Most 1 in 100 people worldwide have a gluten-sensitivity or intolerance, known equally Celiac Disease. The only cure for Celiac Illness is a gluten-free diet, and this can exist a large claiming when eating at restaurants.

Gluten (from the Latin word "gluten" pregnant "glue") is a protein in certain cereal grains that functions as a glue to hold foods together. The trouble with gluten is that it also binds to the walls of the small intestine where it can cause digestive and immune arrangement disorders.

How Has IHOP Responded to Their Customers' Needs?

So what is a restaurant to practise when the majority of their recipes include gluten?  IHOP, famous for its thick fluffy pancakes, has created a carte, especially for its gluten-sensitive customers.

To be clear, the gluten-friendly menu at IHOP is non 100% gluten-gratuitous. Considering of the multiple sources of gluten in the shared cooking and prep areas, including common fryer oil, IHOP cannot guarantee that any carte du jour particular is completely complimentary of gluten or allergens. And then if y'all accept a serious gluten-intolerance, be certain to proceed this in mind.

IHOP's Menu

IHOP is making strides to accommodate all of its customers, and creating a gluten-friendly menu is a big step in the right direction. Then what is their gluten-friendly menu similar? Let's bank check it out.

Pancakes and Waffles

IHOP's gluten-friendly pancakes and waffles are made with a batter that blends rice flour, sugar, milk, eggs, and other gluten-friendly ingredients. They are topped with whipped butter and tin can be served equally a combo repast with gluten-friendly sides such as eggs, bacon, sausage, or hash browns.

How exercise they taste?

While the batter is the same for both pancakes and waffles, the master differences between the ii are in the preparation. The gluten-friendly pancakes are like small fluffy cakes prepared on a griddle, and one order includes a stack of four. Gluten-friendly waffles are cooked within a hot-oil-covered waffle maker, and one society only includes i waffle.

Both options are delicious. Fabricated with the same batter, they don't taste very different from each other. While a lot of gluten-friendly flour-based nutrient options are a bit dumbo, IHOP's pancakes and waffles are surprisingly fluffy and sweet. The texture is soft, not grainy, and easy to cutting through.

Are in that location whatsoever variations?

IHOP offers gluten-gratuitous syrup options, and so customers can create their favorite gustation by pouring one (or 2!) syrups over the top. These syrup options include sugar-free syrup , blueberry syrup, boysenberry syrup, butter pecan syrup, erstwhile fashioned maple syrup, and strawberry syrup.

Ultimate Steakburgers

There are half-dozen gluten-friendly ultimate steakburger options. The principal deviation between IHOP's normal steakburger and the gluten-friendly option is in the buns, fabricated with a blend of rice flour, milk, egg whites, a bear upon of honey and other gluten-friendly ingredients.

The six burgers available on the gluten-friendly menu include the post-obit:

  • The Classic,
  • The Classic with Salary
  • The Mega Monster
  • The Loaded Philly
  • The Jalapeno Kick
  • The Cali Garlic Butter

All gluten-friendly ultimate steakburgers include a choice of gluten-friendly sides, such as french chips, fresh fruit, hash browns, or two original gluten-friendly pancakes.

How do they taste?

IHOP'due south vi gluten-friendly steakburgers taste almost the same as their regular versions, as the meat, veggies, toppings, and cheese do not change. The meat is juicy and well-seasoned, but go along in mind that the meat could be prepared on a griddle with oils that are as well used to gear up nutrient containing gluten.

Usually, someone looking for a gluten-friendly burger option will but lodge their repast without the bun, but IHOP has created a gluten-friendly bun, made with rice flour, milk, egg whites, and honey. The buns are a bit sweet, which I enjoyed, just they are harder than regular steakburger buns. It is a claiming to seize with teeth through the whole burger due to the size and the hardness of the bun, so I would recommend cutting it in half or taking off one side of the bun. Who says you can't eat a steakburger like a pizza?

Are in that location any variations?

Y'all are welcome to customize your steakburger past calculation or omitting certain ingredients. Y'all may also add gluten-friendly condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise. My favorite steakburger is the Cali Garlic Butter with ketchup and mustard. I ask for my bun to be slightly warmed which makes it soft enough to eat, but it does not seem to soften well if it's reheated later.

