IHOP Coffee K-Cups Guide (How to Use, Where to Buy + More Information)

With some of America’s best coffee being IHOPs, it’s no shock that customers want to enjoy it from the comfort of their homes and offices. This article will take a deeper look at IHOP Coffee K-Cups, so stick around to find out more.

IHOP sells Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups. These capsules are my absolute go-to. They save the day, especially when you need them to. They make late-night shifts bearable. IHOP K-Cups are vital to baristas like me. Running to and from the coffee station with these K-Cups in hand is ritualistic at this point. Aren’t they addictive? If you aren’t familiar with them, this article will give info on how to get them, use them, and dispose of them. It is the ultimate guide to K-Cups at IHOP.

What Are K-Cups At IHOP Coffee?

There are no IHOP K-Cups. Instead, the franchise uses Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups. These are single-serve coffee pods with an interesting history.

Since 2019, Royal Cup Coffee has provided IHOP with fine-brewed coffee. After years of being IHOP’s coffee plug, the company came out with its line of K-Cups. These pods are made of Arabica coffee beans. Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups are revolutionary because they’re quick, convenient, and easy to use, all while not compromising on flavor or taste. They are also a cheaper alternative to getting IHOP coffee from physical stores.

What Flavors Of K-Cups Are Available at Royal Cup Coffee?

IHOP Coffee K-Cups Guide
Royal Cup Coffee. Image source: Amazon

When it comes to flavor, K-Cups at IHOP provide a wide variety for customers to choose from. Here are some of the flavors:

  • Breakfast Blend – a light roast coffee with a sweet, full body
  • Donut Shop – another light roast coffee with bright caramel notes
  • 100% Colombian – is a medium roast coffee with notes of toffee and citrus
  • Rainforest Blend – a medium roast coffee with a deep rich flavor
  • Sumatra Bold – a dark roast coffee with intense spicy notes
  • Majestic Bold – a dark roast coffee with a rich chocolate flavor
  • French Vanilla – a mellow-tasting vanilla-flavored coffee
  • Hazelnut – a smooth, aromatic hazelnut-flavored coffee
  • Breakfast Blend Decaf – a decaffeinated version of Breakfast Blend which is great for winding down

What Are the Sizes Of K-Cups at Royal Cup Coffee?

K-Cups at IHOP come in a standard 18g size capsule. They only come in one size because that is the standard K-Cup size for all brands. They need to fit within the brewing machines. These 18g K-Cups produce 10 oz of IHOP coffee, and one full packet comes with 24 pods. A packet’s dimensions are 7.5 x 3.75 x 5.5 inches. One 24-pod package weighs around 400g.

What Are Royal Cup Coffee K-Cup Pods Made Of?

IHOP Coffee K-Cups Guide 
Royal Cup Coffee K-Cup Pods. Image source: Walmart

K-Cups at IHOP are high-quality and made of 100% pure Arabica coffee. The coffee beans used to make these products are sourced from a single coffee farm in Guatemala Estate, near the Agua and Fuego volcanoes. Also, depending on whether it is flavored or not, this brand of K-Cups has artificial flavors and other ingredients that are kept top secret. But what we do know is that Royal K-Cups are soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, shellfish-free, nut-free, and MSG-free. They are also kosher-safe and keto friendly.

What Is the Best Roast Level for Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups?

From our experimentation with different roast levels of K-Cups at IHOP, we found that medium and dark roasts had the best flavor and the most pleasant aftertaste. Coffee can be either dark, medium, or light roast. These terms denote the roasting time used when preparing coffee beans. Light is the shortest time and does not alter the original flavor of the coffee beans much. Medium is a slightly longer roasting time, and results in a bean with less acidity and a richer nutty taste. Finally, dark roasted beans are roasted for the longest time and are the least acidic but full of flavor.

Buying Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups

Now that we know a few general facts about Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups, let’s discuss where to find this delicious coffee.

How Much Are Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups?

Depending on where you decide to purchase these K-Cups, prices vary. Fortunately, though, they are always relatively affordable, considering the amount of good coffee one can enjoy from a single pack. Here is a breakdown of the prices of K-Cups at IHOP from different sources:

  • Official Royal Cup Coffee Website: $12.50 for a pack of 24 pods
  • Piggly Wiggly Stores: $12.50 for a pack of 24 pods
  • Western Stores: $12.50 for a pack of 24 pods
  • Walmart Stores: $12.50 for a pack of 24 pods
  • Amazon Website: $18.00 for a pack of 24 pods

Where Can I Buy Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups?

IHOP coffee in the form of K-Cups at IHOP is readily available for purchase by customers. There are a few physical stores and online platforms to buy these coffee capsules. Check them out below:

Does IHOP sell Royal Cup Coffee K-cups in Stores?

IHOP Coffee K-Cups Guide 
Royal Cup Coffee K-cups. Image source: Walmart

No. K-Cups at IHOP are not sold in IHOP locations. They can be, however, bought in various department stores such as Piggly Wiggly, Western, and Walmart. There is a caveat, though. They are only available in select stores across the Southeast area, in particular, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana. Unfortunately, locations outside these do not have Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups in physical grocery stores.

Can Royal Cup Coffee Deliver K-Cups?

