Two months in, NYC’s Flip’d is gaining a strong foothold in its urban neighborhood.
Franchisees Bryan McKenzie and Robert Cummins opened this location of IHOP’s fast-casual spinoff in the middle of December, right when the omicron variant began sweeping through the city. Even then, although the menu is designed for grab-and-go, 60% of the business came from dine-in customers, said McKenzie—an outcome the two didn’t expect.
It turns out that both the menu and ambiance are conducive to dining inside.
A glimpse inside Flip'd
McKenzie, who is also an IHOP franchisee, is particularly passionate about setting Flip’t’s menu apart from that of its older sibling. From the get-go, he insisted on using fresh ingredients, cooking from scratch, elevating the coffee program and adding vegan options.
The original goal of the concept was to translate IHOP’s best-selling pancakes, egg dishes, burgers and burritos into bowls and other portable formats, but NYC Flip’t goes the extra mile. The pancake batter is prepared every morning in the store, and the pancakes are topped with fresh berries and bananas that are delivered daily—not the pre-prepped blueberry compote IHOP uses.
Flip’d offers more breakfast sandwiches too—and they’re on par with the trendiest fast casuals. The Cali, the newest of the sammies, is layered with freshly made scrambled eggs, avocado, arugula, roasted tomatoes and Jack cheese on a brioche bun.
McKenzie is a vegan, so he made sure there were plant-based options available too. “We offer Just Eggs and a plant-based sausage patty made with pea protein,” he said. “It’s a first for IHOP, made exclusively for us on my request, and we are the only location testing these products.”
Traditional bacon is also on offer, with its most popular application in the Bacon Temptation Bowl—two scrambled eggs over crispy potatoes with Jack and cheddar cheese, bacon and roasted tomatoes. It’s a deconstruction of IHOP’s best-selling Bacon Temptation Omelet.
There’s also a “secret” menu item: French toast. “It’s not on the menu yet, but customers in the know can order it,” said McKenzie. He intends to add it down the road.
All orders are ready in 7 minutes or less.
Creating a cafe vibe
With its open kitchen and 800-square-foot restaurant space, McKenzie wanted to keep smoke and grease to a minimum, he said, so the bacon and sausages are cooked in a combi oven instead of a griddle, which is reserved for pancakes and eggs. The same combi oven is used to bake Flip’d’s croissants and muffins each day.
“We have no freezers,” said McKenzie. The doughs are kept under refrigeration in the walk-ins on the lower level, along with all the fresh fruits and vegetables and other perishables.
Those house-baked muffins and croissants are displayed in a glass case near the coffee service to create a cafe vibe.
“We offer espresso, cappuccino, mocha and lattes, and installed the special equipment necessary to make them,” said McKenzie. The store’s manager is trained as a barista and the coffee drinks are prepared to order. There’s a dedicated pickup station for the beverages separate from the food pickup station, allowing customers to grab a cappuccino and a muffin and be on their way.
Coffee is one of the biggest differentiators at this location and along with the artwork on the walls, adds to that cafe vibe.
Evolving the concept
McKenzie and Cummins have expanded the menu since opening and made a few other changes. Salads are now prepped to order at lunchtime, which has turned into the busiest daypart. Saturdays and Sundays are also busier than expected, said McKenzie.
The catering side of the business is also increasing, as workers return to offices in the neighborhood. Flip’d delivers through DoorDash, UberEats, Grubhub and Postmates and will soon launch its own app, he said.
But, “we pulled away from packing orders in bags if people are dining in,” said McKenzie. “They would just take the food out and immediately throw away the bag or leave it behind.”