Waffle House: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|American restaurant chain}} |
{{Short description|American restaurant chain}} |
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{{For|waffle houses in general|Pancake house}} |
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{{Use American English|date=February 2019}} |
{{Use American English|date=February 2019}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}} |
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}} |
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{{About|the American restaurant chain}} |
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{{Infobox company |
{{Infobox company |
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| name = |
| name = Waffle House, Inc. |
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| trade_name = Waffle House |
| trade_name = Waffle House |
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| logo = Waffle House Logo.svg |
| logo = Waffle House Logo.svg |
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| hq_location_city = [[Norcross, Georgia]] |
| hq_location_city = [[Norcross, Georgia]] |
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| hq_location_country = United States |
| hq_location_country = United States |
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| area_served = 25 |
| area_served = 25 U.S. states |
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| industry = [[Restaurant]]s |
| industry = [[Restaurant]]s |
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| genre = [[Casual dining]] |
| genre = [[Casual dining]] |
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| successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> |
| successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> |
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| defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> |
| defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> |
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| num_locations = |
| num_locations = 2,010<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/Waffle%20House-USA/|title=How many Waffle House stores are there in the United States |publisher=ScreapHero|date=March 13, 2023|access-date=July 13, 2024}}</ref> |
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| num_locations_year = |
| num_locations_year = July 2024 |
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| key_people = [[Walter G. Ehmer]] (President and CEO) |
| key_people = [[Walter G. Ehmer]] ([[President (corporate title)|president]] and [[Chief executive officer|CEO]]) |
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| brands = |
| brands = |
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| production = |
| production = |
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| production_year = <!-- Year of production data (if known) --> |
| production_year = <!-- Year of production data (if known) --> |
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| services = |
| services = |
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| revenue = {{increase}}$1 billion |
| revenue = {{increase}}$1 billion<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2021/04/03/waffle-house-chairman-joe-rogers-jr-debuts-as-a-billionaire-as-restaurant-industry-digs-out-from-wreckage/ | title=Waffle House Chairman Joe Rogers Jr. Debuts as a Billionaire as Restaurant Industry Digs Out from Wreckage | website=[[Forbes]] }}</ref> |
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| revenue_year = <!-- Year of revenue data (if known) --> |
| revenue_year = <!-- Year of revenue data (if known) --> |
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| operating_income = |
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| parent = |
| parent = |
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| divisions = |
| divisions = |
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| subsid = |
| subsid = WH Capital, L.L.C. |
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| module = <!-- Used to embed other templates --> |
| module = <!-- Used to embed other templates --> |
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| ratio = <!-- Basel III ratio, for BANKS ONLY --> |
| ratio = <!-- Basel III ratio, for BANKS ONLY --> |
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| footnotes = |
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'''Waffle House, Inc.''' is an American [[restaurant chain]] with over 1,900 locations in 25 states in the United States.<ref name=hist>{{cite web |url=http://www.wafflehouse.com/history |title=History |publisher=Waffle House |date=21 August 2015 |access-date=26 August 2015 |df=mdy-all |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102203814/https://wafflehouse.com/history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
