Complaint Review: IHOP #3126 - Fort Oglethorpe GA.

All IHOP locations (franchised 11 locations) owned and operated in Knoxville, Cleveland, Hixson and Chattanooga, TN including two locations in Fort Oglethorpe and Dalton, Georgia are supposedly not running the promotion for the "kids eat free" in the restaurants. I inquired with upper management (area and district level) once I had notified the owner of the restaurant and was told the following.

Currently we are not running the "kids eat free" promotion, however yes management was right to inform you if the customer ask at the table about the "free kids meal" then we will apply the discount, although you are not to volunteer the information to the customer.  In addition to Upper Management discussion with me concerning this, I had found Dine Equity, Inc. (the Directors and Main Office for all IHOP/Applebees Restaurants that are Corporate owned and Franchised) and I sent an email to the Directors in regards to "Social Responsibility" and how did this support the Fort Oglethorpe (& 10 other locations), Georgia location about giving the "Kids eat Free" to only customers whom request it, but charging in full for all the other customers who do not ask? I received a response 2 business days later stating it isn't the IHOP practices to have this in place and ask for notification of location. Well, before I responded giving the Upper Management opportunity to have knowledge of my response from IHOP, Guest Relations (main office) in Glendale, California. The Director over all 11 locations responded to me via telephone, we are a franchised location and the Franchise - Dine Equity, INC aka IHOP, INC does not have involvement in the franchised decisions to offer a promotion or not.  Then he stated as I have responded earlier, this is not an active promotion we are offering, although if they ask we will give the discount.

I responded to the Guest Relations Division of IHOP and stated what I was told from the authorized franchised representative and although my personal view is they need to return to class and take business ethics 101"  in addition to, not upholding the corporate standards set and provided on IHOP's website in addition to DIne Equity's website regarding "Social Responsibility & Exceeding the Customers Expectations".  Per the Guest Relations that he would submit this to the owner, which I said he is aware of this already and then he commented that he could forward this on to the Corporate Franchise Liason that works with the franchisee about this and the call ended.


I had a customer with 2 adults and 2 children dine in one late afternoon and nothing was said about "kids eat free", so when I gave them their ticket for lunch/dinner, the woman said I had called up here earlier and inquired about the "kids eat free" and was told yes this was available at this location. I responded, I am sorry unfortunately due to management instructions, we are not allowed to give the discounted meals for kids eat free unless you ask at the table. (I was so embarassed and felt that I had done wrong) Immediately after my statement I told them I would have the deductions made and would return with the revised ticket. I went to the manager and provided what had taken place, his response was yes I do recall someone calling earlier about the "kids eat free" and he performed the required steps and a new ticket was printed and I delivered it back to the table.  I guess in a given shift that I worked you would average at least 5 to 10 sometimes more customers entering with children and you could give the discounts to one out of 5 or more because they asked, but the others did not know they had to ask and paid full price. This is not "Social Responsibility"