 | |
| Company type | Family business |
|---|---|
| Genre | Pancakes |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Founder | Allen Trachsel Helen Trachsel Roger Meadmore |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia |
Number of locations | 13 |
Area served | Victoria |
Key people | Simon Meadmore, Chief Executive Officer Gerhard Wittwer, General Manager |
| Products | pancakes, ice-cream, crepes, various savoury dishes |
| Website |
www |
The Pancake Parlour is an Australian family-owned pancake restaurant chain, serving sweet and savoury pancakes and crepes with locations in Victoria.
History
In 1959, Roger and Helen Meadmore, an Australian couple, and their longtime American business partner, Alan Trachsel, [1] [2] were on a road trip in the U.S. [a] Every morning, they stopped for breakfast at pancake houses. The Australian trio would later recall, "Americans served pancakes the way we serve toast". [3]
When they returned home, Roger Meadmore discarded his plans to start an omelette restaurant. He saved up for years to open up the Pancake Kitchen in 1965 with his wife and Trachsel. [3] [7] Located in a burned-out deli at Gilbert Place, Adelaide, [5] the Pancake Kitchen's early days were unconventional. Instead of a menu, patrons were asked what they wanted. Their answer was, "pancakes and a sort-of bolognese." The dish is still on the menu as the Tabriz. [1] [b]
In 1969, the Pancake Kitchen was sold. Roger Meadmore moved to Sydney and Helen and Trachsel to Melbourne, where they started a now-defunct pancake restaurant at 4 Market Lane. As someone else had already registered the Pancake Kitchen, they named it the Pancake Parlour. In 1971, they built the portable Pancake Parlour Party Machine, which operated during the 70s. [1] [3]
Samantha Meadmore left the company in 2009, whilst Simon is now the sole owner. [10] [2] Meadmore moved to Sydney and on 17 August 1975 opened "Pancakes on the Rocks". [11] There are twelve Melbourne restaurants, with the Doncaster, Highpoint, Fountain Gate and Malvern East restaurants open 24 hours a day. [12]
Description
The Pancake Parlour also serves fish, chicken, salads and savoury crepes as well as a variety of breakfast dishes. [13] The Pancake Parlour also sells its pancake mix and pancake syrup in supermarkets across Australia. [14]
The early Pancake Parlours had a giant chess set in every store. The company also sponsored and hosted many chess tournaments in the 1970s and 1980s. [15]
Reception
According to Good Food, the Pancake Parlour is regarded as a Melbourne icon. [1]
See also
Notes
- ^ While their official company history says they were traveling from New York to Miami, [3] a Vice article says they were going through Florida. Sources also differ on who was with Roger Meadmore. Vice said only Trachsel was with him, [4] The Advertiser said only Helen was, [5] and an article from Good Food, endorsed by the company, [6] says that all three were present. [1]
- ^ The Original Pancake Kitchen is still in operation today after being sold at least twice, the first time before 1969. [1] The current owners, proprietor Mark Sandgren and his family, bought the restaurant in March 2017. [8] It currently operates as a four-restaurant chain across South Australia unaffiliated with the Pancake Parlour. [9]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Cody, Gemima (9 April 2019). "All malts, no cults at the Pancake Parlour". Good Food. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ a b Forell, Claude (20 November 1979). "Parlors prove winner". The Age. p. 25 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d "History". The Pancake Parlour. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ Kurmelovs, Royce (21 February 2017). "How Scientologists Founded the Pancake Parlour". Vice. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ a b Barila, Greg (3 March 2023). "SA's most iconic fast food outlets — and the stories behind them". The Advertiser. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023.
- ^ "The Good Food Guide makes friends with The Pancake Parlour". The Pancake Parlour. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Pancake man busily balloons his chain". The Canberra Times. Vol. 59, no. 17975. 15 December 1984. p. 10 – via Trove.
- ^ Wilson, Roxanne (24 May 2017). "The Original Pancake Kitchen's new owners have big plans for Adelaide's 24-hour restaurant". The Advertiser. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Locations". The Original Pancake Parlour. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Fifty years of pancakes and still going strong". National Australia Bank. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ "Pancakes on the Rocks". Around You.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ^ "Locations". The Pancake Parlour. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ "Savoury Menu".
- ^ "The Pancake Parlour Pancake Mix 500g | Woolworths". www.woolworths.com.au. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Tournament at the Pancake Parlour". The Canberra Times. Vol. 62, no. 19046. 27 November 1987. p. 21 – via Trove.