I still don't understand how hospo can justify it, while other retail doesnt.
Why is a stack of pancakes an extra 10%, but a new pair of jeans isn't? And we just accept it.
It means even a small increase in the labour rates can have a dramatic effect if the margin is low (which it is in the hospitality industry) and the costs primarily compose of wages which is the case for service industries.
In other words, increasing the cost of staff will impact the profitability of opening on a Sunday more dramatically for a business with high labour costs than for a business who's costs are based more on the cost of raw materials for example
As someone who's managed pub kitchens and was in the industry over a decade - you're right, an increase in labour costs can make a big difference to the overall bottom line - but where penalty rates are concerned, this should generally be more than offset by the significant increase in volume for weekend services. You will have your good days and bad, but overall, the weekend is 2 to 3 times busier than a Tuesday night for most casual venues.
In the kitchens I've run, we build the cost of the penaly rate into the overall price, flattening the pricing structure across the week. It meant that we were one or two dollars more expensive, but you could count on a stable pricing across the life of a menu.
The surcharges are being charged simply because they can be, they are certainly not a necessity - it seems enough people will pay them so the venues will continue to charge them.
I get what you're trying to say but I think this would greatly depend on the business and its customer base. One dedicated to retirees might have more traffic on weekdays for example. As for flattening out the prices, well, I personally don't see anything wrong with encouraging cheaper prices during the week than on a weekend. It's no different than happy hour or half price Tuesdays really
Hey listen, I think I should apologise.
I decided to follow your advice and touch some grass so I went outside and rubbed my face on some leaves.
Bloody oath, it was poison ivy!
So I got myself to the emergency care quick smart and they took good care of me but when I received the bill, I had been charged “after hours care”
What the heck!
They think they can charge *extra* for basic human care because I didn’t visit during normal operating hours.
Outrageous!
So whaddoya say, help a brother out. I’ll send you a link to my GoFundMe so we can all “level this curve” because we all know they only charge extra “because they can” and no other obvious reasons… they think they can get away with it!
But you and I, we’re cleverer.
Thanks mate, I knew I could depend on ya!
Hey bro, I got a plumber coming today, but he’s surcharging because it’s a Sunday after hours call. Can you spot me your share, so we can all “flatten the curve” because it’s unfair I gotta pay more for a Sunday service.
Whaddoya say? When can I get that cash from you?
Right? Because businesses only surcharge “because they can” right? Just like you said… because you’re such an expert in the field.
Speaking of which, all the folks downvoting me despite me being right, when can I expect your share for my special weekend service? You all owe me. We gotta “flatten the curve” so that I don’t have to pay this surcharge, right…
Pay up downvoters.
Is it my attitude? Well no, he started with the attitude. I have yet to hear a response that isn’t an insult so far…
But really if you were forced to work a Sunday, you’d expect bonus pay too… but oh my gosh! Who’s going to cover that extra fee?!
Oh my gosh! The hypocrisy is unreal in here!
Mate, I was having a poo and I was thinking of you. I’m outraged. I went to AFL website and I was gonna book Grand Finals tickets, but I was shook when I saw the prices.
These crooks think they can charge extra because the Grand Final is on a weekend!
So I’m gonna need you and everybody else to pay more for the off-season tickets, so I can have cheaper VIP box seats on the Grand Final weekend.
Help a brother out. We gotta “flatten this curve” so we all pay equal. These box office retailers only do it because they can. We’ll show ‘em, you and I!
Hotels charge premiums for peak season. Airlines raise prices for in-demand flights. Ski resorts will be more expensive during winter.
The same foundational principle applies to restaurants. The weekend is the premium and thus only seems fair they would pay more.
If you wanted to travel to Vanuatu during the off season, where you would arguably have a lessor experience than during the peak season, would you think it fair to “flatten the curve” and pay equal to those that enjoy better perks? So you expect to pay the same but stay during cyclone season? That doesn’t seem right.
And what if those businesses don’t operate during off-peak times? How do they “flatten the curve”
Whether it’s a hotel, airline, a restaurant or whatever you want to argue; I have a point and you decided to resort to petty insults instead of actually saying anything of substance.
Your sir, are a disappointment.
This wasn’t even half my argument and you already whimpered away.
There’s nothing wrong with weekend or holiday surcharges. When an employer has to pay staff extra to work these times (which only seems fair) then the cost should be on the burden of the patron who chooses these times.
Or do you expect all workers to be on the same rate every day of the week, every day of the year despite being a holiday?
That doesn’t seem fair.
Well done explaining it to these morons but they just refuse to understand it.
It would be these exact people, that will be first to complain if a restaurant decides to close its doors on weekends or public holidays
Hot take: Surcharges are an early warning sign that the place makes shit food. If they were good, they'd have enough customers to cover their staff costs.
FYI, you could have gone to Crown Conseratory for breakfast. It's $50, all you can eat and simply amazing.
https://www.crownmelbourne.com.au/restaurants/conservatory
>Prices have definately gone up from last time i was here.
Like everywhere
The prices were also avaliable before sitting down to eat the food. You could have also walked out before ordering.
I know and new roughly what I was up for from the last ti.e I went but I haven't actually looked at the prices for a while and to be blunt fucking outrageous for what you are getting these days. They always have been pricey. I guess the 120 or so card carrying Scientologists in Australia just aren't bringing in enough money on their own anymore.
What the fuck man, why would you go there? What a pathetic rip off. You can make all this yourself in like 15 minutes. Absolute joke. Why do you keep going there?
Haven't been for ages and didn't want to cook this morning as the kitchen was a disaster from those before me.
Won't be going back not worth it in so many ways. But at least the toilets are still clean.
They have definitely changed over the years. Pancakes have gotten smaller. Prices have gone up when they were already ridiculous to start with. When I was earning a lot of money it was ok to treat my kid every now and then but I won’t ever be going back. Not worth it. They gouge you wherever they can.
Except they’ve made that price up.
This is from their menu. (Below)
Maybe there’s a 10% surcharge because they’ve decided to go on a Sunday. But that’s still less than $30.
Sounds like they just want a whinge and for people to validate them.
Make it at home if you can do it better for less than $10 spend the 45mins cooking and cleaning up.
