IHOP Competition

[ctchandler]

I'm a little senile and was trying to remember the pancake restaurant chain that was a competitor of IHOP. Not Denny's or Howard Johnsons, the chain was around until the 70's. It's driving me crazy, please help!
Thanks,
C. T.

[mugofbeer]

Village Inn?

Kips Big Boy?

Where was one located in OKC (if there was one)?

[MikeLucky]

There was also Sambo's.

[Ward]

Village Inn was good. We used to eat there every week. (She didn't cook anyway). Come to think of it, they lasted until the year 2000 or so.

Sambo's was on Classen, I *think* it was a little North of 30th St, probably halfway to 36th.

Beverly's still has 1 location left, across from Baptist, but after the 70's there became fewer and fewer of them.

There is a facebook group named "Remember in Oklahoma City when..." that should give you a very quick answer. Just a local group. Are you on face book?

[mugofbeer]

Village Inn is still around though a lot closed due to covid.

I think there was a Village Inn many years ago on the southwest side of 39th expy. and l-44. I think the building is still there though the restaurant's been closed 35 years.

[Jeepnokc]

Stuckeys or Bobs Big Boy? Tried to google and didnt see anything but thought this page was interesting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...taurant_chains

[aegisdodd]

Kip's?

[Dob Hooligan]

I don’t think it was a chain, but this reminded me of Girlie’s Pancake House at N May & Grand. A freestanding building on the SE corner, where Starbucks occupies the replacement structure. “They’re Stacked Better” was the motto on the signage and menus IIRC. 24 hour joint, and I recall it being around through the 1970s. First place I ever saw real, live transvestites out in the wild. Party of 4 or 5 having a late meal after a night at the clubs about 2 in the morning

[ctchandler]

A lot of good answers and most of them I remember but Village Inn was what I was looking for. I have eaten at all of the ones mentioned. Thanks, I have a great memory but sometimes something like this comes along and I need help
C. T.

[Ward]

There is a Village Inn in Tulsa, I have some Tulsa friends who eat there occasionally. They like it. Next time I'm in Tulsa I'll try it. (If you are in Tulsa go to Nelsons Buffateria, breakfast and lunch only, quite good!).

We ate weekly at the Village Inn on NW HWY/Rockwell, SE corner, which is the corner you'll find the H
Hobby Lobby, Village Inn was where the Starbucks is now. There was also a Village Inn on Classen
at about NW 27 or NW 27 or so, the building is still there but it's an Oriental restaurant now.

[T. Jamison]

The best part of Village Inn is that you could buy an entire pie and they are really good. When I was in high school, we used to go to Village Inn after concerts or other late night events and buy a pie for the table.

[ctchandler]

I seem to remember a Village Inn on North May and 30th where Chow's is located. Am I correct?
C. T.

[mugofbeer]

Ihop.

[Dob Hooligan]

Mug is right, it was IHOP. The closest Village Inn to there that I can remember was on the south side of 39th/RT 66 at the corner turning into I-44 southbound. Had a group of old motels going east from Portland and the VI was at the end

[mugofbeer]

The old VI building is still there and per Google Earth is a used car place. The frame for the VI sign is still there, too.

[ctchandler]

I don't want to start another thread, so I'm going to piggy back on this one. I'm trying to remember a restaurant on 23rd near Lincoln that specialized in prime rib. I keep thinking "Eleanor's" but I don't think that's right but it is a lady's name on the restaurant.
Thanks again.
C. T.

[Martin]

^
before my time, but was it dolores?

Dolores Restaurant Collection | Retro Metro OKC

[mugofbeer]

My family went there a few times for after chuch lunch. I just remember them having great hot fudge sundae's.

[ctchandler]

^
before my time, but was it dolores?

Dolores Restaurant Collection | Retro Metro OKC

Martin,
That's it! If it was before your time, how did you come up with the name?
Thanks,
C. T.

[Martin]

lol... i've heard people talk about it. it was a pretty popular place!

[ctchandler]

Martin,
I don't know your age but it was open till the mid to late 70's. I was at Hertz and 30 years old in 1973 which is when I went there.
C. T.

[Martin]

Martin,
I don't know your age but it was open till the mid to late 70's. I was at Hertz and 30 years old in 1973 which is when I went there.
C. T.

i was born in the late 70's... if it was open during my lifetime, we never ate there. my folks mainly stayed in southwest okc whenever we ate out. my oldest brother worked at hertz in reservations for a few years in the late 80's and early 90's while he was in college... he probably didn't have too much contact with the IT folks.

[ctchandler]

Martin,
A fellow South sider. I was born and raised in South OKC, went to Rancho Village and U. S. Grant H. S. I moved North because we wanted an acreage and I didn't want to go further South. Too much of a drive. By the way, I have a year or two on you, I'm 77. I said mid to late 70's as a guess. I know it was open in 1973, but it could have closed a year or two later.
C. T.

[mugofbeer]

This may help.

https://www.retrometrookc.org/collec...nt-collection/

[rte66man]

There is a Village Inn in Tulsa, I have some Tulsa friends who eat there occasionally. They like it. Next time I'm in Tulsa I'll try it. (If you are in Tulsa go to Nelsons Buffateria, breakfast and lunch only, quite good!).

We ate weekly at the Village Inn on NW HWY/Rockwell, SE corner, which is the corner you'll find the H
Hobby Lobby, Village Inn was where the Starbucks is now. There was also a Village Inn on Classen
at about NW 27 or NW 27 or so, the building is still there but it's an Oriental restaurant now.

It's now Grand House after they moved when CVS razed their old location on 24th