By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — The pancakes are coming.
IHOP, the legendary pancake house typically associated with suburbs and freeways, has announced a plan to open 24 new locations in the New York area, with a flagship location in Times Square.
"No way! That’s one thing I've been having an itching for," said Pace University student Nano Tissera, 22, who lives in the Financial District and was excited to hear the news.
Tissera said he hung out at the 24-hour eatery all the time back in Northern Virginia and can't wait to have it back.
"IHOP was a pivotal place for me in high school," he said. "That’s one thing we absolutely need."
Tourist Sadia Alam, 29, visiting from London, was thrilled to hear that more pancakes were coming — she'd been trying to track them down all week.
"We’ve been looking for some place for pancakes for a while," she said, noting that they're a rarity in England. "I always thought it was a big American thing."
But not everyone was excited to hear the news.
Jacksonville, Florida's Mitch Sweat, 58, said that there are lots of IHOPs in every other place in the country and that New York should stay unique.
"I think one of the really interesting things about New York City is the small restaurants. I don’t care for the big chains that much," he said.
IHOP's breakfast-heavy menu currently features favorites including Original Buttermilk and Chocolate Chip as well as Pumpkin Praline, CINN-A-STACK and New York Cheesecake.
The latter is described by the chain's menu as: "Four fluffy buttermilk pancakes loaded with creamy, rich cheesecake pieces and crowned with cool strawberries, powdered sugar and whipped topping."
Manhattan's only current outpost is in West Harlem on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. There are also locations in Brooklyn, Queens and New Jersey.
News of the opening was first reported by the food blog Eater.com.
IHOP opened its 1,500th restaurant in November in Washington, D.C.
