"My Aunt Marie used to say, 'Don't change anything. People don't like change,' she recalled of the words imparted by her father Robert's sister. That sticks in my head. Indeed, since its founding in 1959, the restaurant has largely stayed the same, from its upholstered vinyl booths and wood-paneled walls to the recipes for its bestselling Swedish and buttermilk pancakes."
"At age 10, she started working as a cashier at her family's humble diner, earning a dollar an hour from her aunts Frankie and Marie Mulcrevy. Burke continued as a cashier and a host during high school, and she later waitressed and bartended while pursuing her teaching credential. In 2009, as she pivoted from teaching fourth grade, Burke returned to the pancake palace as part of the second generation."
"In the early days, an order of Swedish pancakes, served with the signature lingonberry butter, was 90 cents. Coffee was a dime. When I visited last month, it was still a solid value: For less than $20, I got two eggs, two Swedish pancakes, a generous portion of hash browns and unlimited coffee."
The Millbrae Pancake House, established in 1959 by the Mulcrevy sisters and Jack Holder as an Uncle John's Pancake House franchise, has remained largely unchanged for over six decades. Erin Burke, who began working at the restaurant at age 10 as a cashier, returned in 2009 as the second-generation owner after pursuing a teaching career. The restaurant maintains its original upholstered vinyl booths, wood-paneled walls, and signature recipes for Swedish and buttermilk pancakes. Burke credits her aunt Marie's advice to avoid changes, as customers value the nostalgic, old-school atmosphere. The diner continues to serve locals, celebrities, and influencers with affordable pricing, offering Swedish pancakes with lingonberry butter and coffee at reasonable rates.
Read at SFGATE
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