Via iStockphoto / @your_judgmentaltiti TikTok
A IHOP dinner was dismayed by the cost of her meal, specifically: a piece of toast.
The woman, Tata (@your_judgmentaltiti) posted a clip highlighting how much she was being paid for five items. Her bill total came to $46.38, including tax but not tip.
It’s the cost of a single prize for toast that made her do a double take.
She starts her video by holding up her IHOP receipt. “This is crazy. $4.20 for a soda,” she points to the item before moving on to the price of “a large orange juice.” That cost her $4.79.
Once she got to the special piece of toast, she was stunned. “$4.39 for a slice of toast? Oh my God. This is insane. This is insane,” she says off camera before her video comes to an end.
‘$50 for pancakes is wild’
In the comments section of her video, tons of people expressed their dissatisfaction with the restaurant’s prices.
“Twice what it used to be,” one person wrote.
Another responded that customers would get more for their money at another popular breakfast chain. “$25 at the Waffle House,” they wrote.
Someone else echoed the aforementioned sentiment, writing, “IHOP portions are even that big. Dinner is better for you.”
But there were others who defended the price, apart from the one slice of bread. One wrote: “The only crazy thing on the bill is $4 for toast.”
There were others who felt no sympathy for Tata and argued that she should have read the menu more carefully before ordering. “You know the prices are on the menu so you can see them before you order… so why are you so surprised now?” one more question.
IHOP vs. Waffle House
Both the International House of Pancakes and the home of the waffle have been serving customers since the 1950s. Waffle House first opened its doors in Georgia in 1955. IHOP’s opening location welcomed diners to California three years later in 1958.
Which restaurant offers better value for its guests depends on who you ask. According to PureedIHOP is the clear winner. This is largely attributed to the fact that Waffle House menu prices are “all over the place,” according to the outlet. IHOP was also praised in an article from the site for its 55+ senior dining discounts and children’s menu options. Additionally, the pancake-focused restaurant’s “frequent dining rewards program” received high marks. Not to mention that the menu was praised for offering more food options than its black and yellow branded competitor.
But Mashed also gave Waffle House high marks for serving more steak than any other restaurant in the US. The establishment was also praised for offering inexpensive menu options such as the All-Star Breakfast.
Waffle House fans swear by the prices
But there are other outlets that deal with Waffle House pricing and swear it’s the better value option. Waffle menus compared the cost of a classic waffle to a classic pancake meal. In 2026, the average price of a waffle at the Georgia-based franchise was $5.20, compared to IHOP’s $10.99 pancake plate.
The All-Star special was set by the website at $12.10, compared to the cost of $15-$17 at IHOP. Coffee at Waffle House costs $2.65, compared to IHOP’s $3 to $4 per cup. And the website also emphasized that all Waffle Houses are open 24/7, but its breakfast rival can’t make the same claim.
Waffle House Menu Information also produced a slew of infographics that juxtapose the prices of the two restaurants. The data presented consistently shows more affordable dining options at Waffle House.
BroBible has reached out to IHOP and Waffle House via email and Tata via direct message on TikTok for further comment.
Leave a Reply