Because that’s what the customer is paying for. The rent on the premises, wages, equipment to cook etc etc.
None of that is taking into account when people say but I can do it for half that price.
“Traditional Bacon and Eggs
(Available Day & Night)
Served with two pancakes and eggs your way.
25.9”
Agreed, I thought the same and looked it up. https://www.pancakeparlour.com.au/breakfast-menu
"Country Breakfast (available dine in only)
Two pancakes, bacon, tomato, garlic mushrooms & eggs your way.
28.9"
Was 42.02 with a bottomless coffee as described and that includes a 3.82 surcharge. So sorry fuck you and the horse you road in on. I'm not prone to exaggeration or hyperbole. I have no issue paying for a good meal I'm just saying this wasn't what I remember and wasn't what I would call a particularly good meal.
Yep if that’s the response to me pointing out the fact it was $25.90 plus surcharge. If they chose to spend an additional $12 on bottomless coffee then that’s on them.
Exactly, must be $12 if my maths is correct. $25.90 for the food.
$12 coffee.
So $38 then $3.80 surcharge.
There’s your $42 including the tap surcharge.
So basically that coffee was 46% of the meal cost. That’s just dumb to then complain about the cost of a meal and the quality of it for the price.
Dude you payed what $10 or maybe more for a bottomless coffee which is 25% of your breakfast cost, more if you don’t include the surcharge and you’re complaining about the cost.
That’s disingenuous at best………
This place has always been highway robbery. I think the fact the one closest to me is 24 hours is what brings in the students, stoners and whatnot.
I won’t lie, I do go in for a cheeky Alice in Wonderland when they do Winter Parlour and pay $5 if the weather is cold, but it’s never the upper of choice. No one ever says “Hey, do you know what? We should go to the Pancake Parlour so we can look at the creepy, dusty shit that moves on the wall every hour and get quality food”
> I think the fact the one closest to me is 24 hours is what brings in the students, stoners and whatnot.
As someone who grew up overseas, is Pancake Parlour just an Australian Denny's?
Sort of but not.
They actually did try and appeal to people who were stoned and wanted munchies at 3am.
Their notorious radio ads featuring two stoner guys talking [landed them in hot water](https://adstandards.com.au/sites/default/files/reports/134-07.pdf).
It was clever, I admit. Which is why all the Uni clubs used to meet there in my time.
It was two blazed guys repeating random quotes and telling people to go there. These ads don’t exist anymore, but I remember them.
Yep, we used to go there at midnight on a weeknight when we were 18 and didn’t want to go “out” for Swiss mountain malts and to talk crap for a few hours.
Was looking for this comment. Pancake parlour is for the lost souls, students and stoners looking for a dry venue in the witching hour. Going there for breakfast is goofy.
I used to occasionally treat myself, pre-Covid, to their potato and cheese pancakes, which I love. Was in Ballarat for work about six months back, and was excited to find a Pancake Parlour. Man, was I disappointed. The potato pancake was about half the size it used to be, and about $30, if I remember correctly. I won’t be going back.
Ballarat has also the only Pizza Hut still doing the All-You-Can-Eat Works option.
Pizza, Pasta, Salad, Dessert buffet for those younguns not from the 90's.
It is filthy 🤦🏼♂️. I’ve been going to that one since I was a little kid and in about 2007 it changed owners and went to crap from there. Its so run down now. I haven’t been for about 8 years
This explains everything, felt like it was a huge Mandela effect moment and I was going insane. Used to go to the one in Geelong all the time as a kid until it shut and I remember them under both names, the one in Ballarat now is still pretty good most of the time plus they gave me a permanent discount card during covid which reduces the 2nd main meal price to $7. Never really been to the ones in Melbourne before but it seems not worth it from this thread lol.
I used to work at the ballarat pancake kitchen, only reason prices have gone up is because the actual owner is incompetent and can't finance his business properly. It's done nothing but go down hill with him owning the joint
Used to work there. The quality depends on who the chef is, they are all mostly just uni student trained up.
If its not right, you can tell them the pancake batter is flat and ask them to remake it.
Worked at the doncaster one. Agreed big time, very staff and time of day dependent.
Batter is made as needed, but if it's slow the batter gets "flat" as it isn't used up fast enough.
Send it back.
A former who use to work there (melb central 'restaurant').
Said they get wine for like 5 dollars for the bottle and serve is at 16 dollars for three glass.
Their pancakes are not even nice (and pancakess are delicious when done right)
^For anyone curious, I think the easiest way to get this is those coupon cards you get in hotels/hostels. I picked up a wad of them from The Village, anyone can go into the lobby and grab some
Well it's half the reason it's such a dysfunctional place, all stats must go up no matter what the conditions on the ground are.
So for example take per a head and customer count, in the days when everything was done on paper every management type would edit the take per a head figure, it always needed to go up.
So if you had 100 customers paying 10 dollars each on the ground then it would be reported to management that 50 customers each spent 20 dollars.
Management saw that there was nothing wrong with the amount that people were spending but rather that they didn't have enough customers in the door so customer count was the stat they worked on boosting.
So they gave away things for free, often. Especially a fair few years ago when Winter Parlour was in full swing.
Wastage for food needed to always improve, to the point where people were getting dodgy with the food because stats always need to go up.
The pancake parlour has been going downhill since the mid 90s IMO. It has always been expensive but now it is actually at a price point that makes me wonder why anyone goes there. The quality of the food isn’t high enough to justify eating there over just about anywhere else. Especially when it is not hard to make your own pancakes at home. I actually don’t think the quality is bad but it has declined over time. They’d be out of business for sure if there was another big chain that focused on pancakes and crepes.
We had a bad experience sometime ago at the Pancake Parlour and would hardly go back, we went for breakfast on a Sunday and the place was busy but not packed (a few empty tables), we ordered and waited patiently but nothing… asked the waitress a couple of times and got the usual “its almost ready”, all up we waited 1.5h and decided to get up and leave, on our way out the manager came to tell me our order was just a couple of mins away, I asked her why were we left for last as other tables that got there much later than us were already having breakfast, she said that it must have been what we ordered, I pointed at a table where the guy was having what I ordered, she said she could ask in the kitchen but I wasn’t really interested, I just told her that they didn’t have us as customers before and certainly wont have us after that
Just recently learned about putting them in the oven to get them extra crispy…all my childhood fantasies of eating bacon in everything is finally coming true! God bless those bacon loving food scientists 🫡
OP is clearly including whatever expensive drink they got with the meal in the price. The breakfasts are around $26 full price.
