IHOP introduced a biscuit menu nationwide on Monday featuring sweet and savory options available all day.
It is part of a yearslong strategy to evolve the chains core menu. Remember 2018 when the chain playfully changed its name to IHOb to promote its new line of Ultimate Steakburgers? The buzzworthy campaign quadrupled its burger sales.
Well, this time around, its not changing its name. But it is going out on a limb with biscuits, entering a food category with some fierce competitors, such as Chick-fil-A, Cracker Barrel, and Hardees.
“Biscuits are not just a beloved item for breakfast but also for lunch or dinner,” the company told Insider. “Biscuits meet guests cravings, any time of day, and they bridge the gap between dayparts.” Advertisement
The chain, owned by Dine Brands, the parent company of Applebees, could use the traffic bump.
It has struggled with comparable store sales, a key financial metric, and has underperformed compared with competitors including Dennys and Cracker Barrel.
The chains new biscuit lineup includes a breakfast biscuit sandwich, a chicken biscuit sandwich, a strawberries-and cream biscuit, and biscuits and gravy. The biscuits are sold as combo plates or a la carte.
Kieran Donahue, the chains chief marketing officer, said in a statement that adding biscuits was part of the chains goal to offer diners “craveable and flavorful” items any time of day. Advertisement
So I set out to see whether they were craveable during a Monday visit, the first day of the national launch. Im a bit of a biscuit snob, having tried some of the best biscuits in the US, including the biscuits at Loveless Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee, and the tiny biscuits at Callies Hot Little Biscuit in Charleston, South Carolina. I even went behind the scenes at Carls Jr. years ago to learn how it made its scratch biscuits.
Buttermilk Biscuit & Gravy Combo Warm & flaky buttermilk biscuit served with gravy, 2 eggs, 2 pork sausage links, 2 hickory-smoked bacon strips, & hash browns.
I ordered the breakfast biscuit sandwich, a chicken biscuit sandwich, the strawberries-and-cream biscuit, a buttermilk biscuit with gravy, and a plain biscuit with butter.
All the IHOPs in my town have shut down. The closest restaurant to my home was 2 miles away, in Santa Ana, California. It was next to a McDonalds.
The restaurant was empty at 5 p.m. I was seated by a friendly server who handed me a standard menu, as well as a laminated menu promoting the new biscuit lineup. She was very helpful and answered all of my questions. Advertisement
I’m not a fan of biscuits and gravy, but I liked the approach IHOP made with this dish because the biscuit wasn’t slathered in it.
The biscuits-and-gravy dish is advertised on the menu as a $13.50 combo meal that comes with two eggs, two pork-sausage links, two hickory-smoked bacon strips, and hash browns.
I didnt want that much food, so I asked whether I could order the item a la carte. I was able to get one biscuit with gravy for $5. The biscuit was able to shine a bit more on this dish because it wasnt saturated with thick gravy. In fact, I wouldnt call this gravy. It was more like a tangy, country-style white sauce. It definitely seemed a bit “watered” down, which would probably offend aficionados of Southern gravy. But I liked it. Advertisement
Trying the NEW IHOP Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches! [Food Review]
FAQ
How many calories are in IHOP biscuits and gravy?
Does IHOP have country gravy?
What is the American food biscuits and gravy?
Does IHOP have biscuits?
For the first time ever, the IHOP menu will feature a dedicated biscuit section, which will include brand new buttermilk biscuit options designed to capture both sweet and savory cravings. In typical celebratory fashion, IHOP is kicking things off in Natchez, Mississippi — the Biscuit Capital of the World — to celebrate the new menu.
What is a biscuit & gravy combo?
Served with two eggs, two hickory-smoked bacon strips or pork sausage links and hash browns. Buttermilk Biscuit & Gravy Combo: A biscuit served with country gravy, two eggs, two pork sausage links, two hickory smoked bacon strips and hash browns.
Why are biscuits so popular at restaurants?
Biscuits have proved increasingly popular at restaurants over the past few years, in part because they’re an easy breakfast food to eat on the go. McDonald’s saw big gains when it launched its all-day breakfast menu, and Chick-fil-A has seen big success with its breakfast offerings as it has expanded nationally.