IHOP Says Opening at Siam Paragon on April 16

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

International House of Pancakes branch coming to Siam Paragon, scheduled to open April 16.

 

 

[anotheruser]

That is the best single piece of news to come out of Thailand in at least the last decade. The real question is will it be remotely even the same as the original? 

[tutsiwarrior]

no matter...pancakes drippin with syrup and sickly sweet, the locals will love it...

 

I wonder will they offer a ham 'n eggs breakfast at a reasonable price? and the bottomless cup of coffee?

 

maybe too much to expect...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

god I miss those places...and I love the allusion to 'general principles'...

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, anotheruser said:

 The real question is will it be remotely even the same as the original? 

Every time I go back to the U.S. and am staying in hotels there, I regularly eat at IHOP for breakfast. The regular breakfast items these days on the menu tend to be in the $10 range, but in the U.S. at least, they ALWAYS have some good promotional menu items that are in the $4-$7 range. It's one of my guilty pleasures. Not just pancakes, but usually combos with some kind of pancake, eggs, bacon, hash browns and coffee or tea.  And Cholula hot sauce over the eggs.

 

Surprisingly, for the past year or two, there's been a place I believe that's called Pancake Cafe on the 3rd floor at CentralWorld that ONLY does pancakes, no eggs, sausages, hash browns, etc. But over time, they seem to have acquired a pretty good Thai customer base. Every time I pass by there, even at lunch time and in the afternoon, and especially on weekend, they seem to be doing good business.

 

As for the coming IHOP at Paragon, yes, "will it be remotely the same as the original?"  That's the million baht question.

 

Looking elsewhere, over time, if you ask that same question (comparable or different, but still as good as the U.S. originals):

 

Burger King, no. Carl's Jr., no. KFC, I don't think so, but rarely eat there here.

 

Pizza Hut, no. Outback Steakhouse, no. Domino's, not sure. Swenson's and BR 31 flavors, I'd say yes, more or less.  Krispy Kreme, yes?

 

I've never eaten at Dean and DeLuca in the U.S., so I can't compare that. But I do generally like their food at their outlets here. So yes???

 

[anotheruser]

750 Baht for eggs at IHOP is my guess lol. Such places are solely the haunts of the wealthy over here. :)

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 minutes ago, anotheruser said:

750 Baht for eggs at IHOP is my guess lol. Such places are solely the haunts of the wealthy over here. :)

The newish Clinton Street Baking Company, also in Paragon, (which does pretty good American style breakfasts) tends to be 300+ baht for their breakfast entrees, plus required tax and tip. So add in a beverage or misc other item, and you're tending in the 500 baht per person range there. I'm guessing IHOP won't be more expensive than that. Pancakes themselves are relatively inexpensive to make.

 

But it will be interesting to see if they only offer pancakes and related stuff, or have the broader, full IHOP menu of omelettes, breakfast combinations, french toast, etc etc. And, for a long time now, IHOPs in the U.S. also have expanded their menus to cover more traditional lunch and dinner fares like salads and sandwiches and even steaks, because their restaurants are open all during the day and the night, not just during breakfast time.

 

Although the freshly prepared hash browns at Clinton Street are pretty good, I can't name a single other restaurant in BKK that I know of that does anything remotely resembling traditional American-style hash brown potatoes. (Clinton Street's HBs are kind of finely diced potatoes, as opposed to the traditional shredded potatoes in America HBs. It always makes me homesick anytime I go to some pubby breakfast place here and the hash browns they serve up are the pre-frozen formed HB patties like those you can buy at Villa, etc.

 

 

[anotheruser]

Just now, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The newish Clinton Street Baking Company, also in Paragon, (which does pretty good American style breakfasts) tends to be 300+ baht for their breakfast entrees, plus required tax and tip. So add in a beverage or misc other item, and you're tending in the 500 baht per person range there. I'm guessing IHOP won't be more expensive than that. Pancakes themselves are relatively inexpensive to make.

 

But it will be interesting to see if they only offer pancakes and related stuff, or have the broader, full IHOP menu of omelettes, breakfast combinations, french toast, etc etc. And, for a long time now, IHOPs in the U.S. also have expanded their menus to cover more traditional lunch and dinner fares like salads and sandwiches and even steaks, because their restaurants are open all during the day and the night, not just during breakfast time.