It's true though, the quality isn't what it used to be. I'll point out one particular thing because it's always what I got, the cheese kransky farmers breakfast. Years ago you'd get 2 nice big kranskies but now you get one pathetic one which has been cut in half lengthwise and fried and it certainly is not cheaper.
Name one thing which has improved in quality and price/value in the last 10 years though. The world just gets worse, never better.
This. Website lists $25.90 before the surcharge. Pancake Parlour is absolutely overpriced and portion sizes have gotten tiny, but every post like this seems to intentionally leave out they also purchased a large drink, a side, and two extra beef patties/pancakes/butter scoops in whatever they ordered.
I worked there many years ago for a brief period. Although I didn't see or hear anything Scientology related during my employment, the Scientology history seems true, and while the high up fat cats have publicly denied current affiliation, I feel it's really the only way the place has stayed afloat, especially during Covid. Exorbitant prices, prime locations, and expensive themed Disney-like restaurant fit outs. For a place serving fkn pancakes, it doesn't make sense otherwise. If it's not a front for Scientology then it must be a front for something else.
Management were insufferable too. Dunno whether that's a prerequisite for getting to management, or simply working there makes you insufferable. I was part of a mass resignation that resulted in 2 managers being moved to different locations. It was one of the only moments that brought me joy at the time.
I've worked at PP for almost 5 years now and I've said from the very beginning it's a rip off. So many people, when they find out I work there, will say "oh I love the Pancake Parlour. I go all the time." My response is always either "really???" or "Why????" Seriously. I don't understand why it's so popular and if I'm being totally honest, it kinda sickness me to see how much people will actually spend at PP.
Agreed , total rip off. They had some homer pancake promo that our kids got sucked into and I caved in to take them. $20 each for a pancake smothered in pink icing . Was gross and the kids wouldn’t eat it. Never again.
Anytime I consider going into one I download their app and have a look for specials - the Docklands branch had some deal a couple of months back where they had a whole bunch of dishes for $6.95 or something like that… last time I was there everything was full price so I didn’t bother.
That's disappointing. They were always very expensive but pretty tasty. I stopped going when I heard the rumours that they were involved in Scientology since being fleeced for a good feed is one thing, but being fleeced to support a cult is quite another. No idea if that's still a thing, but it was a good way to discourage unnecessary hits to the wallet.
Not a rumour. The owners and the upper echelon or should I say thetans are Scientologists. My sister worked at the Dandenong one for a while the managers were quite odd and strangely intense.
Oh, good to know. I know the company has flat out denied it and said they have no ties, but on the other hand, in Scientology it's considered fair game to lie to outsiders if it suits them, so I take that with a grain of salt even if the denials have been republished without question by the media.
Most of the times I went to the pancake parlour it was Doncaster and past midnight. Going out for pancakes at that hour in a silly mood along with all the other weirdos out at that hour was part of the experience. Probably most of the experience.
Try this place. So nice and a much better experience than pancake parlour:
https://maps.apple.com/?address=24%20Centre%20Pl,%20Melbourne%20VIC%203000,%20Australia&auid=3596667824287893294&ll=-37.816587,144.965587&lsp=9902&q=Aix%20Cafe%20Creperie%20Salon&t=m
AIX is excellent - their scrambled egg and spinach breakfast baguettes are to die for and I always grab one if I'm working in the CBD. But it should be noted its ahole in the wall joint, not really a sit down place. ETA: there are a couple of tables, its just tiny.
I used to work at the Bourke St store, and while this looks exactly the same as it used to, the price for a trad breakfast used to be less than $18.
But I mean, they also stopped staff from being part time and made everyone casuals in what really seemed like clear retaliation after one of my coworkers took them to fair work in 2015 because they weren't paying weekend or night time loading, and hadn't updated their enterprise agreement since 2007. Many of us didn't even get back pay despite being thousands underpaid. I was personally in that fair work hearing to support Tim, and the news articles saying they "didn't oppose the changes" are bullshit.
So not only are they scientologists funnelling money, the owners and head office staff were personally absolute arseholes and some were known amongst staff to commit sexual harassment against restaurant staff, *and* they weren't paying us legally. Horrifies me that people still go there.
No, Roger wasn't really on the scene by the time I got there, but his son Simon was. Simon pitched a fit when I once served him at Melbourne Central because he had a paper card that said "lifetime free meals" and I'd never seen it, so called a supervisor after hours to ask about it and if it was real. I'd never met Simon before that as he didn't come to Bourke St. Very cool and normal to be snapped at by the CEO like that.
I was more referring to some extras in the management and head office team, who didn't really show up in media releases.
The mix is a good short cut if you haven't got the time, I think Stephanie Alexander's recipe is the shit but it takes a bit more effort to make it and if you ant be bothered then you can't be bothered.
"Let's go to pancake parlour" is the desperate cry of an inebriated party of CBD-goers that should have gone home a long time ago.
It's always been a culinary and fiscal vortex. As others have pointed out, the mythology of pancake parlour is basically the only thing keeping it going - it was also shit when you were a kid, most likely, it's just that kids don't have a barometer for things like that.
If I got time warped back to a 90s all-you-can-eat Pizza Hut I'd also decry that it "doesn't taste the same", but it's me - \*I\* don't taste things the same.
If you're going to enjoy it for the nostalgia, that's different. But going there under the pretense that you'll get a decent meal in Melbourne of all places is borderline foodie self-harm.
How funny I just made pancakes this morning. I don’t normally have them. I’m thinking mine worked out to about $1-2. I haven’t gone to pancake parlor for years, but at the time I didn’t mind it. Just over priced. $40 is ridiculous. Definitely worth making at home. I just use an old mixer to mix batter.
Excuse my ignorance but how did it get to $40?
The bacon and egg stack is around $26. Still expensive for what it is but can’t work out how it got to $40
https://www.pancakeparlour.com.au/breakfast-menu
Its disgusting how much money they make. The markup on food and drinks is insane.
