Pancake Parlour Pay Rate

[Akinlolu Watters]

Generallyspeaking wages have not keep up with inflation for about 40 years whilst the tax burden has increasingly being shifted onto individuals and the poorest individuals at that. For example we have the GST thanks to John Howard (who is also a war criminal, just a wonderful man all round).

I'm a bit lost with this argument - In your argument prices are too high, but wages are too low. So if we live in this version of reality and wages were to rise substantially what do you think would happen to the prices?

It's 7.36pm Sunday night - Lets say the Pancake Parlor is open right now - how much do you think the wage cost to keep the place open is per hour at the moment (assuming 4 staff members - short order chef, register worker, plate clearer, kitchen hand)? I'd be suggesting its wage cost is around $200 per hour.

If a stack of pancakes is $20 and they sell only this product, they would have to sell 30 stacks every hour to make it worthwhile having the doors open (in my version of reality) - this is 1 per every 2 minutes they are open on a Sunday night.

I'm a scrooge like most people around here - but if I want to eat a Pancake late at night on a weekend and I'm not at McDonalds, I know the true cost of providing me with the pancake is actually pretty high.

In a scenario where wages roughly keep up with inflation, there's not some magically created currency entering the economy that somehow becomes surplus and then drives up prices rendering the whole thing moot - that's not how that works. The same amount of money would exist within the economy as it does now, it would just be distributed more justly amongst the working class and not exclusively hoarded by wealthy business owners.

(a) given the rates cuts, your $200 wage estimate is $50 too high, you can look up the award if you want. Many fast food businesses have also been pushing their casuals to part time, which would further decrease hourly labour cost.

(b) as OP noted, a pancake is simple and its ingredients ought to be exceedingly cheap. Cost of goods should be lower than your average restaurant. This, along with the corrected wages, justifies lowering the hourly total to $450, I think.

And yet, somehow, Pancake Parlour does still open. So things must still be working out in their favour. Even if they recently were forced to pay their employees a modern wage, after years of ripping them off. So colour me a tad doubtful of your Pancake Parlour's "woe is me" disposition.

I'm happy to see that they are still in business but frankly surprised given how much competition we have around now. So many places now serve pancakes as part of their regular menu (some just as good) and often for cheaper prices.

Most of the Melbourne stores I'm familiar with are in prime locations and perhaps may be a contributing factor to their continued success. There would be some huge markups on an average stack of pancakes so I'm sure that helps also (does anybody actually know how much?).

Regardless, I always find it fascinating to see so many people eating there (normally young) on the occasion I walk past one on a weekend. They've gotten a little too pricey for me also and normally only indulgence myself if I have some sort discount/coupon or when I have no say in the matter.

Some Mcdonalds, Hungry Jacks and Krispy Kreme stores in Melbourne operate 24 hours over the weekend. If you're wanting pancakes specifically, I know Lazy Moes and Max Brenner serve them and they're open till late.

Plenty of other late night eating options in and around the CBD, Brunswick, Fitzroy and South Yarra though. I just don't eat out often enough in these areas to give you a comprehensive list. Content with my locals.

I've got a recipe for pancakes that matches the pancake parlour pancakes exactly. I only go to the Brisbane pancake place to redeem my kids birthday free stacks (they get the free stacks - I actually order something)

I'd suggest mixing all the dry ingredients together in one bowl and then mixing all the wet ingredients together in another bowl (make sure you sour the milk with vinegar first, and then add melted butter and egg)

The only thing good about pancake parlour is that, at least in Melbourne, they have a few locations which are either open pretty late at night or are open 24 hours. That makes it a good location to hang out with friends late at night because it's clean, inviting, and the service is usually good. As opposed to the usually filthy McDonald's and hungry jacks which I wouldn't want to spend more than 10 minutes in.

Are there many other restaurant, Cafe type places that have as comfortable sitting arrangements (ie conducive to socialising with the booth seats) that are open late apart from this place? I guess there's a few on lygon, but I wouldn't say they're as comfortable as pancake parlour

If you sign up to their emails they have a stack load of offers every month, they hand out vouchers like lollies and there's an ent book voucher! The only people who would pay full price for Pancake Parlour are the people who pay full price for cinema tickets!

On another note I can see a lot of talk regarding running costs ect.

