The Original Pancake House facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Casual dining |
| Founded | 1953 in Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Founders | Les Highet Erma Hueneke |
| Headquarters |
,
U.S.
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Number of locations
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146 (2023) |
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Areas served
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United States, Japan and South Korea |
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Key people
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Ronald Highet (President) |
| Products | Breakfast dishes |
The Original Pancake House, often called TOPH, is a popular chain of restaurants. They are famous for their delicious pancakes and other breakfast foods. You can find their restaurants all over the United States. They also have locations in Canada, Japan, and South Korea.
TOPH uses old, traditional recipes for their pancakes. But they also serve other classic diner meals. There is even a related restaurant called Walker Brothers Pancake House. It has a similar menu but a more formal feel.
Contents
The Story of The Original Pancake House
The very first Original Pancake House opened in 1953. It was started in Portland, Oregon, by two people named Les Highet and Erma Hueneke. They gathered many recipes from all over the world to use in their restaurant.
Soon, their idea grew! They allowed other people to open restaurants using their name and recipes. This is called franchising. Because of this, The Original Pancake House quickly spread. You could find them in more than half of the U.S. states. They even opened a location in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Famous Breakfast Dishes
The Original Pancake House is well known for its breakfast meals. Some of their most famous dishes include:
- The Apple Pancake
- The Dutch Baby
- The German Pancake
- Different kinds of omelets
Today, there are over 100 franchised locations. They stretch from Seattle on the west coast to Edgewater on the east coast. You can find them from Wilmette to Williamsville. There's even one in Honolulu, Hawaii!
One of the first franchised restaurants opened in Anaheim, California, in 1958. Today, it is owned by the family of people who worked at the very first Portland location.
Awards and Recognition
In 1999, the original Portland restaurant received a special award. It was called an American Classic from the James Beard Foundation Award. This award celebrates beloved local restaurants.
USA Today also named TOPH as one of the Top 10 Pancake Restaurants in the Nation. This was according to the company's own website. The location in Hyde Park, Chicago was a favorite of Chicago's Mayor, Richard M. Daley. He even did an interview there with a news reporter named Walter Jacobson.
International Growth
The Original Pancake House first came to Canada in 1959. Then, in May 2013, it opened its first restaurant outside North America. This was in Seoul, South Korea. Just one month later, it expanded to Kichijōji, Tokyo, Japan.
Where to Find The Original Pancake House
The Original Pancake House has restaurants in 28 different states. You can find them in many big cities. These include:
You can find a full list of all their locations on their official website.
The restaurant in Winnipeg, Canada, used to be the only one there. But now, that same owner runs four restaurants in Winnipeg. They all have the same name and a similar logo. They also serve some of the chain's special dishes, like the Dutch baby pancake.
Since the spring of 2013, a restaurant has been open in Kichijōji, Japan.
See also
- Golden Nugget Pancake House
- IHOP
- The Royal Canadian Pancake Houses
- List of pancake houses
- Waffle House
