Village Inn is turning 60 years old next month. To commemorate, the restaurant plans to treat customers to all-you-can-eat pancakes during the month of September.
"We're serving cake, but it's pancakes," said Operations Director Stacey Clair. "And we're going to have lots of other specials to celebrate this anniversary."
With locations in Fayetteville, Bentonville and Ft. Smith, Village Inn is known for its fresh home-style food, a family-friendly vibe and unlimited coffee refills.
There are always specials to keep things interesting. Right now, for a limited time, kids eat free at the restaurant on Mondays and Tuesdays. Little ones get a free meal from the kid's menu with the purchase of an adult entrée.
Then there's the pie. Ah, the pie. The restaurant calls it 'The best pie in America' on their website. And many agree. Plus, every Wednesday, a free slice is on the house with any purchase (except ice cream). Folks in the know plan their week around Free Pie Wednesday. Others get a friendly reminder from their waitress.
"The waitresses are great about offering the pie to customers who don't know about it," said Stacey. "The offer includes a free slice of one of our fruit pies, or the featured pie of the month, which in August happens to be Peach Pecan Paradise."
The original "Village Inn Pancake House" opened in Denver, Colorado in 1958. Visiting vacationers loved it and asked about franchise opportunities. The first franchise location began operations in 1961. In the late '80s, the name was changed simply to "Village Inn," with the addition of lunch and dinner choices.
Village Inn continues to evolve while serving up a time-tested dining experience. Along with the old stand-bys, diners can now choose low-calorie and low cholesterol options including egg white substitutes, fresh fruits and salads. Any burger can be substituted with a grilled chicken breast. Everything on the menu can be ordered to go and for delivery. Pie reservations can be made online.
"We're focusing on more dinners-to-go, and making that easy for our customers," Stacy explained. "You can get our same great, fresh food delivered right to your door."
As Village Inn celebrates 6 decades of cutting pie and taking names, the restaurant hasn't forgotten its beginnings. A signature pot of hot coffee still graces every table. And pancakes still play big.
"We deliver comfort food," said Stacey. "A smile and a stack of hearty pancakes can change someone's day."
LOCATIONS:
3364 North College Ave.
Fayetteville, AR
479-521-1880
2300 Southeast Walton Blvd.
Bentonville, AR
479-464-0777
7620 Rogers Ave.
Fort Smith, AR
479-452-7007
HOURS:
Sun - Thurs, 6am -12am
Fri & Sat, Open 24 hours
ONLINE:
VillageInn.com
NAN Dining Guide Spotlight on 08/05/2018