In 1960, Walt and Dorothy Elmer opened breakfast focused Elmer’s Colonial Pancake House in Portland, OR. Truly a family owned and operated labor of love, Walt, Dorothy, and their three sons poured their hearts into serving the local community. It was an immediate success thanks to their commitment to bringing people together for home-style cooking, using only the finest ingredients.

Built on the foundation of Walt Elmer’s famous buttermilk pancakes, the original recipe for pancake batter was purchased for $1,000 and rumor has it that Walt kept it locked in his safe. We still use Walt’s original recipe today!

Over the years, the menu was expanded with lunch and dinner items and the restaurant became Elmer’s Pancake & Steakhouse. In 1966, Elmer’s began franchising and continues to grow to this day.

In 2016, the first Egg N’ Joe opened in Scottsdale, AZ. Egg N’ Joe offers the best of Elmer’s in a smaller, in-line space with patio and is open daily from 6:30am-2:30pm. The menu, operational tools, service style, and Guest centric focus remain the same.

Today, we continue to honor the values of the Elmer’s family by delivering seasonally fresh entrées and premium, made-from-scratch favorites served with care in a warm, inviting family atmosphere. As a group of locally-owned restaurants, we take pride in our local communities, source premium ingredients, and are proud to have the most wonderful, loyal Guests.

Why Franchise An Elmer’s® Or Egg N’ Joe®

At Elmer’s & Egg N’ Joe, we have grown and prospered by executing consistently on our three word mission statement – Delight Our Guests. We are dedicated to providing quality food ingredients and personable, gracious service that make Guests feel at home. With ample portions, beautifully presented, our menu is up-to-date and includes traditional favorites as well as seasonal entrées.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available all day at Elmer’s, while Egg N’ Joe is open for breakfast and lunch only. In addition to numerous local Best Breakfast awards, Guests rave about their experiences on Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google. Elmer’s has also received national recognition in the category of Family Restaurants with high marks on four main attributes consisting of taste, value, service, and mood.

Our responsibilities don’t end when you open for business. Our field support team continues to lend support on a regular basis by offering suggestions, sharing information and serving as a resource to keep your business running smoothly. Periodic visits by our Field Consultants and Head Chef help your team stay on track with standards and best practices. We are with you every step of the way! Our Annual Conference and business meetings ensure that you are up-to-date on the plans for success.

As a group of independently owned and operated family dining restaurants, we know how important it is to give back and build strong connections in the communities that we serve. Our local owners enjoy keeping marketing dollars in the local community, but are very selective when considering programs to support, preferring to do more than simply write a check. We want to participate, engage, build relationships, and extend our mission outward to delight the community!

We carefully choose programs and causes that reflect the values of our Guests and team members which include supporting initiatives that help children, families, military veterans and feed those that can’t otherwise feed themselves. The impact of truly connecting with the local community is key to success – instilling pride in team members and letting the community know how much you genuinely care about what matters to them.