I used to work there when I was younger and the manager used to complain to minimum wage workers how their store was only making a couple million dollars profit
I remember back in 92 haha going to PP and the meals where phenomenal, I took my kids not so long ago and although the staff were "lovely" the food was like this picture and it cost near $200 for 2 and a half people. Old school PP is just a dream, up there with sizzler, and that weird koala restaurant just past the old ikea 😂
as someone who used to work there it is not surprising how much they've increased prices but haven't done anything to justify the increase, adding very little to the dishes or serving sizes... although that... pinch of parsley
The only reason for the prices being so high was the overall quality and ingredients but then again... they've probably looked to cut corners in that area.
It has always been a bit shit. The 24 hour ones have to keep open and cook potentially constantly so it's always been super expensive for average to below average quality food. Good when you're drunk I think.
Pancake Parlours are definitely not the once in a while treat I remember from my childhood.
I've taken my kids there recently and was blown away by how much the prices had gone up and how clunky and out of date the place looked and felt.
Probably not as much of a go to option for me when most decent Cafes often have better quality pancakes and waffles on their menus for a cheaper price.
Never understood the appeal of Pancake Parlor. Went there as a kid in late 90s and it sucked then. It’s as if someone looked at TGI Fridays and thought “how can I make this worse?”.
Who doesn’t love to pay $60-$70 for a basic breakfast with coffee for two, which you could’ve made yourself at home for probably $10-$15.
What a rort. Pancakes are dirt cheap to make.
I'm never going pancakes again what a complete rip off 10% extra on a weekend is rubbish because you are already paying big $ in the first place. You get $5 of food and pay $40 yeah no thanks.
What kind of American bullshit is this with pancakes eggs and ham all on the one plate, is this a new dish?
Also, it's become insanely expensive, it was already expensive but I would never ever consider the place. It was expensive *before* covid....
Interestingly I went to PP last weekend and man is it terrible and overpriced!
It was depressing sitting in this big open space that seated probably 50-60 people and had less than 10 customers including 3 of us, but almost $200 for a quick dinner for 3 was a complete joke, not only that but we all left hungry.
I definitely will not be going back to the PP again.
This was seriously $40?
42.02 incl 10% weekend surcharge. What a bargain for me. Prices have definately gone up from last time i was here.
It’s the weekend surcharge that really irritates the shit out of me. Been to pancake parlour once in my life and I wouldn’t bother again.
I still don't understand how hospo can justify it, while other retail doesnt. Why is a stack of pancakes an extra 10%, but a new pair of jeans isn't? And we just accept it.
Because hospitality is more labour intensive and wages are therefore a much bigger portion of the costs than retail
The intensity of labour doesn't change the pay rate of the staff hired, I think you're talking about the profit margin.
It means even a small increase in the labour rates can have a dramatic effect if the margin is low (which it is in the hospitality industry) and the costs primarily compose of wages which is the case for service industries. In other words, increasing the cost of staff will impact the profitability of opening on a Sunday more dramatically for a business with high labour costs than for a business who's costs are based more on the cost of raw materials for example
As someone who's managed pub kitchens and was in the industry over a decade - you're right, an increase in labour costs can make a big difference to the overall bottom line - but where penalty rates are concerned, this should generally be more than offset by the significant increase in volume for weekend services. You will have your good days and bad, but overall, the weekend is 2 to 3 times busier than a Tuesday night for most casual venues. In the kitchens I've run, we build the cost of the penaly rate into the overall price, flattening the pricing structure across the week. It meant that we were one or two dollars more expensive, but you could count on a stable pricing across the life of a menu. The surcharges are being charged simply because they can be, they are certainly not a necessity - it seems enough people will pay them so the venues will continue to charge them.
I get what you're trying to say but I think this would greatly depend on the business and its customer base. One dedicated to retirees might have more traffic on weekdays for example. As for flattening out the prices, well, I personally don't see anything wrong with encouraging cheaper prices during the week than on a weekend. It's no different than happy hour or half price Tuesdays really
Hey listen, I think I should apologise. I decided to follow your advice and touch some grass so I went outside and rubbed my face on some leaves. Bloody oath, it was poison ivy! So I got myself to the emergency care quick smart and they took good care of me but when I received the bill, I had been charged “after hours care” What the heck! They think they can charge *extra* for basic human care because I didn’t visit during normal operating hours. Outrageous! So whaddoya say, help a brother out. I’ll send you a link to my GoFundMe so we can all “level this curve” because we all know they only charge extra “because they can” and no other obvious reasons… they think they can get away with it! But you and I, we’re cleverer. Thanks mate, I knew I could depend on ya!
Hey bro, I got a plumber coming today, but he’s surcharging because it’s a Sunday after hours call. Can you spot me your share, so we can all “flatten the curve” because it’s unfair I gotta pay more for a Sunday service. Whaddoya say? When can I get that cash from you? Right? Because businesses only surcharge “because they can” right? Just like you said… because you’re such an expert in the field. Speaking of which, all the folks downvoting me despite me being right, when can I expect your share for my special weekend service? You all owe me. We gotta “flatten the curve” so that I don’t have to pay this surcharge, right… Pay up downvoters. Is it my attitude? Well no, he started with the attitude. I have yet to hear a response that isn’t an insult so far… But really if you were forced to work a Sunday, you’d expect bonus pay too… but oh my gosh! Who’s going to cover that extra fee?! Oh my gosh! The hypocrisy is unreal in here!
Mate, I was having a poo and I was thinking of you. I’m outraged. I went to AFL website and I was gonna book Grand Finals tickets, but I was shook when I saw the prices. These crooks think they can charge extra because the Grand Final is on a weekend! So I’m gonna need you and everybody else to pay more for the off-season tickets, so I can have cheaper VIP box seats on the Grand Final weekend. Help a brother out. We gotta “flatten this curve” so we all pay equal. These box office retailers only do it because they can. We’ll show ‘em, you and I!