Yes. These K-Cups can be delivered. If you are not lucky enough to live near one of the physical stores that carry Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups, they can be conveniently delivered to your doorstep. IHOP will not deliver the coffee pods, but Royal Cup Coffee can be found online on the official Royal Cup Coffee website as well as on Amazon. Once you place an order on either of those sites, the pods can be delivered to a location of your choice.

How to Use Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups

After you have learned all the information about your K-Cups and managed to purchase a few, the next natural step would be to use them. But how do you do that? Find out below.

How Do Royal Cup Coffee’s K-Cups Work?

Hearing that coffee can be brewed in under a minute would be something crazy a few decades ago, but with modern technology, this is possible. K-Cups are revolutionary coffee inventions, and the Royal Cup Coffee brand is known to be one of the best. So how do these K-Cups work? It is a fast and easy process, as outlined below:

  1. First, it is important to know that Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups are sealed pods with coffee grounds inside. A pod also comes with a paper coffee filter inside.
  2. When inserted into the brewing machine (such as a Kiering machine), it should fit perfectly into the compartment and should be able to be locked inside.
  3. Press the brew button on the machine.
  4. A hole will be punctured into both the top and bottom of the Royal Cup Coffee pod. This breaks its freshness seal.
  5. The machine will force hot pressurized water through the top hole. This water will brew the coffee inside the coffee cup, pass it through the coffee filter, and down the hole at the bottom into your coffee mug.

Alternatively, you can prepare Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups without a brewing machine. It is just as simple. Follow these steps:

  1. Remove the protective seal on the K-Cup and pour the contents into a heat-safe mug or container.
  2. Pour boiling water into the mug with the coffee grounds.
  3. Let the coffee grounds steep for at least 5 minutes.
  4. Poke a hole in the bottom of the K-Cup and be careful to avoid puncturing the paper filter within.
  5. Pour the steeped coffee water through the K-Cup and coffee filter into another mug.
  6. Enjoy your coffee!

Can You Re-Use Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups?

How to Use, Where to Buy 
Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups. Image source: Royal Cup Coffee

Unfortunately, no. K-Cups from Royal Cup Coffee can’t be reused. This is because they are single-serve pods. One pod can make only one serving of coffee (10 oz) once. But if you are desperate or in a tight fix, you can run the K-Cup again through the machine. However, the resulting coffee will be weak and diluted in flavor.

How Many Times Can You Re-Use Royal Cup Coffee Re-Usable K-Cups?

While Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups are not reusable, they can be used up to 3 times to extract the most coffee. These coffee pods are designed to be single-serve, so be aware that, after the first use, the coffee will not be flavorful. But if you must reuse them, it is quite easy. Without removing the K-Cup from the machine, press the brew button repeatedly until it is used up.

Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups Compatibility

To correctly and efficiently use Royal Cups Coffee K-Cups, one would have to use the right equipment. Most of them are readily available on Amazon. Make sure you get a compatible one that suits you and your coffee needs. Here is all you need to know about the gadgets:

Can You Use Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups in Any Machine?

No, Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups cannot be used with any machine. They are only compatible with specific coffeemakers that are designed to brew K-Cups. Buying a machine that is compatible with Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups is crucial because nobody wants to waste money during these difficult economic times. That’s why we did our due diligence and found all the machines that you can comfortably use to prepare your K-Cups.

Which Machines Are Compatible with Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups?

IHOP Coffee K-Cups Guide
Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups. Image source: Walmart

Several brands can be used to make this coffee. From Cuisinart and Kiering to Brim Triple and Mixpresso, there is a very wide selection of machines to choose from. This is a comprehensive list of machines that can be used to prepare Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups:

  • Keurig K Elite – is the most powerful Keurig
  • Kiering C K-Elite – is the Costco version of the Keurig K Elite
  • K Supreme Plus – is a mid-range Keurig
  • Keurig K Select – one of the best affordable models
  • Keurig K Duo Plus – a very versatile machine
  • Keurig K Latte – can make lattes
  • Keurig K Supreme – an affordable option
  • Keurig K Mini Plus – a slim and powerful model
  • Keurig K Express – is basic and budget-friendly
  • Keurig K Mini – compact and good for newbies
  • Mixpresso Single Cup – is the most affordable machine with good ratings
  • Cuisinart Premium Single Serve Brewer – has great temperature consistency
  • Cuisinart Coffee Center – can prepare two K-Cups at once
  • Cuisinart Grind and Brew Single Serve Coffeemaker – comes with an in-built grinder
  • BLACK + DECKER Single Serve Coffee Maker – very affordable and portable

FAQ Section

Are there gluten-free coffee k-cups at IHOP?

Yes. The Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups are completely gluten-free. Those with gluten sensitivity and celiac disease can comfortably drink this coffee.

Can you get decaf coffee k-cups at IHOP?

Royal Cup Coffee does offer a decaffeinated K-Cup. It is the Breakfast Blend Decaf.

Are k-cups at IHOP compostable?

The coffee capsule is not compostable because it is plastic, but the used coffee grounds and paper filter can and should be composted.

Are k-cups at IHOP good?

Without a doubt, these K-Cups are good. They are very tasty, smooth and do not have strong bitter notes like those from other brands.

Are k-cups at IHOP coffee keto-friendly?

Yes. The Royal Cup Coffee K-Cups are keto-friendly because they are low in carbohydrates. A single serving has less than 8g of carbs and sugar.

Are k-cups at IHOP kosher?

People on a kosher diet can consume these K-Cups because they are certified kosher.

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