'''Waffle House, Inc.''' is an American [[restaurant chain]] with over 1,900 locations in 25 states in the United States.<ref name=hist>{{cite web |url=http://www.wafflehouse.com/history |title=History |publisher=Waffle House |date=21 August 2015 |access-date=26 August 2015 |df=mdy-all |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102203814/https://wafflehouse.com/history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The bulk of the locations are in the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]] and the [[Southern United States|South]], where the chain is a regional cultural icon.<ref name=ap>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8927443|title=Waffle House still dishin' diner food at 50 - Business - US business - Food Inc. |publisher=NBC News |agency=Associated Press |date=15 August 2005|access-date=21 June 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The menu consists mainly of [[Cuisine_of_the_Southern_United_States|Southern]] [[List of American breakfast foods|breakfast food]].<ref name="Mashed review">{{cite news |last1=Maxwell |first1=Samantha |title=Popular Waffle House Menu Items, Ranked Worst To Best |url=https://www.mashed.com/413886/popular-waffle-house-menu-items-ranked-worst-to-best/ |access-date=7 January 2024 |work=[[Mashed.com|Mashed]] |date=18 May 2021}}</ref> Waffle House is headquartered in [[Norcross, Georgia]], in the [[Atlanta metropolitan area]].<ref name="ContactUs">{{Cite web|title=Contact us|url=https://www.wafflehouse.com/contact-2/|website=www.wafflehouse.com|publisher=Waffle House|access-date=16 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190216140248/https://www.wafflehouse.com/contact-2/|archive-date=February 16, 2019|location=[[Norcross, Georgia|Norcross]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|GA]]|year=2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> |
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[[File:Waffle House History Plaque.jpg|thumbnail|Plaque commemorating the first Waffle House restaurant]] |
[[File:Waffle House History Plaque.jpg|thumbnail|Plaque commemorating the first Waffle House restaurant]] |
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==History== |
==History== |
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=== Founding === |
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The first Waffle House opened on [[Labor Day]] weekend in 1955 at 2719 East College Avenue in [[Avondale Estates, Georgia]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-20 |title=A State of Innovation: Waffle House |url=https://georgiahistory.com/a-state-of-innovation-waffle-house/ |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=Georgia Historical Society |language=en-US}}</ref> That restaurant was conceived and founded by [[Joe Rogers Sr.]] and [[Tom Forkner]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/local/waffle-house-founder-dies-month-after-business-partner/ST26EuQ9oaEqgg8o5u6wEO/|title=Waffle House co-founder dies at 98, a month after business partner|last1=Sharpe|first1=Joshua|date=27 April 2017|work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|access-date=28 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421000506/https://www.ajc.com/news/local/waffle-house-founder-dies-month-after-business-partner/ST26EuQ9oaEqgg8o5u6wEO/|archive-date=2019-04-21|url-status=live}}</ref> Rogers started in the restaurant business as a short-order cook in 1947 at the [[Toddle House]] in [[New Haven, Connecticut]].<ref name="atl">{{cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/joe-rogers-profile-the-cornerstone-waffle-house/A3Fzs0PhbRUIpGle0Gu61N/|title=The Cornerstone of Waffle House|last1=Osinski|first1=Bill|date=24 December 2004|work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405214728/https://www.ajc.com/news/joe-rogers-profile-the-cornerstone-waffle-house/A3Fzs0PhbRUIpGle0Gu61N/|archive-date=2018-04-05|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> By 1949, he became a regional manager<ref name=ap/> with the now-defunct [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]]-based Toddle House chain, then he moved to [[Atlanta]]. He met Tom Forkner while buying a house from him in Avondale Estates.<ref name=hist/> |
The first Waffle House opened on [[Labor Day]] weekend in 1955 at 2719 East College Avenue in [[Avondale Estates, Georgia]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-20 |title=A State of Innovation: Waffle House |url=https://georgiahistory.com/a-state-of-innovation-waffle-house/ |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=Georgia Historical Society |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2023-09-05 |title=TODAY IN HISTORY: Waffle House opened its doors 68 years ago in metro Atlanta |url=https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/today-history-waffle-house-founded-65-years-ago-metro-atlanta/QNPN5Q7AT5FCTJ2DVE35CKWB3M/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta |language=en}}</ref> That restaurant was conceived and founded by [[Joe Rogers Sr.]] and [[Tom Forkner]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/local/waffle-house-founder-dies-month-after-business-partner/ST26EuQ9oaEqgg8o5u6wEO/|title=Waffle House co-founder dies at 98, a month after business partner|last1=Sharpe|first1=Joshua|date=27 April 2017|work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|access-date=28 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421000506/https://www.ajc.com/news/local/waffle-house-founder-dies-month-after-business-partner/ST26EuQ9oaEqgg8o5u6wEO/|archive-date=2019-04-21|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-06 |title=Waffle House's 1955 menu offered this ritzy dish for just $1.50 |url=https://www.wjbf.com/top-stories/waffle-houses-1955-menu-offered-this-ritzy-dish-for-just-1-50/ |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=WJBF |language=en-US}}</ref> Rogers started in the restaurant business as a short-order cook in 1947 at the [[Toddle House]] in [[New Haven, Connecticut]].