All I can say is if I was to go to a fairly average restaurant, Laporchetta etc a large Schnitzel with a generous portion of chips and a salad would be approx $20. I understand the cost of a big chicken fillet, potatoes and salad. It obviously doesn't amount to $20 but there seems to be some sense of value based on what your getting.

The pancake pancake parlour, how much can a bit of pancake mix to make 2 small pancakes, some chocolate sauce, and a small scoop of ice cream really cost? Those profit margins must be masssive.

Just came back from a group lunch there, still damn hungry after having a value meal of chicken crepe with a coke! Thin and small crepe (one fork long x two forks wide) wrapped with one tiny piece of a diced chicken (half of thumb size) - $17.50! Definitely overpriced! First time and never come back again. The venue was like only 30% full at lunch time. Grilled would make me full for the same price.

The Pancake Parlour is an Australian pancake restaurant chain founded in 1965.[1] It serves breakfast and dessert items, mainly various types of pancakes and crpes. The Parlour owns 13 locations in Melbourne, where it is well-known, and has one licensee, the Pancake Kitchen, in Ballarat. Its restaurants feature the Lovely! Lady logo, whimsical Pythonesque imagery and machine-like sculptures, which were conceived by a steampunk artist. The Pancake Parlour shares a founder, Roger Meadmore, with several unaffiliated pancake restaurants around Australia.

In 1959, Roger and Helen Meadmore, an Australian couple, and their longtime American business partner, Alan Trachsel,[2][3] were on a road trip in the U.S.[a] Every morning, they stopped for breakfast at pancake houses. The Australians would later recall, "Americans served pancakes the way we serve toast".[4]

When they returned home, Roger Meadmore discarded his plans to start an omelette restaurant. He saved up for years to open up the Pancake Kitchen in 1965 with his wife and Trachsel.[4][8][b] Located in a burned-out deli at Gilbert Place, Adelaide,[6] the Pancake Kitchen's early days were unconventional. Instead of a menu, patrons were asked what they wanted. Their answer was "pancakes and a sort-of bolognese." This dish is still on the menu as the Tabriz.[2][c]

In 1969, they sold the Pancake Kitchen. Roger Meadmore moved to Sydney,[2] leaving the company to pursue his career as a balloonist and, being a committed Scientologist, run his personal efficiency business.[5][d] Helen and Alan Trachsel, now married,[e] moved to Melbourne, where they started a now-defunct pancake restaurant at 4 Market Lane. As someone else had already registered the Pancake Kitchen there, they named it the Pancake Parlour. In 1971, they built the portable Pancake Parlour Party Machine, which operated during the 1970s.[2][4]

In the 1980s, 24-hour locations opened up in the suburb of Doncaster, and the Northland and Highpoint Shopping Centres. They significantly increased the Pancake Parlour's popularity as a family favourite.[2]

Although Alan Trachsel died in 2006 and Helen died in 2016, the Pancake Parlour is still owned by the Trachsel family trust. Helen's daughter Samantha Meadmore previously worked as the Group Training Manager, while her brother Simon Meadmore became CEO in 2003.[5][14]

In 2018, Pancake Parlour employees led by 21-year-old Tim Sarder organised a successful legal action which gave them weekend and late-night penalty rates in a Facebook group. Sarder told The Age that "the current contract [did] not meet the safety net of minimum wages or employment conditions". The Parlour did not oppose the application, which was commended by United Voice, a trade union.[5][15]

The Pancake Parlour serves a variety of breakfast meals and desserts, including pancakes and crpes.[16] It also sells its pancake mix and syrup in Australian supermarkets.[17] The Parlour's original signature dish was the "soft stack", two hotcakes with a selection of toppings. Its pancakes topped with ice cream, whipped butter, Bavarian apples, or berries were introduced soon after.[2]

The Pancake Parlour has thirteen locations in Melbourne, including in Australia's largest shopping centres, such as Chadstone, Westfield Fountain Gate, Eastland, and Highpoint.[18] In addition, there is one licensee, the Pancake Kitchen, in Ballarat. Their proprietor is Vincent Lutjohn.[19] Its restaurants incorporate the Lovely! Lady logo, whimsical, Pythonesque imagery and machine-like sculptures, which were originally designed by Peter Von Czarnecki, a friend of the founders who later became a steampunk artist.[2]

According to The Age's Good Food, the Pancake Parlour is regarded as a Melbourne icon.[2] Time Out included the restaurant in its list of the best pancakes in Melbourne, and said that it "has built a loyal following for its eclectic menu".[21]

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