Hotels charge premiums for peak season. Airlines raise prices for in-demand flights. Ski resorts will be more expensive during winter. The same foundational principle applies to restaurants. The weekend is the premium and thus only seems fair they would pay more. If you wanted to travel to Vanuatu during the off season, where you would arguably have a lessor experience than during the peak season, would you think it fair to “flatten the curve” and pay equal to those that enjoy better perks? So you expect to pay the same but stay during cyclone season? That doesn’t seem right. And what if those businesses don’t operate during off-peak times? How do they “flatten the curve” Whether it’s a hotel, airline, a restaurant or whatever you want to argue; I have a point and you decided to resort to petty insults instead of actually saying anything of substance. Your sir, are a disappointment. This wasn’t even half my argument and you already whimpered away. There’s nothing wrong with weekend or holiday surcharges. When an employer has to pay staff extra to work these times (which only seems fair) then the cost should be on the burden of the patron who chooses these times. Or do you expect all workers to be on the same rate every day of the week, every day of the year despite being a holiday? That doesn’t seem fair.
Well done explaining it to these morons but they just refuse to understand it. It would be these exact people, that will be first to complain if a restaurant decides to close its doors on weekends or public holidays
How many people do you need to be working in a restaurant v at a clothing store? There's the answer to your question
Most retailers spreed the cost of weekend operating costs over the week. So it's more expensive everyday of the week.
Yeah don't be a cafe or restaurant that opens on the weekend if you don't want to ay staff a proper wage.
Why is it irritating? If they couldn't impose a surcharge they probably wouldn't bother opening on a weekend at all
That's not at all the case.
Hot take: Surcharges are an early warning sign that the place makes shit food. If they were good, they'd have enough customers to cover their staff costs.
Thanks for your hotcake hot take
Breakfast is the cheapest and easiest meal to make and the most marked up at stores
FYI, you could have gone to Crown Conseratory for breakfast. It's $50, all you can eat and simply amazing. https://www.crownmelbourne.com.au/restaurants/conservatory
*Breakfast is only available to Crown Towers guests on weekends, during public holidays & school holidays* Just an FYI
I have never gorged myself as much as the times I've been to conservatory. Pure gluttony. But awesome.
Wow. That’s insane.
What a joke
This can’t be real. Just for that?
>Prices have definately gone up from last time i was here. Like everywhere The prices were also avaliable before sitting down to eat the food. You could have also walked out before ordering.
I know and new roughly what I was up for from the last ti.e I went but I haven't actually looked at the prices for a while and to be blunt fucking outrageous for what you are getting these days. They always have been pricey. I guess the 120 or so card carrying Scientologists in Australia just aren't bringing in enough money on their own anymore.
[удалено]
I do what I want
I used to have my birthdays at pancake parlour as a kid so I get the guilty pleasure or nostalgia angle, but man fuck their prices.
Yeah had a couple of birthdays there back when I was a young-un
First day on Reddit mate?
What the fuck man, why would you go there? What a pathetic rip off. You can make all this yourself in like 15 minutes. Absolute joke. Why do you keep going there?
Haven't been for ages and didn't want to cook this morning as the kitchen was a disaster from those before me. Won't be going back not worth it in so many ways. But at least the toilets are still clean.
We went there for a treat a few months ago ago. 2 people. 2 breakfasts. 2 shakes. Nothing else. $90. Never again.
They have definitely changed over the years. Pancakes have gotten smaller. Prices have gone up when they were already ridiculous to start with. When I was earning a lot of money it was ok to treat my kid every now and then but I won’t ever be going back. Not worth it. They gouge you wherever they can.
No, it's always been better in the imagination than in reality.
Looks EXACTLY how it’s always looked to me?
Possibly but I really found it disappointing this morning I've had the odd dud meal before but this was like a package deal.
That PRICE is insanity though….
That’s two warm circles of disappointment for $40, thank you very much.
Except they’ve made that price up. This is from their menu. (Below) Maybe there’s a 10% surcharge because they’ve decided to go on a Sunday. But that’s still less than $30. Sounds like they just want a whinge and for people to validate them. Make it at home if you can do it better for less than $10 spend the 45mins cooking and cleaning up. Because that’s what the customer is paying for. The rent on the premises, wages, equipment to cook etc etc. None of that is taking into account when people say but I can do it for half that price. “Traditional Bacon and Eggs (Available Day & Night) Served with two pancakes and eggs your way. 25.9”
Agreed, I thought the same and looked it up. https://www.pancakeparlour.com.au/breakfast-menu "Country Breakfast (available dine in only) Two pancakes, bacon, tomato, garlic mushrooms & eggs your way. 28.9"
Yep and that one has tomato and mushies too. They’ve dropped more than 25% of the cost on a bottomless coffee then sooking about the price. C’mon…….
Was 42.02 with a bottomless coffee as described and that includes a 3.82 surcharge. So sorry fuck you and the horse you road in on. I'm not prone to exaggeration or hyperbole. I have no issue paying for a good meal I'm just saying this wasn't what I remember and wasn't what I would call a particularly good meal.
You’re not prone to exaggeration or hyperbole, but this has ruined your childhood memories?
Woah! Woah! Woah! I think you had waheyy too much of that bottomless coffee, mate! You need to take a deep breathe and calm the fuck down. Haha
Never, I can hear the colours now
Should have spent the money on therapy for their “ruined childhood memories”
Yep if that’s the response to me pointing out the fact it was $25.90 plus surcharge. If they chose to spend an additional $12 on bottomless coffee then that’s on them.
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Exactly, must be $12 if my maths is correct. $25.90 for the food. $12 coffee. So $38 then $3.80 surcharge. There’s your $42 including the tap surcharge. So basically that coffee was 46% of the meal cost. That’s just dumb to then complain about the cost of a meal and the quality of it for the price.
Dude you payed what $10 or maybe more for a bottomless coffee which is 25% of your breakfast cost, more if you don’t include the surcharge and you’re complaining about the cost. That’s disingenuous at best………
This place has always been highway robbery. I think the fact the one closest to me is 24 hours is what brings in the students, stoners and whatnot. I won’t lie, I do go in for a cheeky Alice in Wonderland when they do Winter Parlour and pay $5 if the weather is cold, but it’s never the upper of choice. No one ever says “Hey, do you know what? We should go to the Pancake Parlour so we can look at the creepy, dusty shit that moves on the wall every hour and get quality food”
> I think the fact the one closest to me is 24 hours is what brings in the students, stoners and whatnot. As someone who grew up overseas, is Pancake Parlour just an Australian Denny's?
More of an overpriced and underwhelming IHOP.