<ref name="atl">{{cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/joe-rogers-profile-the-cornerstone-waffle-house/A3Fzs0PhbRUIpGle0Gu61N/|title=The Cornerstone of Waffle House|last1=Osinski|first1=Bill|date=24 December 2004|work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405214728/https://www.ajc.com/news/joe-rogers-profile-the-cornerstone-waffle-house/A3Fzs0PhbRUIpGle0Gu61N/|archive-date=2018-04-05|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> By 1949, he became a regional manager<ref name="ap" /> with the now-defunct [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]]-based Toddle House chain, then he moved to [[Atlanta]]. He met Tom Forkner while buying a house from him in Avondale Estates.<ref name="hist" /> |
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[[File:Waffle House Museum Exterior.jpg|thumb|The first Waffle House restaurant (now a museum), [[Avondale Estates, Georgia|Avondale Estates]], Georgia. Note original "syrupy" font on the sign.]] |
[[File:Waffle House Museum Exterior.jpg|thumb|The first Waffle House restaurant (now a museum), [[Avondale Estates, Georgia|Avondale Estates]], Georgia. Note original "syrupy" font on the sign.]] |
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Rogers's concept was to combine the speed of fast food with table service with around-the-clock availability.<ref name=ap/> |
Rogers's concept was to combine the speed of fast food with table service with around-the-clock availability.<ref name=ap/> Forkner suggested naming the restaurant "Waffle House", as [[waffle]]s were the most profitable item on the 16-item menu.<ref name=ap/> Rogers continued to work with Toddle House, and to avoid conflict of interest, sold his interest to Forkner in 1956. |
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=== 1960s-1990s === |
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Forkner suggested naming the restaurant "Waffle House", as [[waffle]]s were the most profitable item on the 16-item menu.<ref name=ap/> |
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=== Since 2000 === |
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⚫ | After opening a fourth restaurant in 1960, the company began [[franchising]] its restaurants and slowly grew to 27 stores by the late 1960s, before growth accelerated. |
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[[File:A_Waffle_House_restaurant_in_Jasper,_Georgia,_US.jpg|thumb|A Waffle House in [[Jasper, Georgia]]]] |
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In 2007, Waffle House repurchased the original restaurant, which |
In 2007, Waffle House repurchased the original restaurant, which had been sold by the chain in the early 1970s. The company restored it using original blueprints for use as a private company museum. The museum is used primarily for internal corporate events and tours.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Waffle House Museum, Decatur, Georgia |url=https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/18095 |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=RoadsideAmerica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chopra |first=Sonia |date=2013-07-18 |title=A Look at the First-Ever Waffle House, Now the World's Only Waffle House Museum |url=https://atlanta.eater.com/2013/7/18/6400475/a-look-at-the-first-ever-waffle-house-now-the-worlds-only-waffle |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=Eater Atlanta |language=en}}</ref> |
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In 2008, one of the biggest Waffle House franchises in the southeast, North Lake Foods, was bought out by Waffle House, Inc. North Lake Foods filed for [[Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection]] and closed some stores. Waffle House, Inc. plans to rehabilitate the franchise. In early 2009, East Coast Waffles bought North Lake Foods to become a new franchise.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ajc.com/business/bankrupt-waffle-house-franchisee-109022.html|title=Bankrupt Waffle House franchisee draws bids|author=Collier|first=Joe Guy|date=2009-08-05|newspaper=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613185759/https://www.ajc.com/business/bankrupt-waffle-house-franchisee-draws-bids/1DQ7c2I5x1LScsAWVoqCkO/|archive-date=2019-06-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
