Dear Original Pancake House,

I love you. I love your smell, I love your coffee, I love the mountain of whipped cream you put on your chocolate chip pancakes. I love that when I order a big apple you tell me that it's going to be a few extra minutes but then it comes out in less than 10, and it’s a great surprise.

I don’t love your line on a weekend morning, but that’s okay. Sometimes the wait makes it that much better. I don’t love your prices, but you that’s because you know what you’re worth, and I respect that.

You are the only place I’m willing to go to in my hometown where I am guaranteed to run into people from high school that I don’t want to talk to, and I’ve accepted that because it’s worth it.

I love that you fresh squeeze your orange juice. I also love that you don’t judge me for drinking hot chocolate in the summer because you know that the hot chocolate you serve doesn’t follow the rules.

I love the memories I have of leaving my high school journalism class for 30 minutes to go pick up a carry out order. I also loved the look on all my classmates’ faces when I opened up that thick cut bacon in front of all of them.

I’ve never had a bad meal at your place, and for the amount of times I’ve been there, that says something.

You are one of two restaurants that I have to eat at every time I come home. That will never change.

I can only speak for your Grosse Pointe establishment, but I’m sure your other placements around Metro Detroit are good too, but I’m going to stick with what I know. The one on Mack is the best one. And I can’t back that up with facts or reasons, because it’s more personal than that.

It’s personal because of the memories, meeting up with my buddies after going out on a Friday night to swap stories, celebrating a friend’s birthday, or even just catching up with an old pal from high school.

Everyone who grew up within 20 miles of Pancake House knows its greatness, and I almost didn’t want to write this article out of fear that it becomes even more crowded than it already is, but if that’s the fall out, you deserve it. Because you’re just that good.

Love,

Your Biggest Fan