Via iStockphoto / @your_judgmentaltiti TikTok
An IHOP diner was amazed at the price of her meal – specifically one piece of toast.
The woman, Tata (@your_judgmentaltiti) posted a clip highlighting how much she was charged for five items. The grand total of her bill came out to $46.38, which includes tax but not tip.
It’s the price of a single price of toast that made her do a double take.
She begins her video by holding up her IHOP receipt. “This is crazy. $4.20 for a soda,” she points out the item before moving on to the price of “a large orange juice.” It cost her $4.79.
When she got to the unique piece of toast, she was amazed. “$4.39 for a slice of toast? Oh my God. That’s insane. That’s crazy,” she says off-camera before her video ends.
‘$50 for pancakes is crazy’
In the comments section of her video, crowds of people expressed their displeasure with the restaurant’s prices.
“Double what it used to be,” one person wrote.
Another replied that customers would get more bang for their buck at another popular breakfast chain. “$25 at Waffle House,” they wrote.
Another echoed the aforementioned sentiment, writing, “IHOP portions or even that much. A diner serves you better.”
But there were others who defended the pricing, apart from the single slice of bread. One wrote: “The only crazy thing about the bill is $4 for toast.”
There were others who felt no sympathy for Tata, saying she should have read the menu more carefully before ordering. “You know the prices are listed on the menu so you can see before you order…so why are you so surprised?” another question.
IHOP vs. Waffle House
Both The International House of Pancakes and the Home of the Waffle have been serving customers since the 1950s. Waffle House first opened its doors in Georgia in 1955. IHOP’s opening location welcomed diners to California three years later, in 1958.
Which restaurant provides better value for its guests depends on who you ask. According to The mossIHOP is the clear winner. This is largely because Waffle House menu prices are “all over the place,” according to the outlet. IHOP was also praised in a write-up from the site for its 55+ senior restaurant discounts and children’s menu options. Additionally, the pancake-centric restaurant’s “frequent diner rewards program” earned high marks. Not to mention its menu was praised for offering more food options than its black-and-yellow-branded competitor.
But Mashed also gave Waffle House high marks for serving more steak than any other restaurant in the United States. The establishment was also praised for offering inexpensive menu options such as the All-Star Breakfast.
Waffle House devotees swear by its prices
But there are other outlets dedicated to Waffle House fare that swear it’s the most affordable option. Waffle menus compared the price of a classic waffle to a classic pancake meal. In 2026, the average price of a waffle at the Georgia-based franchise came in at $5.20, compared to IHOP’s pancake plate at $10.99.
The All-Star special was listed at $12.10 by the website, compared to the $15-$17 price at IHOP. Coffee at Waffle House is $2.65 compared to IHOP’s $3 to $4 per cup. cup. And the website also highlighted how all Waffle Houses are open 24/7, but its breakfast competitor can’t make the same claim.
Waffle House Menu Info also provided a series of infographics comparing prices between the two restaurants. The data presented consistently shows more affordable dining options at Waffle House.
BroBible has reached out to IHOP and Waffle House via email and Tata via TikTok direct message for further comment.
