Syracuse (Consumer Reports) -- Since pancakes are a favorite way to start the day, Consumer Reports testers went undercover to find out who makes great-tasting buttermilk pancakes, eating at five major chains, including Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, and IHOP.
IHOP claims its pancakes are “award-winning with … authentic country flavor.” But Consumer Reports taste testers found the IHOP pancakes looked better than they tasted. As the pancakes cooled, they became kind of tough.
Denny’s pancakes tasted as if they came from a mix. So did pancakes from Country Kitchen.
The best pancakes came from Cracker Barrel and Perkins. They were cooked to a nice golden brown and tasted freshly prepared.
But even with the best restaurants, Consumer Reports found that it’s better to order pancakes in the morning. When the taste testers ordered the pancakes from the all-day menu, they sometimes found that the pancakes picked up flavors of other foods cooked on the grill. And they weren’t as good.
As for the syrup, Cracker Barrel was the only restaurant that had syrup containing real maple. Though it wasn’t 100 percent pure maple syrup, Cracker Barrel does serve it warm.
