IHOP

You read that right! International House of Pancakes... not exactly Mecca for Vegans, I agree. But doable in a pinch, especially if the party you're with has already made up their mind that this chain of fatty breakfast food is where they want to eat.

I actually walked in to IHOP this morning with my feathers up and a small container of Tofutti Cream Cheese hidden in my purse. I
was prepared to settle for white toast considering the sickeningly decadent menu that IHOP is famous for.

Credit has to be given immediately to our server: I ordered decaf coffee and then asked if they offered non-dairy creamer. She pointed out that all the creamer on the table was non-dairy but actually said, "you should still read the label, though, because I don't think it's 100% dairy free." I nearly fainted! Can I tell you how many Baristos/as at Starbucks actually tsk when I ask for soy? 10 points to our server right off the bat! Sure enough, the creamer offered was Coffeemate, not 100% dairy free (there is sodium caseinate in it) but in my Vegan World, I will use it when there is no Silk Creamer available.

Between the pancakes, french toast, waffles, crepes, hash and egg variations there was absolutely nothing for vegans (lacto/ovo-vegetarians obviously would be free to eat just about anything they wanted) in plain sight on the menu. There was a small fruit cup listed on the last page. For $2.99 I could eat myself silly through grapes & cantelope. I did ask the server if there were any bagels or English muffins available. She said they had English muffins. I ordered one & again, she was right on top of it: "do you want me to tell them not to put any butter on it?" Of course! I could have hugged her - though she didn't look like she would have appreciated it.

Everyone else at the table (3 of my girlfriends) all ordered hash & eggs, pancakes & eggs, stuffed French toast & eggs...then conversation again turned to my eating "habits." One woman was convinced that I have a food allergy & kept telling me I should just take Lactaid before going out to eat. I explained, as politely as I could without showing my exasperation that being Vegan is an Ethical Choice, not a food allergy. Even if Lactaid theoretically worked, believe me, IHOP is not the place I want to test that theory (and that's even if I felt like putting cow secretions or chicken crap in my body).

My muffin & fruit arrived and out came my soy cream cheese. Everyone was totally fascinated by it and of course needed a taste. Someone remarked that it tasted better than fat-free Philly (to which I agreed) and that it was sweeter than "regular" cream cheese. I think it tastes better, but what do I know? I'm an alien from another planet.

I will never again accept an invitation to IHOP for breakfast in the future. I will continue to feel a bit trapped, though, when it comes to not having any options for breakfast. Then again, it's so rare that I go out to breakfast that I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

EDIT: 1/11/12

Somewhere in the comment section, people criticized me for using the Coffeemate despite the fact that it has casein. I can only point out that in 2008, when this entry was written, I was only vegan for less than a year & still a little loosey-goosey with the casein. I no longer eat anything containing any dairy, nor do I eat any processed foods unless there is no other option - and even then, only if I can recognize (and pronounce) all ingredients on the label. I am completely animal product free and on a whole foods diet at this time, 4 years later. It's been an incredible journey, and YES, I do have all the followers and readers of the blog to thank for their encouragement, support and information!

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