 

Although the freshly prepared hash browns at Clinton Street are pretty good, I can't name a single other restaurant in BKK that I know of that does anything remotely resembling traditional American-style hash brown potatoes. (Clinton Street's HBs are kind of finely diced potatoes, as opposed to the traditional shredded potatoes in America HBs. It always makes me homesick anytime I go to some pubby breakfast place here and the hash browns they serve up are the pre-frozen formed HB patties like those you can buy at Villa, etc.

 

 

I pray they go full menu you can get pancakes many places.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I usually go back to the U.S. around Thanksgiving or Christmas time, and regular special staples on the IHOP menu during those holiday periods are things like gingerbread pancakes, pumpkin pancakes, chocolate-mint pancakes, etc etc.  The gingerbread and pumpkin varieties are REALLY good. Though I'm not expecting to see them showing up on the menu here.  That would be too much to hope for... 

[CLW]

That's what Thailand exactly needs.... Another sweets restaurant for Hi-So people taking pictures and check in on Facebook.
No thanks

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 minutes ago, CLW said:

That's what Thailand exactly needs.... Another sweets restaurant for Hi-So people taking pictures and check in on Facebook.
No thanks

I don't exactly think Thailand's Hi-So's are going to be lining up for breakfast at IHOP...

 

But I am kind of surprised that IHOP is making it to Thailand, in the current era, prior to someplace like Denny's or even Taco Bell, for that matter.  Both of which, I'd think, could do decent business here.

 

[anotheruser]

1 minute ago, CLW said:

That's what Thailand exactly needs.... Another sweets restaurant for Hi-So people taking pictures and check in on Facebook.
No thanks

 

Thankfully nobody is forcing you to eat there.

[tutsiwarrior]

8 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I don't exactly think Thailand's Hi-So's are going to be lining up for breakfast at IHOP...

 

But I am kind of surprised that IHOP is making it to Thailand, in the current era, prior to someplace like Denny's or even Taco Bell, for that matter.  Both of which, I'd think, could do decent business here.

 

 

yeah...I'd line up at a Taco Bell anytime...'two tacos and two green burritos, please...'

 

(consume inna frenzy and then 'burp'...memories of the past)

 

 

[CLW]

 
Thankfully nobody is forcing you to eat there.

Yes and thankfully this is a forum where everybody can express his opinion.

Give me a break, pancakes are not really hard or expensive to make.
Though most places use the horrible premix full of chemical additives and charge you a ridiculous price.
Same goes for this toast thing desert.

[anotheruser]

Just now, CLW said:

Yes and thankfully this is a forum where everybody can express his opinion.

Give me a break, pancakes are not really hard or expensive to make.
Though most places use the horrible premix full of chemical additives and charge you a ridiculous price.
Same goes for this toast thing desert.

Objection duly noted.

[edgarfriendly]

wow... flour & milk... amazing...

 

i bet they wont ruin it like everything else.

[Trujillo]

Quote

I'm guessing IHOP won't be more expensive than that. Pancakes themselves are relatively inexpensive to make.

That's not the issue. The issue is the high cost of renting there. 

[CLW]

 
yeah...I'd line up at a Taco Bell anytime...'two tacos and two green burritos, please...'
 
(consume inna frenzy and then 'burp'...memories of the past)
 
 

Taco Bell and "In-N-Out Burger" should come to Thailand

[Trujillo]

No, my vote has always been DENNY'S. 

[tutsiwarrior]

1 minute ago, CLW said:

Taco Bell and "In-N-Out Burger" should come to Thailand

we useta get burgers from In - n - out burgers back in the 50s in Pasadena...to have an in - n - out place in BKK would blaspheme everything that is holy...

 

Taco Bell on the other hand is OK...wonder why that is? an existential dilemma...

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On my last trip back from the U.S., I had a layover in the Taipei airport, where they had a Burger King outlet that was offering specials on jalapeno burgers., and I love jalapenos. So, hesitantly, I tried one there, and they were amazingly good. So good I ended up having another on the return layover trip.

 

The experience, unfortunately, reminded me how frankly miserable the Burger King and Carl's Jr. burgers in Thailand are -- compared to the U.S. originals, or even those elsewhere like Taiwan it turns out. Not sure why that is. But it does seem that a lot of things that the locals "touch" here turn to c**p, maybe not initially, but usually over time.

