A breakfast burrito is not like a pancake.

That’s an obvious statement, but it’s especially true if you’re trying to introduce it to a chain of more than 1,700 restaurants across the country, like IHOP did in January.

Pancakes, and other breakfast staples like bacon, sausage and eggs, are supposed to taste the same with each bite. There’s comfort and reassurance in that consistency.

Burritos, on the other hand, are supposed to be a little bit of an adventure, and a little different in every bite, according to Scott Randolph, IHOP’s vice president of culinary, who started developing the new menu line with his team before the pandemic hit.

How spicy is this bite going to be? How much egg is going to be in it? How much rice? Why is there rice in this burrito but no beans? Is that chicken in a breakfast burrito?

In this podcast, Randolph discusses the challenges and fun of developing the family-dining chain’s line of burritos and bowls, as well as the regional variations that he explored to create items that are operationally feasible as well as delicious for customers.