REVIEW: IHop IN MUSTANG, OKLAHOMA

​Overall review of first year August 2015 - September 2016

Front of IHOP in Mustang, Oklahoma

Source: Photo by Alicia Rose Harrell © November 2015

​Mustang, Oklahoma is a vibrant growing community with a diversity of vocational fields. Within 11 years (2005 - 2016), its economy incrementally increased. Many new businesses opened in 2014, 2015 and 2016. IHOP was among those who literally built their restaurant and opened the beginning of August 2015.

IHOP is not the only restaurant in this small Oklahoman city, but it is the best. I have dined at all the family friendly restaurants in Mustang. When it comes to customer service, quality of food delivered, and overall dining experience (from the minute one walks through the door) IHOP's is incomparable. Granted not all IHOPs are first rate like Mustang's. I have dined at numerous IHOPs in other states plus throughout Oklahoma that did not deliver the same superlative dining out experience. Much has to do with how the individual IHOPs are managed.

At the IHOP in Mustang, Oklahoma management and staff (kitchen, waiting, hosting and cleaning) as a team work flawlessly which has turned this IHOP into an exceptional restaurant. The chef and entire kitchen staff take just the right amount of time to deliver the high quality American food on IHOP's menu.

Now this IHOP was not always as superlative as it is currently. I remember how this restaurant started since its first week open at the beginning of August 2015, newly built with all new everything including the locals hired by this restaurant. The entire restaurant team definitely went through a training phase where the overall dining experience in August through November 2015 was 3 to 3 1/2 stars. In December 2015 this IHOP improved, delivering a consistent four to five stars overall dine-in experience to its customers. As of September 2016, this restaurant has been gifting unfaltering 4 1/2 to 5 stars customer satisfaction in all dining out at a restaurant areas! Better than the other restaurants in Mustang! Every time I thought a plateau had been reached, this restaurant enhanced. Amazing how much this IHOP truly has improved in its first year!

The Manager of Mustang's IHOP, Maraud, is one of the best managers I have had the pleasure to befriend. He makes his position look easy to do when in reality most would find it daunting or impossible. Being a manager of a large chain restaurant can be very stressful for Maraud is actually in the middle, the position between the local restaurant's team and the corporation behind the business. To me, Maraud is an excellent restaurant manager, can handle being the middle man for his personality type is perfect for this type of job. Not only does he get along well with the corporation behind IHOP, but it is obvious by how well Mustang's IHOP is run that the entire restaurant staff consider him great to work with, plus firm and fair. The way Maraud in the background orchestrates through delegation is something all managers in any field should learn. He has accomplished in this IHOP's first year what many restaurant managers to a large chain restaurant would have claimed impossible for it ended on a successful note. A lot of his managerial success comes from the teamwork and proper restaurant etiquette, not just between interacting with customers, but with fellow staff members that he has instilled. Every employee knows their position is crucial and does their best in order to encourage return visits from the happy customers. Maraud's management style truly works, and Mustang residents, as customers or IHOP employees, are benefiting from his outstanding expertise.

The longest wait via local word of mouth has been twenty-five minutes which is not bad for a smaller in size IHOP. The average wait time is 10 to 15 minutes tops, just depends upon time of day and how many want to dine at this delightful restaurant. Most of the time, especially for lunch and dinner, there is no waiting thanks to the exceptional hosting staff. The building's seating capacity has been maxed out on holidays and during weekends. Sunday morning seemed to me the busiest. It is amazing how size of party does not matter, plenty of seating for all size families and groups!
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A great big thank you for how special each customer is treated at Mustang's IHOP. The hosting and wait staff are friendly and take customer satisfaction seriously. They do all they can to accommodate their customers' needs; most leave happy! A very special appreciation from me for all the employees at this IHOP do. Heartfelt gratitude for the excellent hygienic dining experience and delicious food served!

​More about IHOP in Mustang, Oklahoma

There is nothing difficult in finding the IHOP in Oklahoma. It is perfectly situated on East State Highway 152 across the street from the shopping center where Billy Simms Barbecue, Wal-Mart, Payless Shoes and the AT&T store are located. No one, visitors and locals, have had trouble finding this restaurant.

Address: 1068 East State Highway 152, Mustang, Oklahoma 73064
Phone number: (405) 730-8890

No need for reservations, just stop by. This IHOP is open 24 hours, seven days per week.
Want a place to go for dining out with family and friends for the holidays (Thanksgiving, Winter Season Holidays aka Christmas [Yule] and New Year's, National Holidays, plus Summer Vacation), highly recommend this IHOP. They are OPEN all year round!

