IHOP Has Some 'Scary' News About Its Fall Menu

As fall approaches, seasonal menu items are starting to roll out at restaurants and fast food establishments alike. Each year at Olive Garden, a dessert that combines pumpkin pie and cheesecake is added to the menu. Appropriately dubbed a pumpkin cheesecake, this creation is decorated with whipped cream, crumbles of ginger cookie, and caramel sauce. Additionally, the famed pumpkin spice latte has graced the Starbucks' menu each fall since its debut in 2003, solidifying pumpkin spice as the ultimate flavor of fall.

There's a reason eateries join in on the autumnal food trend each year. According to a report from Forbes, the sale of pumpkin-centric products rose to $600 million in 2018, an $100 million increase compared to three years prior. This is partly because pumpkin isn't as widely available during other times of the year, driving up demand for customers who crave its flavor (via Kearney). IHOP is one of the companies that's delving into the world of fall-themed foods, and a Monday announcement from Business Wire explained exactly how the pancake chain will be celebrating the post-summer season this year.

IHOP is making it easier than ever to customize its menu offerings to your liking, and it's doing it just in time for fall. On Monday, August 22, IHOP announced a new Choice Menu, which features made-to-order creations as well as special combinations for fall (via Business Wire).

The first fall meal is centered around pumpkin spice pancakes with seasonal spices, whipped cream, and real pumpkin. The breakfast joint is offering six "combo tiers," each of which include eggs and hash browns. The different combinations include an egg combo, a regular combo with bacon or sausage links, a ham and eggs combo with grilled ham, and a sausage and egg combo with four sausage links. You can also order a bacon and egg combo with four strips of bacon or an "ultimate" combo with bacon and sausage. The second fall meal is Scary Face Pancakes, which seem aimed at kids who like to play with their food. The pancake comes with "whipped topping eyes and smile," plus edible items for decorating such as whipped cream, Oreo cookies, candy corn, and glazed strawberries.

Though these customizable combos are new for the chain, IHOP's pumpkin pancakes have been a seasonal offering for some time now. In the past, they've taken the form of pumpkin praline or pumpkin cheesecake pancakes, but this year, IHOP is sticking with classic pumpkin spice.