I want to share a frustrating experience that is still ongoing.
My wife’s debit card had to be canceled due to the actions of the site manager at the IHOP located at 758 Earl Rudder Fwy, Bryan.
Veronica and I had breakfast at this location, which I’ve been visiting for years, before heading to the Bryan Expo Center for a reptile show. The show was interesting, but we only stayed for an hour because the snakes were freaking Veronica out. I’ll save that story for another time; it’s hilarious.
On our way back to Hearne, we stopped at the Cefco near Denny’s and realized Veronica’s debit card was missing. After retracing our steps, we confirmed that IHOP was the last place it had been used. Thankfully, we called ahead, and they confirmed they had the card and told us to pick it up. Although Veronica felt a bit foolish for leaving it, we returned to retrieve her card.
Veronica went inside to retrieve the card but returned to the car within minutes in tears. “They won’t give it back,” she said. “I’ll have to wait for the bank to confirm it’s my card.” They even told her to leave, which added to her distress. What were we supposed to do now?
The card was no longer the primary issue; my crying wife was. To say I was a bit heated would be an understatement, but having dealt with people for years, I managed to stay calm and entered the IHOP. As for the card, it could be replaced or turned off; I had another card with me, so there wasn’t too much concern on that front.
When I entered, I was greeted by the same person who had helped us earlier that day. I could see our waitress from where I stood. “I need to speak with the manager,” I said. As she turned away, I asked, “What do I want?” I replied, “I want my debit card back.” That began the waiting game. The manager refused to see me at the front of the store. I stood there until I needed to call the police department for intervention. I could have stood there all day; I waited 30 minutes before the Bryan Police Department arrived.
The manager continued to refuse to hand over my property. After a 15-minute debate, she told the officers, “Go ahead, do him too,” referring to issuing me a Criminal Trespass Warning. This ticket means I can’t go back to IHOP, not even to retrieve my card.
The manager was extremely rude, and her solution to the problem she and her staff created was to issue me a warning ticket. I never raised my voice; I was polite throughout the encounter. I was never asked to leave, even after the ticket was issued. I was not trespassing at any given time.
The police did as requested, even though they knew it was unwarranted and unjustified. A store manager can ask to have these issued by local law enforcement at will, so it would seem.
Reflecting on how the card might have been “left behind,” we started to suspect a scam. After the interaction, we became convinced that it was indeed a scam, especially after reading the posted comments on social media regarding this experience. We now believe they have a scheme going, but they won’t use my card—I know too much.
I worry that they might try this with you, so here’s how the scam works:
When it came time to pay, Veronica handed the card to the server—the same server who later refused to speak to the police or verify we were even there. After that, the server handed her the electronic checkout device. Veronica became distracted when she noticed that the 25% tip button was already selected—an entirely different scam. While she adjusted the tip amount, she forgot to ask for her card back, leaving it still in the handheld device.
The server then took off with the card, mentioning something under her breath about changing the tip. We are still unsure what the final tip amount was, as it has not cleared the bank at the time I’m writing this. They now have our zip code, which enables the card to work at gas pumps and various convenience stores. Criminals know which establishments only require a zip code to use a stolen card.
During our first encounter, the store manager told Veronica, “You are never getting this card back,” while screaming at her.
She was correct; we aren’t getting the card back because we don’t need it. We canceled it on Monday and immediately drained that account into my savings account right after the incident.
After this experience, I took a moment to read the Google reviews and was shocked. I’ve visited this IHOP dozens of times, and my long-time four-star review was still there, but it has been altered, as you might suspect to accurately reflect this situation.
Even more shocking were the numerous comments on social media (you can find the original posts on my page), indicating that we are not the only ones who have suffered at the hands of this IHOP and its staff.
So, if you’re in Bryan, consider going to The Kettle, Denny’s, or better yet, check out Mary’s, Amigos, Penny’s, and all the fine restaurants in Robertson County, and stay away from this IHOP.
UPDATE from Tuesday, March 11, 2025
This past Tuesday, an IHOP district manager contacted me to discuss a resolution. None was reached; however, that is solely because we plan to meet in person on Thursday after the newspaper is printed. He asked what it would take to resolve the situation; he confessed to reading my social media/blog/website account of the incident and wanted to get this situation as far behind IHOP as possible.
What do you ask for in this situation?
By publishing this story, my only goal was to inform the citizens of Robertson County about the situation and to allow each person reading the information to be informed before choosing IHOP over a local restaurant. A learn-from-my-mistake type report.
I will go to the meeting and ask what IHOP wants to do to resolve the situation. It is far better to hear just how seriously they believe this situation is and what they plan to do to repair their reputation to the people of Robertson County.
Veronica wanted a free lifetime supply of pancakes for all of you. I would not hold your syrup up waiting for that to happen.
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