Stack’em High Pancakes: Serving Hospitality and Breakfast on the OBX

“This is a family, front of the house, back of the house, management, and customers.” 

About Stack’em High Pancakes

Family-owned and operated since 1981, Stack’em High Pancakes & So Forth was opened by the Kiousis family in its original location in Kill Devil Hills. A second location was opened in Kitty Hawk. The restaurants are now owned by each of the Kiousis sons and their wives. Nick and Dawn Kiousis own the Kill Devil Hills location. Nick’s father and the original owner, Perry, was a fixture in the restaurant until he passed away, and he is remembered for his kindness and generosity. 

The family has a lot of gratitude for their staff and their customers. Their work family has grown together, with many employees that have been with the restaurant for over ten years. Although they are a restaurant, they feel that they are truly a part of the OBX hospitality business, regularly playing tour guide to help their customers find the best local Outer Banks activities. 

“We really believe that we are in the hospitality business, not just the restaurant business.”

Pancakes and Syrup….and More!

After Nick took over the business from his parents, he did not change much since they had such a great system in place already. Stack’em High Pancakes & So Forth makes the majority of their fare in-house, including the biscuits, corned beef, and most condiments. They have gluten-free options, including a gluten-free French toast. Fun for kids (and grown-ups too!) is the Green Eggs and Ham, which includes two eggs scrambled with fresh spinach and feta cheese served with a hand-cut sugar ham steak. Another customer favorite is Grateful Granola, Stack’em High’s delicious homemade granola, which is served over vanilla yogurt or available in 16oz to-go bags. Grateful Granola can be shipped, too! 

Stack’em High Pancakes’ COVID Response

As with most OBX restaurants, the pandemic hit hard at Stack’em High. They closed the restaurant in March and did not reopen until June. They were open for 2 weeks before they had to close. During the time they were closed, Dawn wrote a blog for 80 straight days, which amassed quite a following. Her Sunnyside Up Moment blog ended up having several thousand followers.

“It was amazing to see how people were rooting for us.” 

Once the restaurant reopened, Stack’em High followed all precautions to keep their staff and customers safe. They removed some tables. Dawn and Nick took over hosting duties so they could manage the constantly fluctuating seating arrangements. Dawn set a timer to make sure that all handles were wiped down regularly. Every table and chair was wiped down between customers. 

Slide Down Jockey’s Ridge After Breakfast at Stack’em High

Dawn’s son, Theo, is a big fan of Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Head south after breakfast at Stack’em High and discover what makes the most dynamic sand dune system in the eastern United States special.