IHOP Adds Signature Burritos and Bowls to Lineup

When it comes to the acronym that defines the IHOP brand, people tend to put extra weight on the P, which conveys pancakes. That's a food category where the chain definitely has their bases covered. But less often does it seem like they play up the international "I" at the other end of the acronym.

Well, I hope you're ready for a little culinary adventure south of the border, because IHOP has thrown together a whole lineup of Signature Burritos and Bowls to appease your appetite for Mexican-leaning cuisine, whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

For the less adventurous who want to dip their toe into burrito/bowl territory, there are ample options. They include the classic, which is pretty much your standard breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, shredded jack and cheddar cheese, hash browns, plus a choice of bacon or sausage. The country breakfast takes most of those ingredients, using ham and sausage as the meat while also adding in fire-roasted peppers and onions.

Things really ramp up from there flavor-wise, though. The Spicy Poblano Fajita starts with scrambled eggs, those cheeses, and hash browns, while layering in elements like shredded beef, avocado, and onions — plus three types (poblano, serrano, and red) of peppers. For a non-breakfast beef burrito or bowl, the Spicy Shredded beef blends those Spicy Poblano Fajita ingredients, but swaps out the scrambled eggs for rice.

Then, there are the pollo-based options. The Southwest Chicken appropriately blends grilled chicken with scrambled eggs, bacon, green peppers and onions, tomato, avocado, hash browns, plus a trio of shredded jack, cheddar cheese, and queso sauce. Last but certainly not least, the New Mexico Chicken takes all of the above, swapping out scrambled eggs for rice.

Is IHOP ready to compete with Chipotle. Who knows. But with that list of Signature Burritos & Bowls starting at $5.99, there's certainly a chance to undercut the market for mass-produced Mexican eats a bit. Plus, once you consider the absence of a major player in the breakfast burrito market, IHOP might just be onto something here. Now if only they could combine a breakfast burrito with a pancake…