At Squeeze In, brunch has never just been about what is on the plate.
Sure, we are known for omelettes, fresh flavors, crave-worthy comfort food, and the kind of breakfast that can turn an ordinary morning into a memory. But the real magic of Squeeze In has always been something bigger.
It is the people.
It is the energy.
It is the feeling that when you walk in, sit down, or pull up a chair on the patio, you belong.
That feeling did not happen by accident. It has been part of the Squeeze In story from the very beginning.
Where It All Began
Long before Squeeze In became a brunch favorite, it started as a tiny, quirky breakfast spot in Truckee, California.
And when we say tiny, we mean tiny.
The original Squeeze In was started by a couple of ski bums who bought a kitchen and started slinging omelettes out the back alley. There was no big dining room. No polished restaurant blueprint. No grand plan to build a brunch brand.
Just a little kitchen, a lot of personality, and really good omelettes.
Over time, Squeeze In became one of those places people talked about. The kind of place you would bring visiting friends. The kind of place families built memories around. The kind of place that felt like it could only exist in a mountain town like Truckee.
Eventually, the restaurant changed hands, and later came under the ownership of Jerry, who was connected to the upper reaches of Nevada state government. But the heart of the place stayed the same.
It was still not just a restaurant.
It was the Squeeze In.
The Young Family Finds Their Dream
For Gary and Misty Young, Squeeze In became part of their family story long before they ever owned it.
Gary was a landscaper, and as the story goes, he used to plant trees at Jerry’s house. Sometimes, instead of a regular tip, Gary would get paid in omelettes.
That meant trips up the hill to Truckee, where Gary and Misty would bring their young family to enjoy brunch at the iconic little spot. On the drive home, their daughters Kay and Shila would sit in the backseat and listen to their parents dream out loud.
What would it be like to own the Squeeze In?
What would it be like to work together as a family?
What would it be like to buy that little restaurant?
Not just any restaurant.
Not just a cafe.
The Squeeze In.
At the time, it was a huge dream. The Young family had not come from abundance. When Shila was little, they had been on food stamps and welfare. Gary and Misty had spent years working, sacrificing, and bootstrapping their way forward.
But sometimes the right dream keeps tapping you on the shoulder.
By fate, the State of Nevada hired the public relations company Misty worked for, which gave her more exposure to Jerry, the owner of Squeeze In. Then one day, in an early morning meeting, Jerry casually mentioned that he might be considering selling the restaurant.
Misty did not sleep that night.
At 7:30 the next morning, she called him and said she wanted to figure out how to buy it.
Risking Everything for Brunch
Buying Squeeze In was not easy.
The Young family had to scrape together everything they had. They cashed in savings and retirement, called in family favors, and risked it all for the chance to build something together.
In 2003, Gary and Misty bought the original Squeeze In in Truckee and brought their whole family to the table.
And they really did work as a family.
For years, everyone pitched in. They worked the floor, served guests, learned the business, and poured themselves into making Squeeze In the kind of place people could feel good in. The kind of place where guests became regulars, regulars became friends, and breakfast became a tradition.
The second location opened in 2008.
The third opened in 2011.
The fourth opened in 2014.
Each new Squeeze In carried the same heart as the original: big breakfasts, bold personality, genuine hospitality, and a whole lot of love.
Built for Families, Shared with Families
In 2015, the Young family decided franchising was the next chapter.
Not because they wanted to build a cold, corporate restaurant machine. The opposite, actually.
They saw franchising as a way to invite other families into the same kind of dream that changed their lives. A way to share the opportunity to build something meaningful, community-centered, and full of personality.
Gary and Misty officially retired in 2017, and today, Kay, Shila, and Shila’s husband Chad continue to help lead the business alongside an experienced industry CEO. Together, they are carrying the Squeeze In story forward while inviting more families and communities into the fold.
Brunch Still Brings People Together
There is something special about brunch.
It is relaxed but social. Comforting but a little indulgent. Casual enough for a weekday breakfast, but fun enough for a celebration. It brings people together in a way few meals can.
That is why people search for things like “brunch near me,” “breakfast near me,” “dog-friendly brunch,” and “patio dining” when they are really looking for more than food.
They are looking for a place to gather.
A place to slow down.
A place where the morning feels a little brighter.
That is what Squeeze In has been serving since the beginning.
The Story Is Still Being Written
From a back-alley kitchen in Truckee to family-run restaurants, dog-friendly patios, and new communities, the Squeeze In story has always been built on more than brunch.
It has been built on risk.
On family.
On big dreams.
On big hearts.
And on the belief that breakfast can bring people together.
So whether you are joining us for omelettes, bringing your pup to the patio, meeting friends for a sunny summer brunch, or dreaming of bringing Squeeze In to your own community, you are part of the story too.
Because at the end of the day, we are not just built on brunch.
We are built on belonging.