 

Really hope that isn't the case with IHOP. I'm forever the optimist, but usually end up being disappointed in the long run.

 

 

[Berkshire]

All I can say is "IHOP, please come to Chiang Mai."

[fruitman]

1 hour ago, CLW said:

That's what Thailand exactly needs.... Another sweets restaurant for Hi-So people taking pictures and check in on Facebook.
No thanks

 

I'm with you bro, Paragon needs a stand with grilled fieldmouses and crickets. Or a somtum shop with that sauce made of crushed crabs..or some crispy crickets...

 

But wait a minute, didn't i see pancakeshops in about every mall in the subs??!!  Boy those hi-so's have an easy life there in BKK.

[tutsiwarrior]

11 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

On my last trip back from the U.S., I had a layover in the Taipei airport, where they had a Burger King outlet that was offering specials on jalapeno burgers., and I love jalapenos. So, hesitantly, I tried one there, and they were amazingly good. So good I ended up having another on the return layover trip.

 

The experience, unfortunately, reminded me how frankly miserable the Burger King and Carl's Jr. burgers in Thailand are -- compared to the U.S. originals, or even those elsewhere like Taiwan it turns out. Not sure why that is. But it does seem that a lot of things that the locals "touch" here turn to c**p, maybe not initially, but usually over time.

 

Really hope that isn't the case with IHOP. I'm forever the optimist, but usually end up being disappointed in the long run.

 

 

 

I useta flip burgers  at mcdonalds when I was 16 and know how it's done, it's low quality meat with lotsa fat that ye need to get rid of...folks in asia don't seem to get the same message, the more fat the better...can't hardly eat the things anymore...

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, edgarfriendly said:

wow... flour & milk... amazing...

 

i bet they wont ruin it like everything else.

There's more to it than just that.

 

By comparison, the other day, I had a pancakes for breakfast special at a pub in BKK that's supposedly run, including the kitchen, by an American. The pancakes, albeit plain, were entirely bland, had a hard vs soft/silky kind of consistency, and weren't anything I'd ever want to eat again.

 

So clearly, there's more to making good pancakes than just throwing together some flour and milk.

 

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/IHOP-Pancakes-Copycat-Recipe.html

 

Read the comments below by those who tried the recipe.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I hadn't really looked before, but it seems IHOP has been making its way internationally in at least a handful of countries:

 

 

Here's what they say about international franchising:

 

 

http://www.ihop.com/About-Ihop/Franchise-Opportunities/international-franchising#01

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Back in 2015, the U.S. Consulate in BKK held a "Franchise Fair" at CentralWorld where a lot of different U.S. food companies were promoting their franchises for Thailand, including IHOP, Denny's, Chili's, Round Table Pizza, Arby's, Applebee's (which has the same owner as IHOP), and Fuddruckers, among others. Thus far, AFAIK, IHOP appears to be the only one among that group that has found a franchisee for Thailand that's ready to open.

 

Here was some of the IHOP info that the company was sharing at that time as part of their promotional efforts:

 

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Stopped by Paragon on Monday the 17th, and they weren't open yet for the previously promised date. But they are getting close from the looks of things.

 

The IHOP shop is going to be on the ground floor, down the escalators one level from the BTS entry,  and in one of the open-space restaurant island areas over by the Mandarin Oriental shop.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Well, time's a passing, and no one's IHOPing at Siam Paragon yet.

 

Stopped by this afternoon, and it LOOKS pretty much ready to go. But no one was there working, and no sign of any activity going on.

 

I DM'd IHOP the other day via their Facebook account where they had originally announced the supposed April 16 opening date (long passed now), asking if they had a revised opening date to offer now.  No response at all to that message.

 

So, like almost everything else in this place, this venture is running behind schedule and no information as to why or when.

 

 

 

[habanero]

I wonder if they will still have the senior citizen discount?

 

 

[habanero]

On 3/30/2017 at 2:59 PM, CLW said:

Taco Bell and "In-N-Out Burger" should come to Thailand

Had my first  In N Out burger,  1 1/2 years ago in Fort Worth, TX.  Heard how good these burgers were. They had just come to town, so I was kind of excited and wanted to try one.  I was so disappointed. Worst thing I ever had.  30 minutes after eating it, I had to find a bathroom fast.  It went through me faster than Mexican Chili.

 Needless to say, I was very disappointed and never went back.