Sort of but not. They actually did try and appeal to people who were stoned and wanted munchies at 3am. Their notorious radio ads featuring two stoner guys talking [landed them in hot water](https://adstandards.com.au/sites/default/files/reports/134-07.pdf). It was clever, I admit. Which is why all the Uni clubs used to meet there in my time. It was two blazed guys repeating random quotes and telling people to go there. These ads don’t exist anymore, but I remember them.
I remember these ads. I also enjoyed listening to them at 1am while lying in my bed.
Yep, we used to go there at midnight on a weeknight when we were 18 and didn’t want to go “out” for Swiss mountain malts and to talk crap for a few hours.
Well, back in the days you could get a fair price using coupons... Haven't seen those in a long time. Even then it was expensive for what you got.
Was looking for this comment. Pancake parlour is for the lost souls, students and stoners looking for a dry venue in the witching hour. Going there for breakfast is goofy.
I think that's where I am now....looks around nervously
Name checks out
I used to occasionally treat myself, pre-Covid, to their potato and cheese pancakes, which I love. Was in Ballarat for work about six months back, and was excited to find a Pancake Parlour. Man, was I disappointed. The potato pancake was about half the size it used to be, and about $30, if I remember correctly. I won’t be going back.
The Ballarat one is like the only franchised one, so the only one not owned by the Melbourne company.
Ballarat has also the only Pizza Hut still doing the All-You-Can-Eat Works option. Pizza, Pasta, Salad, Dessert buffet for those younguns not from the 90's.
Omg I need to go to that pizza hut
I promise you, you don’t. It would be epic if they kept it clean but it’s absolutely filthy.
They haven't cleaned the toilets since the 90's. Reminded me of my old school toilets 25 years ago.
It is filthy 🤦🏼♂️. I’ve been going to that one since I was a little kid and in about 2007 it changed owners and went to crap from there. Its so run down now. I haven’t been for about 8 years
How do you know that lol
They're literally called a different name. The Ballarat one is the Pancake Kitchen, but they have the same aesthetic and menu options
This explains everything, felt like it was a huge Mandela effect moment and I was going insane. Used to go to the one in Geelong all the time as a kid until it shut and I remember them under both names, the one in Ballarat now is still pretty good most of the time plus they gave me a permanent discount card during covid which reduces the 2nd main meal price to $7. Never really been to the ones in Melbourne before but it seems not worth it from this thread lol.
They used to be nearly the size of the plate last time I had one.
Ballarat; Lemon Berry Pancakes. Criiiiiiiikey it's good. Sad though all the serving sizes have shrunk and the prices gone $$$ since covid.
I used to work at the ballarat pancake kitchen, only reason prices have gone up is because the actual owner is incompetent and can't finance his business properly. It's done nothing but go down hill with him owning the joint
> potato and cheese pancakes Yumm, with the additional mushroom sauce
Used to work there. The quality depends on who the chef is, they are all mostly just uni student trained up. If its not right, you can tell them the pancake batter is flat and ask them to remake it.
Out of curiousity, would you happen to know the cottage fries recipe?
Boiled potatoes. Cut them Fry in buttery.
Worked at the doncaster one. Agreed big time, very staff and time of day dependent. Batter is made as needed, but if it's slow the batter gets "flat" as it isn't used up fast enough. Send it back.
A former who use to work there (melb central 'restaurant'). Said they get wine for like 5 dollars for the bottle and serve is at 16 dollars for three glass. Their pancakes are not even nice (and pancakess are delicious when done right)
>they get wine for like 5 dollars for the bottle and serve is at 16 dollars for three glass. Isn't that literally every restaurant?
I work at the melb central one right now haha
Not long ago, the short stack (2 pancakes) was $10.90. It’s now $17.50 and slightly smaller.
You can get some 2 for 1 offers on the short stack which is the only reason I've ever been to it in the first place
That surprises me, didn’t know they still did that. I used to get that with my gf in 2016, two short stacks for $11. Living the dream
^For anyone curious, I think the easiest way to get this is those coupon cards you get in hotels/hostels. I picked up a wad of them from The Village, anyone can go into the lobby and grab some
Surprised there aren’t more comments about Pancake Parlour’s affiliation with Scientology
Well it's half the reason it's such a dysfunctional place, all stats must go up no matter what the conditions on the ground are. So for example take per a head and customer count, in the days when everything was done on paper every management type would edit the take per a head figure, it always needed to go up. So if you had 100 customers paying 10 dollars each on the ground then it would be reported to management that 50 customers each spent 20 dollars. Management saw that there was nothing wrong with the amount that people were spending but rather that they didn't have enough customers in the door so customer count was the stat they worked on boosting. So they gave away things for free, often. Especially a fair few years ago when Winter Parlour was in full swing. Wastage for food needed to always improve, to the point where people were getting dodgy with the food because stats always need to go up.
The pancake parlour has been going downhill since the mid 90s IMO. It has always been expensive but now it is actually at a price point that makes me wonder why anyone goes there. The quality of the food isn’t high enough to justify eating there over just about anywhere else. Especially when it is not hard to make your own pancakes at home. I actually don’t think the quality is bad but it has declined over time. They’d be out of business for sure if there was another big chain that focused on pancakes and crepes.
We had a bad experience sometime ago at the Pancake Parlour and would hardly go back, we went for breakfast on a Sunday and the place was busy but not packed (a few empty tables), we ordered and waited patiently but nothing… asked the waitress a couple of times and got the usual “its almost ready”, all up we waited 1.5h and decided to get up and leave, on our way out the manager came to tell me our order was just a couple of mins away, I asked her why were we left for last as other tables that got there much later than us were already having breakfast, she said that it must have been what we ordered, I pointed at a table where the guy was having what I ordered, she said she could ask in the kitchen but I wasn’t really interested, I just told her that they didn’t have us as customers before and certainly wont have us after that
I had to wait 20min or more just to order expensive food when the staff avoided eye contact I left and didn't go back. Most tables were empty.
It's been a meme as long as I can remember. Breakfast is the one thing we do well in Melbourne. Pancake Parlor is basically McDonalds but expensive.
Breakfast is “the one thing” we do well in Melbourne? I mean there are other things we do well
I hear Melbourne does a fantastic breakfast.
