An IHOP Competitor With 1950s Roots Has Quietly Shrunk By More Than 100 Locations

When picturing old-school cozy restaurant booths, a bottomless cup of coffee, and piled-high plates of pancakes, many folks think "IHOP." There's a good reason for that. The beloved pancake house has been around since its first Southern California location opened in 1958. But there was a very similar competitor born the same year in Denver, Colorado: the once-thriving Village Inn Pancake House.

Village Inn's original appeal was to the local breakfast crowd, with a simple menu offering things like made-from-scratch buttermilk pancakes, eggs, bacon, and coffee. Now, much like IHOP, they've progressed from the 1950s pancake-house to include much more than hotcakes, serving lunch and dinner menus — and a whole lot of pie. Though the similarities between the breakfast chains come to a screeching halt when it comes to scale, viability, and financial struggles.

The restaurant began franchising just three years after it opened, eventually reaching a reported 210 locations before troubles began. Village Inn and its sister brand, Midwest bakery chain Bakers Square, are both part of Vicorp Restaurants, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008. Its assets were then sold to American Blue Ribbon Holdings the following year. The company ultimately filed for bankruptcy in 2020, closing 33 Village Inn restaurants. A few stated reasons for the decline included low sales and other industry-wide challenges such as higher wages, diminished sales, competition, and the COVID pandemic.

Even after an eventual drop of about 100 restaurants, hope springs eternal for the 112 Village Inn restaurants. As of 2026, there's a solid presence in 19 states and territories, with the heaviest concentrations in Colorado and Florida, and big plans for refreshed concepts and potential expansion. 

The current strategy for Village Inn appears to lean toward refreshing the brand, rather than relying on nostalgia. According to its franchising site, Village Inn's redesign leans into a cozier, more modern identity, with baked-goods displays, dedicated pie cases, espresso stations, and even bars in some locations. Existing franchise groups have reportedly jumped on the bandwagon, including a $5 million transformation of nine Tampa-Bay Village Inns in Florida.

Food offerings may vary across regions, but a current Florida menu reflects a commitment to both past and present elements of the Village Inn dining experience. Made-from-scratch buttermilk pancakes retain their presence, alongside griddle-fave waffles, crepes, and vanilla-battered French toast. There's also a parade of other classic breakfasts and some newbies, including biscuits & gravy, smothered breakfast burrito, Florentine Benedict, and a comprehensive collection of skillets and omelettes. Lunch-style salads and sandwiches vie with comfort-food entrees such as pot roast, chicken-fried steak, fish-and-chips, and Thanksgiving-style slow-roasted turkey. Then there's the gorgeously decorated pies: at least 20 versions at this one location alone, including an ever-favorite classic pecan pie.