette and a side for $9.49. Careful with this one, though: and add-ins are extra and can add up!
- The Limited Time offers had some yummy offerings – of course, that menu will vary, but recent deals showed a mouth-watering Bacon Lovers Combo – two pancakes with indulgent syrups and candied bacon, accompanied by two eggs and, well, more bacon. A STEAL at $6.
Is it just breakfast? What about lunch?
Good news! You can get both breakfast AND lunch items at IHOP, and there’s no time restriction. Do you want a cheeseburger at 7 am or waffles at 7 pm? You got it!
I have food restrictions, Can IHOP accommodate me?
Call ahead and check, but online shows a Gluten-Free menu if you have sensitivities. If you’re avoiding sugar and heading the low-carb direction, check out the eggs, bacon, omelettes, and more.
If you’re counting calories, ask them to hold the butter on your pancakes! The lunch menu has options, too – there’s a side salad, and the Grilled Tilapia and Sirloin Steak Tips come in under 500 calories each.
Final Thoughts
IHOP is a favorite and a great place to score some comfort-food breakfast favorites. No matter what you’re in the mood for, they’ll have something to satisfy your cravings. And now that you know these savings hacks, you’re ready to eat well AND more cheaply!
With these tips, you can treat your family (or just you) to a selection of pancakes, waffles, omelettes, and more, all while saving some cash!
