Everyone loves breakfast, and Short Stack Eatery is proud to offer ​Better Together, a weekend event celebrating love in all its forms for Valentine’s Day 2018.​ Whether you’re planning to celebrate with friends, family, a significant other, or someone new, Short Stack is committed to honoring connections between all breakfast lovers — regardless of race, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other label that might be cause for consternation when dining somewhere new.

Brunch-lovers are invited to enjoy locally sourced, made-from-scratch favorites such as the eggs benedict, biscuits and gravy, pecan streusel French toast, or decadent sweet potato oatmeal pancakes with maple bourbon mascarpone. ​Better Together will also feature LGBTQ+ inclusive drink specials named to honor prominent community leaders who have made great strides in the realm of equity.

Both new and returning customers also have the opportunity to bond over the “blind special” — Short Stack’s one mystery special that isn’t included on the regular menu. The blind special changes daily and can be ordered for just $7 if customers don’t ask what it is!

This is the first and ONLY time Short Stack is giving everyone a heads up — during Valentine’s Day weekend, all the blind specials will be ​vegan! While most loyal customers have likely picked up on the restaurant’s fun, open-minded vibe, o​n their next visit they can take note of two new additions to the restaurant’s quirky interior. Among tabletops adorned with old love letters and postcards, Short Stack is now proudly flying both the Trans Pride flag and the recently redesigned Philadelphia pride flag which includes an added brown and black stripe.

“Philadelphia was the first institution in the US to expand upon the traditional rainbow pride flag to honor non-white LGBTQ communities,” says Janelle Bentley, Short Stack’s new assistant general manager. “Queer people of color are frequently excluded from LGBTQ+ spaces and conversation and it was important for us to recognize those voices and to include their intersectionality in our invitation. Our goal is for everyone to feel comfortable bringing their whole selves into our community.”

Co-owners, Sinéad McHugh and Alex Lindenmeyer, have been very clear about setting their intentions for creating a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere for all – and not just for Valentine’s Day.

“Being an inclusive company is important because we need to use our platform as a prominent, popular breakfast joint to be an example to other local businesses,” says McHugh. “It’s important that we are continually checking that all of our systems allow for all members of our greater Madison community to feel welcome. So many of us take for granted that we can enjoy breakfast without thinking twice if we’re going to feel at home and comfortable while doing so.”

For those concerned about gender neutral restrooms, be assured that the SSE staff is working on it. At the moment, Short Stack’s bathrooms ​are gendered, however SSE respects every individual’s right to use whichever restroom best fits their gender identity or expression and gender diversity is absolutely welcomed.

“It’s 2018,” says Lindenmeyer effusively. “If we can put a man on the moon, we can absolutely make gender neutral restrooms a reality.”

Short Stack Eatery will be open during its regular hours for the week of Valentine’s Day:

Wednesday 6am-3pm

Thursday 6am-midnight

Friday 6am-midnight

Saturday 6am – Sunday 9pm (yes, the whole time!)