Customers of an IHOP restaurant are expressing their sadness after one of the chain's locations suddenly closed.
Fans of the popular diner took to social media to share their reactions to the unexpected shutdown.
Wichita Falls IHOP Closed Indefinitely After Storm
Wichita Falls has recently seen the closure of a longstanding IHOP restaurant. AOL reports that the well-known breakfast spot at 1004 Broad Street near the downtown area is closed until further notice.
Notices at the entrance inform customers that the restaurant is temporarily shut down. There has been no official explanation for the closure. Attempts to reach IHOP's main office for comments have received no response.
Previously, this location had suffered structural damage with a roof collapse following a storm in March, leading to temporary repairs.
As of June 2024, the IHOP at 1004 Broad Street remains shuttered.
According to a report posted in The U.S. Sun, an IHOP Media spokesperson stated on June 6, 2024, that the restaurant's closure on Broad Street was caused by storm damage. The location is expected to reopen in the coming months.
Meanwhile, IHOP's other location at 4025 Southwest Parkway continues to serve customers.
Customers expressed disappointment over the recent news of a popular restaurant chain closing. On June 6, 2024, Times Record News posted about the shutdown of the Wichita Falls IHOP on Facebook, which led to a flurry of customer responses in the comments section.
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Chris Galyean expressed his affection for IHOP and hoped for its reopening. Jeremy Cain speculated that the closure might be due to the building's age, suggesting that it could have influenced the decision if there was a choice to be made.
He also noted that his recent visits to the SW Parkway location were met with sparse crowds and significantly higher prices.
Starbucks Opens in Wichita Falls as IHOP Closes
Meanwhile, Times Record News also reports that Wichita Falls has recently welcomed a new Starbucks while temporarily closing IHOP.
The latest Starbucks opened its doors at 1200 East Central Freeway at Windthorst Road, marking the seventh location for the coffeehouse chain in the city. Since its founding in Seattle in 1971, Starbucks has expanded to nearly 16,000 outlets nationwide.
Reactions have been mixed regarding the new opening. Clay White remarked on the rapid expansion of Starbucks, describing the company as a relentless corporate entity. Judy Stephens criticized the pricing at Starbucks as too high.
Steven Bernhardt expressed frustration with the ongoing presence of Starbucks in Wichita Falls, suggesting that the city has reached its limit with the chain.
Despite a recent closure in Wichita Falls, IHOP maintains a significant presence throughout Texas.
IHOP's official website lists 219 branches in Texas, including two in Wichita Falls. The distribution includes seven locations in Austin, eight in Dallas, 19 in Houston, and 20 in San Antonio, with additional restaurants in various other cities and towns across the state.
As of June 30, 2023, IHOP operates 1,790 locations worldwide. According to the company's website, these include branches in every U.S. state, two U.S. territories, and 13 other countries. Data from ScrapeHero reveals that Texas ranks as the state with the second-largest number of IHOP restaurants, trailing slightly behind California, which has 225 locations.
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