Clearly, Heidi’s Pancake House is doing something right. Customers have been flocking to the South Lake Tahoe restaurant for huge breakfasts and lunches since it opened its doors in 1964.
South Lake Tahoe was a much different town then. In fact, the city didn’t incorporate until the following year. The 1960 Winter Olympics at what is now Palisades Tahoe put the region on the map, and slowly the area transformed from a summer-only destination to a year-round tourist attraction.
Heidi’s is one of those attractions.
The distinct yellow building is hard to miss as it sits in a prominent location fronting Highway 50, the main thoroughfare in town. Plenty of shared parking with the nearby businesses makes access easy.
“We have people come in all the time saying their parents or grandparents brought them in, so when they come to Tahoe it is a tradition that they always go to Heidi’s,” owner John Higgins says.
It is not unusual even on a cold winter morning to see a line outside waiting for a table. Same thing on busy summer days. About 60 percent of the restaurant’s business is from tourists. Higgins half-jokingly says that if the lines were shorter, more locals would come in.
“The key to our success is the long-term employees,” Higgins says, adding that some workers have been with Heidi’s for more than a quarter century.
A staff of more than 30, overseen by General Manager Sal Ortega and Manager John Woodson, makes sure guests are fed and cared for 365 days a year, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Unlike a lot of restaurants, Heidi’s provides decent wages, along with other benefits like paid vacation and paid holidays, as well as a 401(k).
Consistency and large portions are also staples of Heidi’s success story. Breakfast is available at every hour. Omelets are made with four or five eggs. Carol’s Concoction, named after a regular from back in the day, is one of the best sellers. This omelet has bacon, avocado, mushrooms and jack cheese. The corned beef hash is made in-house and is a must-have for many diners. Biscuits and gravy is another favorite.
For lunch, the top item is the Sierra Sandwich: sliced turkey breast, green chiles, tomato and jack cheese on grilled sourdough bread.
One thing that keeps people coming back is knowing they will be able to order their go-to favorite, whatever that might be. But Higgins also knows there is another percentage of patrons who want to try something new. That’s why it’s a balance of keeping what sells and being innovative.
Heidi’s also rolls with the trends, be it having gluten-free products available, using egg whites for those who want them or making sure vegetarian options are in good supply.
Today, Higgins is the sole proprietor of the eatery. He was hired in 1989 by what was then a larger restaurant group headed by Don Rosenthal and Don Thayer. Rosenthal had bought Heidi’s from founder Hal Pitt in the early 1970s.
It was Pitt who came up with the name, wanting to have a bit of Swiss Alps feel to the restaurant. Higgins’ daughter, Katie Svendsen, is on the cover of the menu because, as he says, “She has the look of a Heidi.” Svendsen is the only one of his 10 children involved today in the restaurant. She is responsible for the social media. Though at one time all the Higgins kids took a turn working at his other restaurants, B’Sghetti’s in Nevada and Bear Beach Cafe in Lake Tahoe, even as managers.
Rosenthal, Thayer and Higgins grew the Heidi’s operations to six locations, with the others being in Northern Nevada. Other restaurants in the group came and went through the years. Retirements brought things full circle to where Heidi’s in South Lake is once again the sole focus.
“Since I’ve been paying all the bills myself, we’ve replaced a lot of the internal equipment, the roof, the air handling system and all the windows, and we’ve kept the parking lot repaved and painted,” Higgins says, adding that new flooring is the next major improvement.
Swiss and early American themes are the decor, with new items being added when Higgins sees something worth purchasing or European guests donate authentic memorabilia from their homeland.
While Higgins calls himself semi-retired, he intends to be part of the restaurant until 2054, when the lease is up and he’ll be 100 years old.
“I love this business. To me, it’s play, not work,” he says.
Higgins is in the restaurant about once or twice a week interacting with staff and customers – something he foresees doing for years to come.
heidislaketahoe.com
3485 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe
(530) 544-8113
About the Author Kathryn Reed
Kathryn Reed is an award-winning journalist who has been visiting or living at Lake Tahoe since she was a child. She loves the outdoors – whether it's hiking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing or playing tennis. She is the author of Sleeping with Strangers: An Airbnb Host's Life in Lake Tahoe and Mexico; The Dirt Around Lake Tahoe: Must-Do Scenic Hikes; Snowshoeing Around Lake Tahoe: Must-Do Scenic Treks; and Lake Tahoe Trails for All Seasons: Must-Do Hiking and Snowshoe Treks.