Entrees

While many of IHOP'due south entrees are non advertised specifically every bit gluten-friendly, it offers a variety of entrees that are gluten-friendly without having to change a matter. I like simplicity, so I like that I can order a range of delicious entrees, breakfasts, and philharmonic meals without any boosted instruction or alterations.

Gluten-friendly entrees include the following:

  • Bacon Crusted Chicken with Red Potato Hash
  • Savory Pork Chops
  • Sirloin Steak
  • Smoked Sausage
  • T-Bone Steak
  • Tilapia Florentine
  • Egg Combo Plate
  • Regular Combo Plate (with salary or sausage)
  • Sausage & Eggs Philharmonic Plate
  • Bacon & Eggs Combo Plate
  • Ham & Eggs Combo Plate
  • Ultimate Bacon & Sausage Combo Plate
  • Simple & Fit Vegetable Omelette
  • Californian Scramble

Are there any variations?

While the entre options mentioned above don't have to be changed to brand them gluten-friendly, IHOP also offers a few entrees, salads, and a soup that can be slightly contradistinct to make them gluten-friendly.

These include the following:

  • Original Chicken Sandwich (on a gluten-friendly bun)
  • Chicken Cobb Salad (without croutons)
  • Rustic Cheesy Lycopersicon esculentum Soup (without crackers)
  • Mixed Greens House Salad (with gluten-friendly dressing)

Sides

IHOP offers a variety of gluten-friendly side items that can be ordered on their own or as part of a combo meal with your favorite entre, soup, salad, breakfast, or steakburger. Continue in mind that some of these items are prepared on a griddle using oils that accept also been used for nutrient containing gluten.

Gluten-friendly side items include the post-obit:

  • Avocado
  • Salary Strips
  • Baked Tater
  • Corn Tortillas
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Grits
  • Ham
  • Hash Browns
  • Pork Sausage Link
  • Pork Sausage Patty
  • Red Potato Hash
  • Seasonal Mixed Fruit
  • Seasoned Chips
  • Smoked Pork Sausage Links
  • Broccoli
  • Turkey Bacon
  • Turkey Sausage Link
  • Turkey Sausage Patty
  • Whole Kernel Buttered Corn

To exist sure a side item doesn't include remnants of gluten, I would recommend ordering fresh sides, such as avocado, mixed fruit, or a side of fresh veggies similar lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.

Dressings

Choosing a gluten-gratis dressing tin exist a little tricky because a lot of dressings contain gluten in their additives. While some dressings might incorporate a small corporeality of gluten, the following dressings served at IHOP are considered gluten-friendly because they have less than xx parts per 1000000, which ways it's safe for anyone with gluten sensitivities to consume.

  • Blue Cheese Dressing
  • Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
  • Creamy Caesar Dressing
  • Flossy Italian Dressing
  • Fat-Gratis Raspberry Vinaigrette
  • French or Catalina Dressing
  • Honey Mustard Dressing
  • Light Done Right Reduced Fat Italian Dressing
  • Orange Vinaigrette
  • Raspberry Vinaigrette
  • Grand Island Dressing

My favorite dressings are the Honey Mustard Dressing and the Raspberry Vinaigrette. I prefer the former on a Cobb Salad, and I prefer the latter on side veggies with a dash of salt and pepper.

Is it Worth it?

I appreciate it when any eating house recognizes the needs of its customers enough to alter the way the food is prepared and served. Celiac Disease and gluten-sensitivity is a growing concern around the earth, so for the International House of Pancakes, offering a gluten-friendly menu was a smart move.

Even so, because IHOP's menu is gluten-friendly and not gluten-free, customers with serious sensitivities still have to be careful. I'm hoping the chain volition accept their gluten-friendly options a pace further and begin to larn how to prepare their food more advisedly, perhaps on clean griddles or with fresh oils. This would crave extensive staff training and understanding of Celiac Illness, so allow'south hope this a direction IHOP volition motility.

Overall, IHOP's gluten-friendly options are healthy and tasty, but it'southward still up to the customer to determine how safe each item is to consume.

What do you think?

Accept you tried whatever of IHOP'southward signature gluten-friendly bill of fare items? If you take gluten sensitivities, what is your go-to IHOP repast? Let united states of america know in the comments below.