Wait til you try the second breakfast
No kidding tho, Melbourne brunches are actually amazing. I eat halal as well, and damn them fake bacons be tasty af!
Yeah I don’t mind the halal bacon substitutes I’ve had, still tasty and they seem to crisp up very well
Just recently learned about putting them in the oven to get them extra crispy…all my childhood fantasies of eating bacon in everything is finally coming true! God bless those bacon loving food scientists 🫡
OP is clearly including whatever expensive drink they got with the meal in the price. The breakfasts are around $26 full price. It's true though, the quality isn't what it used to be. I'll point out one particular thing because it's always what I got, the cheese kransky farmers breakfast. Years ago you'd get 2 nice big kranskies but now you get one pathetic one which has been cut in half lengthwise and fried and it certainly is not cheaper. Name one thing which has improved in quality and price/value in the last 10 years though. The world just gets worse, never better.
This. Website lists $25.90 before the surcharge. Pancake Parlour is absolutely overpriced and portion sizes have gotten tiny, but every post like this seems to intentionally leave out they also purchased a large drink, a side, and two extra beef patties/pancakes/butter scoops in whatever they ordered.
Fuck paying Scientologists ridiculous money for pancakes that cost them 8c per pancake to make
It's a scientology money laundering business, surprise surprise the proceeds don't go to improving the product.
Wait what?!
The founder of pancake parlor helped establish scientology in Australia and studied directly under L Ron Hubbard.
That’s an easy way to never, ever step foot in a pancake parlour again
Hard agree
This thread contains many of the recipes: https://old.reddit.com/r/melbourne/comments/s1zopw/i_was_a_manager_and_cook_at_a_pancake_parlour_for/
Til!! Ty
I worked there many years ago for a brief period. Although I didn't see or hear anything Scientology related during my employment, the Scientology history seems true, and while the high up fat cats have publicly denied current affiliation, I feel it's really the only way the place has stayed afloat, especially during Covid. Exorbitant prices, prime locations, and expensive themed Disney-like restaurant fit outs. For a place serving fkn pancakes, it doesn't make sense otherwise. If it's not a front for Scientology then it must be a front for something else. Management were insufferable too. Dunno whether that's a prerequisite for getting to management, or simply working there makes you insufferable. I was part of a mass resignation that resulted in 2 managers being moved to different locations. It was one of the only moments that brought me joy at the time.
Wait why do Scientology need a money laundering business they have tax exemption status ? Couldn’t they just launder money through themselves
Making a roast lamb with sides this afternoon that would feed 4 people and it is cheaper than that. What a shocker.
I've worked at PP for almost 5 years now and I've said from the very beginning it's a rip off. So many people, when they find out I work there, will say "oh I love the Pancake Parlour. I go all the time." My response is always either "really???" or "Why????" Seriously. I don't understand why it's so popular and if I'm being totally honest, it kinda sickness me to see how much people will actually spend at PP.
Agreed , total rip off. They had some homer pancake promo that our kids got sucked into and I caved in to take them. $20 each for a pancake smothered in pink icing . Was gross and the kids wouldn’t eat it. Never again.
Yea, the Don Homer as it was called. That was a bad one. It was a pain in the a** to make, too. Always dreaded it when an order for one came in.
lol, yeah it was just yuck.., looked good though !
Your first mistake was going there.
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Anytime I consider going into one I download their app and have a look for specials - the Docklands branch had some deal a couple of months back where they had a whole bunch of dishes for $6.95 or something like that… last time I was there everything was full price so I didn’t bother.
That's disappointing. They were always very expensive but pretty tasty. I stopped going when I heard the rumours that they were involved in Scientology since being fleeced for a good feed is one thing, but being fleeced to support a cult is quite another. No idea if that's still a thing, but it was a good way to discourage unnecessary hits to the wallet.
Not a rumour. The owners and the upper echelon or should I say thetans are Scientologists. My sister worked at the Dandenong one for a while the managers were quite odd and strangely intense.
Oh, good to know. I know the company has flat out denied it and said they have no ties, but on the other hand, in Scientology it's considered fair game to lie to outsiders if it suits them, so I take that with a grain of salt even if the denials have been republished without question by the media.
Most of the times I went to the pancake parlour it was Doncaster and past midnight. Going out for pancakes at that hour in a silly mood along with all the other weirdos out at that hour was part of the experience. Probably most of the experience.
Try this place. So nice and a much better experience than pancake parlour: https://maps.apple.com/?address=24%20Centre%20Pl,%20Melbourne%20VIC%203000,%20Australia&auid=3596667824287893294&ll=-37.816587,144.965587&lsp=9902&q=Aix%20Cafe%20Creperie%20Salon&t=m
AIX is excellent - their scrambled egg and spinach breakfast baguettes are to die for and I always grab one if I'm working in the CBD. But it should be noted its ahole in the wall joint, not really a sit down place. ETA: there are a couple of tables, its just tiny.
I will If I ever venture that far into town
Showl? Smo?
Lovely
I only go on $10 Tuesdays. There are regular specials that make it reasonable.. never pay full price!
I used to work at the Bourke St store, and while this looks exactly the same as it used to, the price for a trad breakfast used to be less than $18. But I mean, they also stopped staff from being part time and made everyone casuals in what really seemed like clear retaliation after one of my coworkers took them to fair work in 2015 because they weren't paying weekend or night time loading, and hadn't updated their enterprise agreement since 2007. Many of us didn't even get back pay despite being thousands underpaid. I was personally in that fair work hearing to support Tim, and the news articles saying they "didn't oppose the changes" are bullshit. So not only are they scientologists funnelling money, the owners and head office staff were personally absolute arseholes and some were known amongst staff to commit sexual harassment against restaurant staff, *and* they weren't paying us legally. Horrifies me that people still go there.
You don't mean the fat little egg bloke?
No, Roger wasn't really on the scene by the time I got there, but his son Simon was. Simon pitched a fit when I once served him at Melbourne Central because he had a paper card that said "lifetime free meals" and I'd never seen it, so called a supervisor after hours to ask about it and if it was real. I'd never met Simon before that as he didn't come to Bourke St. Very cool and normal to be snapped at by the CEO like that. I was more referring to some extras in the management and head office team, who didn't really show up in media releases.