The best part of making Mustang's IHOP your holiday or vacation dining out destination is they do the cooking and clean up while you happily enjoy a great time with your family and friends. Less stress and no one leaves the table hungry!

Note: IHOP does holiday, seasonal and charity sponsored Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner specials for all ages. Just ask the wait staff if there are any specials for Seniors, adults or children in your party. You will be surprised how much you can save! Many family's have saved a lot just by asking!

Examples of how you can save while dining out at Mustang's IHOP: Senior Citizens during the Winter of 2015 saved money from the Senior BOGO (buy one get one free between specified hours) special that lasted the entire season! St. Patrick's Day 2016 IHOP had a $1 small stack pancake special! August 23, 2016 IHOP also had a $1 small stack pancake special where the proceeds went to a charity that fed children in need.
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In March 2016, the local residents of Mustang, Oklahoma at this IHOP started something fantastic. It is a pay it forward aspect you probably will not find elsewhere. A regular customer of Mustang's IHOP (no one knows who precisely) picked at random a table and covered their tab, and then told them to pay it forward the next time they come in to this IHOP, pick at random another table to do the same. This has caught on like wildfire! As of May 2016, it is my understanding via word of mouth that the person who started it, also became a recipient of this two months later, and of course kept the pay it forward dining at IHOP thing going. It is a beautiful local gesture, makes dining out at this IHOP extra special.

Inside of IHOP in Mustang, Oklahoma

Source: ​Photo by Alicia Rose Harrell © March 2018

Rating of IHOP, Mustang, Oklahoma (2016 - 2019)

1. 2016 I gave 5 stars for IHOP in Mustang, Oklahoma when I first published above review on my HubPages column. This rating also held throughout most of 2017.
2. Sometime in late 2017, precise date unknown, their was an obvious change in the afternoon, evening and night shift Chefs and kitchen crew. The menus were also radically changed by the corporation that governs IHOP restaurants. Those high up obviously were attempting to bring the IHOP menu more sophisticated plus offer more food choices. This menu change did not assist with maintaining a 5 stars cuisine for all shifts. Learning curve set in with all in the kitchen. ​
3. Summer, 2018 my overall rating dropped to 4 stars, the food at this IHOP is still good, but not as excellent. Lunch and Dinner plates were not delivered timely, plus some of the ordered food, usually the chicken fingers, was served overcooked. Due to the new menu also changing again during the Summer of 2018, the new plates listed gave the kitchen a rough time. For some reason they would forget an item listed or not correctly cook a new food choice. Heard whispers of a change in Chefs and other kitchen crew for the late afternoon, early evening and night shifts. These rumors were not confirmed, but what I witnessed confirmed the Chef and rest of the kitchen staff were no longer the 5 stars crew we had grown accustomed for Lunch and Dinner. The kitchen seemed to be floundering with the new Lunch and Dinner menu choices; very sad to witness. Breakfast remained 5 stars. Sadly, Lunch dropped to 4 1/2 stars and Dinner was 3 1/2 stars which is why in fairness to all who work there, gave this IHOP an overall rating of 4 stars for all 3 shifts (an overall review rating). 
4. As of January 2019, Mustang's IHOP has not fully recovered from the changes. Maraud is still the Manager, and this slump is no fault of his management style or techniques used. A lot has to do with people finding work elsewhere, having to hire replacements for Chef, kitchen crew, waiting staff, etc. This IHOP continues to maintain an overall barely 4 stars rating. My recommendation is to eat Breakfast at Mustang's IHOP for this shift miraculously continues to hold its 5 stars for food presentation and quality, customer service and cleanliness.

Special note:  I re-visit restaurants and other places I review to ensure accuracy of what I have written in reviews. Sadly, Mustang's IHOP restaurant did not maintain the 5 stars in cuisine and customer service (restaurant still 5 stars for cleanliness during all shifts) in order for me to keep this review in my HubPages column. To save this IHOP's Manager and myself any embarrassment, I shifted this review to this blog, Alicia Rose Online, my personal professional website. Having full control over website content and it is easier to edit this blog, were other deciding factors prompting the change of venue. This decision has made it easier to add any addendum, bringing this review more current, which gifts better review integrity.

Every now and then, I visit this IHOP to see how it is doing. It is hoped someday it will regain 5 stars status for all shifts. Until then, Breakfast is 5 stars, Lunch is 4 1/2 stars and Dinner is 3 1/2 stars which is why I decided in fairness to give this IHOP for all 3 shifts (overall review) 4 stars on 1/18/2019.

​Bon Appétit!
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