Pancake restaurant in Smoky Mountains resort town to celebrate 50 years with 1960 prices

Smokies pancake restaurant celebrating 50 years

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With the majesty of the Smoky Mountains as a backdrop, the Pancake Pantry in Gatlinburg has been serving locals and visitors alike for 50 years.

Located in an endless row of T-shirt shops, candy stores and hotels, it’s offered a tasty start for tourists in the resort town before they head out to play miniature golf, explore a quiet mountain trail or try to spot an elusive black bear.

It’s easy to spot on busy U.S. 441, the town’s main street: Just look for a line of people waiting outside with fidgety anticipation. Inside, patrons attack piles of pancakes with the persistence of a woodpecker.

The restaurant touts itself as the oldest pancake house in Tennessee. It turns 50 on March 17, and will celebrate by using the original menu and charging 1960 prices — mostly under $1.

“After 50 years, we’re serving our fourth generation,” says owner Jim Gerding. “Kids who ate here 45 years ago, now bring their great-grandkids. We are still feeding these same families.”

“I don’t know what they do but the pancakes are better than any place else,” gushed Ron Byars of Gatlinburg, who had eight silver dollar pancakes. “I’ve eaten other places, but these are altogether different.”

The lines at the restaurant are legendary in the resort town that’s the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where 9.4 million tourists visit yearly. The wait usually is around 20 minutes for one of the valuable 190 seats, but customers have been known to stand outside for an hour.

The experience is pure Americana, embraced by mountain mist, where you feast on wallet-friendly food served with down-home accents.

“It’s a hand-crafted operation,” Gerding says.

Most of the pancakes run $6 to $8. There are 24 varieties on the menu with buttermilks the most popular.

What would you like on ‘em or in ‘em? There’s whipped cream, whipped butter, pineapple syrup, black walnuts, chocolate chips, lingonberry butter, lemon wedges, diced apricots, peach and apple cider compote, mountain blueberries, sweet potatoes, red raspberries, coconut, strawberries, pecans, raisins, cherries, peaches and a lip-smacking array of other toppings.

Secrets?

Fresh ingredients. Batter is prepared daily and refrigerated carefully at special temperatures. Syrups and compotes are prepared diligently. When business tails off in winter, less batter is prepared to ensure its freshness.

“One of our strengths is we pay close attention to details,” Gerding said. “If things aren’t right, we don’t serve it.”

And, for sure, he’s a picky eater. His cooks come up with special recipes regularly but they have to pass his taste test.

“Maybe one in 10 makes the grade,” Gerding said. To that end, some of the recipes are 50 years old.

Waitresses get birthday cards from out-of-town customers, and patrons bring in cakes and pies for the staff.

“The waitresses know many of them on a first name basis,” Gerding said. “We see familiar faces year after year.”

Fifteen of the 40 employees have been with the restaurant at least 20 years. One waitress began serving pancakes in 1963 and five cooks have worked at the restaurant at least 32 years.

Gerding, at age 81, is there three or four days a week.

“I like to interface with the customers and be with the employees,” he said.

His personal touch may be something he learned at Indiana University, where he earned two degrees in business.

Ninety percent of patrons are repeat customers.

“People love to tell us how long they’ve been coming to Gatlinburg and have eaten with us,” Gerding said.

If You Go…

PANCAKE PANTRY: 628 E. Parkway, Gatlinburg, Tenn.; www.pancakepantry.com or 865-436-4724. Open daily 7 a.m.-3 p.m.(June-October, until 4 p.m.). Breakfast menu served all day; lunch after 11:30 a.m. Cash only. Regular menu items under $10. On March 17, menu will feature 1960 prices to celebrate 50th anniversary.

(This version CORRECTS If You Go footnote to 50th anniversary, not 40th) )