The first Original Pancake House opened in 1953 in Portland, Oregon, by Les Highet and Erma Hueneke,[6] who collected recipes for their restaurant from around the world.

[16][17] One of the earliest franchised restaurants opened in Anaheim, California in 1958, and is currently owned by the family of employees from the original Portland location.

[18] In 1999, the Original Pancake House in Portland received a James Beard Foundation Award as an American Classic.

[20][21] The chain, which expanded to Canada in 1959, spread further internationally in May 2013, when it opened its first overseas location in Seoul, South Korea.

[23] The Original Pancake House is located in 29 states, with stores in most of the major metropolitan cities, including Austin,[24] Atlanta,[25] Dallas,[26] Miami,[27] Chicago,[28] Seattle, Denver,[29] and Charlotte.