stack of pancakes with butter on white plate

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Of all the popular chain breakfast restaurants in the U.S., Uncle John's Pancake House might not be the first to come to mind. As of June 2025, three restaurants bearing the Uncle John's name exist in the United States. Two of them are in Northern California and a third is in Toledo, Ohio.

Uncle John's Pancake House was launched in California in 1957 by Jack and Anne Holder. Jack Holder was a World War II Veteran who had experience with franchises after he opened a Dairy Queen in Oregon in 1948. The Holder family sold the Dairy Queen before they opened Uncle John's Pancake House in Santa Clara, California, which proved to be a success. The Holders went on to open multiple restaurants in the Bay Area, including Jack's Woodside Grille and the Holders' Country Inn.

Though we don't know much about how the franchise expanded outside of California, we do know that during its peak, there were dozens of Uncle John's Pancake House restaurants across the country. Uncle John's Pancake House built its reputation on a diverse and extensive menu of pancakes and waffles. Diners could enjoy distinctive menu of items like potato pancakes, Iowa corn pancakes, and date-nut waffles. 

The Uncle John's Pancake Houses that remain

Toledo's Uncle John's Pancake House, apparently the last remaining restaurant from the chain's heyday, has been a community staple since 1963. Currently owned by Sal Tubeileh, who bought the restaurant in 2012, Uncle John's Pancake House moved from its original location in March 2023. Locals like Michelle Bauer, were relieved that the community icon was not closing. Bauer shared with local CBS affiliate WTOL 11 that the breakfast chain was a part of her childhood, and her sister worked at the establishment in the 1980s. "I've been coming here ever since I was a kid," Bauer said. "I remember the silver dollar pancakes, and they would come to your table with a lazy Susan full of different syrups." The Toledo Uncle John's Pancake House remains a popular breakfast spot. According to Yelp, customers are partial to the Florentine eggs Benedict and strawberry crepes, which reviewers claim are "to die for."

Unrelated to the Toledo restaurant, the Uncle John's Pancake Houses in California are reboots of the original concept. Owners John Holder and Matt Wesley launched the first new Uncle John's in Campbell, California, in 2016. The franchise expanded with another location in San José in August 2021. The newer California restaurants retain the vintage character of the original chain, with bright red booths and an updated menu that features omelets and scrambles, a selection of pancakes in three flavors (house batter, chocolate, and blueberry batter), other breakfast favorites like biscuits and gravy, and lunch offerings, including burgers, BLTs, and chicken strips.