Does IHOP Hire Felons?

If given the opportunity, ex-convicts are most likely the kind of employees that push themselves towards becoming more efficient and productive.

Julia Stewart started as a waitress in IHOP, worked her way up and became the CEO of the same company. Like her, former offenders can also achieve the same because they have more reason to be really determined and hardworking.

About IHOP

Headquartered in Glendale, California, IHOP (International House of Pancakes) is a pancake house and fastfood restaurant chain which operates globally.

Founded in 1958 by Jerry Lapin, Al Lapin and Albert Kallis, the company opened its first restaurant as one that serves breakfast foods in Tolluca Lake District in Los Angeles.

Now, IHOP (DineEquity, Inc.) is a subsidiary of the holding company that also owns the Orange Julius refreshment stands. It has a total of over 1650 restaurants internationally, 99% of which are operated by independent franchisees.

IHOP provides a competitive salary and performance-based incentives for its employees. They also get to enjoy standard and additional benefits such as free meals, accommodation and transportation.

The work at any IHOP restaurants involve long hours, but generally, the employees’ review in terms of minimum pay, teamwork, environment and culture are mostly positive.

Do Felons Get Hired At IHOP?

There is a convincing amount of anecdotal evidence to confirm that at least, even some applicants with criminal records get hired at IHOP.

Most IHOP restaurants are run by independent franchisees. This may explain why each and every restaurant is governed by hiring policies that differ from one another.

Another factor is the fact that some states in US prohibit the conduct of background investigation on any job candidate without finishing all the stages of the application process.

Thus, applicants with criminal histories may have the chance of getting a conditional job offer. For the most part however, one’s past conviction for an offense may not really be an issue in the food business.

Application Process At IHOP

Job listings in different locations are posted regularly through the company website. You may consider submitting an application by creating a profile and resume online. The standard hiring procedure is the following:

• Create a profile and copy-paste your resume, or personally submit your printed application at a preferred restaurant or location
• One-on-one question and answer session with the store manager, assistant manager, shift supervisor or any high-ranking personnel (for entry-level positions)
• May include interviews in separate sessions with the hiring personnel and several store managers
• Group interviews or multiple round of interviews in job fairs or where there are many applicants
• Job offer

Tips When Applying For Job At IHOP

In any IHOP restaurant, patience is a virtue that the employer could be actively looking for. This is because IHOP restaurants operate 24 hours a day, and they need employees who can endure late-night crowds and hectic hours.

You may have to state at the outset that you are available anytime because on a 24/7 basis, individuals who can work various shifts and rotating schedules are needed for the crew.

As an applicant with a criminal history, you may not have to disclose this fact on your resume. Unless you have a pending criminal case, the ban-the-box law won’t protect you from concealing it.

If asked during the interview, do not lie about the existence of a criminal conviction. Compensate this fact by showing your enthusiasm and rehabilitated character despite the blemish of a past mistake.