The creation of the concept of the Pancake Boat

The origin of the Pancake Boat has everything to do with the redevelopment of the Waalkade in Nijmegen. In 1990, the Waalkade was given a tourist-oriented layout with a casino and about twenty new catering establishments.

Ed Tonissen, former owner of the Pancake Boat, followed these developments closely, and to his surprise, no pancake restaurant came to the wharf. At that time, Ed Tonissen operated several canal boats in Nijmegen. A new formula was devised: sailing with eating pancakes. Guests could order pancakes on board and the boat would sail for free every last quarter of an hour. The formula was a great success in the beginning, but in the following years visitor numbers declined. After extensive research, the formula was changed to one-hour round trips including unlimited pancake food.
It was also decided to start this new formula in Rotterdam. The modified formula required special and entirely new ships to be built for this purpose.

Pancake Boat I

In 1997, construction of the first Pancake Boat I began at Shipyard Misti in Arnhem. The construction went well and the launching was done in spectacular fashion by means of a floating barge with a lifting capacity of 250,000 kilos. In August 1997, the Pancake Boat I began touring Rotterdam from the Parkhaven. Soon the boat was too small and the Pancake Boat II was designed. This was a good opportunity to further adapt and refine the design.

Pancake Boat II

The launch of the Pancake Boat II took place at Scheepswerf Sepers in Heerewaarden in August 1999. This new, larger boat with 150 covered seats immediately took the place of the Pancake Boat I in Rotterdam. Anno 2024 has been providing round trips with boating and unlimited pancake eating on the Maas in Rotterdam for 27 years.

The Pancake Boat I then went Rhenen to provide boat tours on the Rhine with unlimited pancake eating. After three years of service in Rhenen, this boat returned to Rotterdam to serve as the second Pancake Boat. In 2010 it managed to rent a berth in Amsterdam. The Pancake Boat I is now moored on the IJ near Central Station and sails past the beautiful buildings of Amsterdam.

Pancake Boat III

The Pancake Boat III was built in Maasbracht at Scheepswerf Tinnenmans and completed in Arnhem. The third Pancake Boat has occupied a berth on the Waalkade in Nijmegen since 2002. This boat is an exact copy of the Pancake Boat II and also has 150 covered seats. Meanwhile, the Pancake Boat Nijmegen has been in operation for 22 years, navigating the busiest stretch of river in Europe and allowing guests to enjoy the various Nijmegen bridges and the new side channel while eating pancakes.