IHOP: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

IHOP is a pancake-and-breakfast diner, and that makes finding vegetarian food simple most of the time. You’ll find the meat-free options mostly in the sides, not the headline breakfast plates. Where it gets tricky is going vegan, since the line between the two diets is sharper here than at most chains you’d visit for breakfast.

What to order at IHOP

Hash browns, crispy breakfast potatoes, and French fries without seasoning salt all work as sides, and multigrain toast or avocado toast ordered without butter or eggs are solid choices too. Fresh fruit, steamed broccoli, and sauteed spinach or vegetables round out a plate if you ask for no butter. A side salad without cheese also works for something lighter, and oatmeal made with water instead of milk keeps breakfast simple.

What to watch out for

Every pancake, waffle, French toast, and crepe at IHOP is vegetarian but never vegan, since the batter contains milk and the pancakes also contain egg, even in the gluten-friendly version. If you eat dairy and eggs, the griddle menu is wide open, but strict vegans should treat it as entirely off-limits and build from sides instead. The Impossible Sausage that IHOP rolled out in 2023 was quietly pulled from the menu around mid-2025, so don’t count on finding plant-based sausage. Butter Pecan syrup is a check-first flavor, while Original syrup is the safer, dairy-free bet.