Stan explains to Francine how they can never find a restaurant he enjoys, because in his childhood, he had such a wonderful time at Johnson's Ice Cream Parlor and then saw it blow up. She encourages him to start his own restaurant, but when he enlists help from Roger, he begins losing control of his vision. Meanwhile, Steve tries to go out with a girl who thinks her doll is real.
Tropes:
- Bait-and-Switch: After Jack left the family, Betty decided to take Stan to the happiest place on Earth. The next scene shows a sign for Disney World... and then another sign clarifying it's a thousand miles away and very expensive.
- Black Comedy Rape: The way Stan casually mentions that he believed he was going to be molested by Mr. Johnson, and then fondly remembers when he was molested by a priest... though he later clarifies that he molested the priest.
- Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Stan narrates his experience at his childhood restaurant.Stan: I had chocolate covered hot dogs. I had cherry pie pizza. I had the third worst diarrhea in my young life.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Ashley believes that her doll Julia is a real person, insisting that she be Snot's date.
- Digging Yourself Deeper: When Stan thinks Francine wants him to confront Father Roy about molesting him at camp.Stan: Thing is, I'm not sure it was entirely his fault. I may have deserved it. In fact, I may have instigated it. Actually, Francine, I seduced him. I don't know why I wanted him, but I wanted him. There was no actual penetra—Francine: Stan, no! This isn't about that!
- Fiery Cover-Up: Roger blows up Stan's restaurant to destroy his own, saying that no one will suspect a successful restauranteur of arson.
- Freudian Excuse: Another one for Stan, this time centering on his inability to enjoy being at any restaurant. He explains that when his father left him, his mother took him to an ice cream parlor where he had the time of his life... then it blew up before his eyes. Since then, no restaurant he's been to has come close to being as good as the one restaurant he can never visit again.
- Large Ham: A passing opera singer drums up business for Stan's restaurant by singing about the pancake plate.
- Pedophile Priest: After talking about Johnson's, in which he was initially certain he was going to be molested, Stan tells Francine that he was molested by Father Roy at Christian Camp some time after. Later, he tells her that he seduced the priest.
- Pep-Talk Song: Subverted. Roger starts to break into song when he tells Stan he just needs confidence, but the song then immediately cuts to the end.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After being told to take Julia to "get an abortion", Steve and Snot decide to get rid of the doll. They stage her suicide, but Ashley claims that her suicide note is not in Julia's handwriting and concludes that she was murdered. Steve gives up and leaves in frustration.
- Spot the Thread: All the plates at Stan's restaurant are actually pancakes and thus edible. When Roger tries to claim there's a cockroach in his salad, Stan dares him to eat the plate, which causes him to pass out from blood loss.
- Start My Own: After Stan explains that he could never recapture the magic of that night he spent at Johnson's, Francine encourages him to start his own restaurant.
- Stuff Blowing Up: Johnson's exploded after Stan's visit. Francine later takes Stan to where the restaurant was, which is now a church. Then it explodes too. Stan dryly comments that there's clearly a natural gas leak somewhere that needs to be fixed.
- Take the Wheel: Stan tells Francine to do this while he stares thoughtfully out the car window to explain why he can't enjoy any restaurant.
- Tempting Fate: After giving Stan such a magical time, Johnson said he will always be there for him. Then the restaurant exploded, killing him.