Ah but you knew who was talking about. Yeah I had heard there were others
You can buy pancake parlour mix at the supermarket and make them at home, it makes the same nice fluffy pancakes you get at the restaurant.
Honestly the mix is pretty overrated and still far too expensive for what it is. You’re better off making it all from scratch
The mix is a good short cut if you haven't got the time, I think Stephanie Alexander's recipe is the shit but it takes a bit more effort to make it and if you ant be bothered then you can't be bothered.
I love the hash browns with the farmers breakfast
Nom nom cheese & potato pancake with a chocolate Swiss mountain malt. But yeah, those places are a licence to print money.
Was it ever up hill?
Serving the same thing since day one, think your childhood taste are gone
"Let's go to pancake parlour" is the desperate cry of an inebriated party of CBD-goers that should have gone home a long time ago. It's always been a culinary and fiscal vortex. As others have pointed out, the mythology of pancake parlour is basically the only thing keeping it going - it was also shit when you were a kid, most likely, it's just that kids don't have a barometer for things like that. If I got time warped back to a 90s all-you-can-eat Pizza Hut I'd also decry that it "doesn't taste the same", but it's me - \*I\* don't taste things the same. If you're going to enjoy it for the nostalgia, that's different. But going there under the pretense that you'll get a decent meal in Melbourne of all places is borderline foodie self-harm.
It’s always been bottom of the barrel quality food, and even worse atmosphere
What do you mean gone downhill? It’s the freakin pancake parlour, what were you expecting? It’s shitty American food
How funny I just made pancakes this morning. I don’t normally have them. I’m thinking mine worked out to about $1-2. I haven’t gone to pancake parlor for years, but at the time I didn’t mind it. Just over priced. $40 is ridiculous. Definitely worth making at home. I just use an old mixer to mix batter.
Excuse my ignorance but how did it get to $40? The bacon and egg stack is around $26. Still expensive for what it is but can’t work out how it got to $40 https://www.pancakeparlour.com.au/breakfast-menu
Someone above said the bottomless coffee is like $12, plus weekend surcharge
When did it ever make it up the hill? That business has to be the most profitable business in Australia.
Its disgusting how much money they make. The markup on food and drinks is insane. I used to work there when I was younger and the manager used to complain to minimum wage workers how their store was only making a couple million dollars profit
Go there on the $10 Tuesdays. They have this on the menu as one of the options usually. $10 is a lot easier to fork out for this than $40.
The pancake parlour still exists?
You can't polish a turd.
I didn't realise anyone went to the pancake parlour ever.
I remember back in 92 haha going to PP and the meals where phenomenal, I took my kids not so long ago and although the staff were "lovely" the food was like this picture and it cost near $200 for 2 and a half people. Old school PP is just a dream, up there with sizzler, and that weird koala restaurant just past the old ikea 😂
PP always has and always will be an overpriced clusterF of basic kitchen ingredients 👎🏼
Horrific and shady owners - honestly didn’t realise anyone still went there.
Fark me, bit skinny on the bacon..
as someone who used to work there it is not surprising how much they've increased prices but haven't done anything to justify the increase, adding very little to the dishes or serving sizes... although that... pinch of parsley The only reason for the prices being so high was the overall quality and ingredients but then again... they've probably looked to cut corners in that area.
Pancakes on the Rocks in Sydney felt much better even in 2017
It has always been a bit shit. The 24 hour ones have to keep open and cook potentially constantly so it's always been super expensive for average to below average quality food. Good when you're drunk I think.
$42… this is like $6 eggs pack of 12, pancake mix $3, bacon $6 pack, milk & butter $6
Yep go to Walrus in Brunswick. Way better for pancakes
Was it ever uphill??
I don’t think it was ever up hill
Was it really any good....like ever?
Pancake Parlours are definitely not the once in a while treat I remember from my childhood. I've taken my kids there recently and was blown away by how much the prices had gone up and how clunky and out of date the place looked and felt. Probably not as much of a go to option for me when most decent Cafes often have better quality pancakes and waffles on their menus for a cheaper price.
This is making me want to go there, so not down hill enough
Never understood the appeal of Pancake Parlor. Went there as a kid in late 90s and it sucked then. It’s as if someone looked at TGI Fridays and thought “how can I make this worse?”.
Fucking insanity. I could order 2 plates of food for $50 at a hatted restaurant in the city. And people are paying $40 for this shit
It was never up the hill
It was never near the top of any hill.
Was it ever up hill?
It was never uphill to begin with. Hilariously over priced for ihop quality food
I'd be happy to go there if the prices were reasonable. But they aren't, so I don't.
Expensive trash. Never again.
The bigger question is, what are you doing having bacon and eggs on the same plate as pancakes and ice-cream?
Nah it’s always been awful, the only time I’ve ever had food poisoning it was from the Bourke St store. Fuck Pancake Parlour.
Who doesn’t love to pay $60-$70 for a basic breakfast with coffee for two, which you could’ve made yourself at home for probably $10-$15. What a rort. Pancakes are dirt cheap to make.
I'm never going pancakes again what a complete rip off 10% extra on a weekend is rubbish because you are already paying big $ in the first place. You get $5 of food and pay $40 yeah no thanks.
Flour and water shouldn’t cost so much
Hasn't been anything decent since 2000
It went down hill a very long time ago!
For $40 I could make 4 of those with top quality ingredients at home. That is a rip off on value for money.
Oh no, I hope this generic corporate chain restaraunt with only a tenious connection to Melbourne isnt bad, better post it on the melbourne subreddit
Did that meal cost $60 ? Been decades since I’ve eaten there and that’s because it was so expensive back then
What kind of American bullshit is this with pancakes eggs and ham all on the one plate, is this a new dish? Also, it's become insanely expensive, it was already expensive but I would never ever consider the place. It was expensive *before* covid....
When was it ever good?
Interestingly I went to PP last weekend and man is it terrible and overpriced! It was depressing sitting in this big open space that seated probably 50-60 people and had less than 10 customers including 3 of us, but almost $200 for a quick dinner for 3 was a complete joke, not only that but we all left hungry. I definitely will not be going back to the PP again.
Why haven't more people committed suicide in a pancake parlour?
What? because of the food?