In 2008, one of the biggest Waffle House franchises in the southeast, North Lake Foods, was bought out by Waffle House, Inc. North Lake Foods filed for [[Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection]] and closed some stores. Waffle House, Inc. plans to rehabilitate the franchise. In early 2009, East Coast Waffles bought North Lake Foods to become a new franchise.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ajc.com/business/bankrupt-waffle-house-franchisee-109022.html|title=Bankrupt Waffle House franchisee draws bids|author=Collier|first=Joe Guy|date=2009-08-05|newspaper=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613185759/https://www.ajc.com/business/bankrupt-waffle-house-franchisee-draws-bids/1DQ7c2I5x1LScsAWVoqCkO/|archive-date=2019-06-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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The founders of the Waffle House brand died in 2017 within |
The founders of the Waffle House brand died in 2017 within two months of each other: Joe Rogers Sr. died on March{{nbsp}}3 and Tom Forkner on April 26.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/local/waffle-house-founder-dies-month-after-his-business-partner/ST26EuQ9oaEqgg8o5u6wEO/|title=Waffle House co-founder dies a month after his business partner|last=Sharpe|first=Joshua|date=April 27, 2017|newspaper=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421000506/https://www.ajc.com/news/local/waffle-house-founder-dies-month-after-business-partner/ST26EuQ9oaEqgg8o5u6wEO/|archive-date=2019-04-21|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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==Operations== |
==Operations== |
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Each Waffle House location is open 24 hours daily |
Each Waffle House location is open 24 hours daily. This schedule has inspired the urban myth that "Waffle House doors have no locks".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wafflehouse.com/history/|title=People business|first=Mike|last=Howard|access-date=May 6, 2019|archive-date=May 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506232233/https://wafflehouse.com/history/|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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⚫ | The chain's restaurants almost always have [[jukebox]]es, which have traditionally played [[Single (music)|45-rpm singles]]<ref>{{Cite web|title = People business|url = http://www.wafflehouse.com/history/|website = Waffle House|access-date = 2015-09-30|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151001102345/http://www.wafflehouse.com/history/|archive-date = 2015-10-01|url-status = dead}}</ref> and, in some cases, CDs. Waffle House has released music through its own record label, Waffle Records. It has released songs from "Saturday Night At My Place" by [[Gary Garcia]] released in 1995 to "They're Cooking Up My Order" by [[Alfreda Gerald]] released in 2006. The co-founder [[Joe Rogers Jr.|Joe Rogers]] had high standards and said, "If it sounded like a commercial, it got the ax." If the song makes the cut it'll be recorded and make its way to Waffle House jukeboxes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/15/470554245/a-b-side-with-your-bacon-waffle-house-has-its-own-music-label|title=A B-Side With Your Bacon? Waffle House Has Its Own Music Label|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2019-09-26}}</ref> The songs are on ordinary discs, which are produced for Waffle House and are not commercially sold, but the chain has made a CD of some of the songs available for sale.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wafflehouse.com/your-house/waffle-house-records|title=Waffle House Records|website=Waffle House|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521115645/http://www.wafflehouse.com/your-house/waffle-house-records|archive-date=2011-05-21|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other artists that recorded for Waffle Records include [[Eddie Middleton]] who recorded "Good Food Fast" bw "Waffle Doo-Wop" which was composed and produced by [[Jerry Buckner]].<ref>45Cat - [https://www.45cat.com/artist/eddie-middleton Eddie Middleton - Discography]</ref><ref>Popsike - [https://www.popsike.com/WAFFLE-HOUSE-RECORDSEDDIE-MIDDLETONGOOD-FOOD-FAST/165356662518.html WAFFLE HOUSE RECORDS--EDDIE MIDDLETON--"GOOD FOOD FAST"]</ref> |
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[[File:A Waffle from Waffle House.jpg|thumb|A Waffle from Waffle House]] |
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⚫ | The chain's restaurants almost always have [[jukebox]]es, which have traditionally played [[Single (music)|45-rpm singles]]<ref>{{Cite web|title = People business|url = http://www.wafflehouse.com/history/|website = Waffle House|access-date = 2015-09-30|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151001102345/http://www.wafflehouse.com/history/|archive-date = 2015-10-01|url-status = dead}}</ref> and, in some cases, CDs. Waffle House has released music through its own record label, Waffle Records. It has released songs from "Saturday Night At My Place" by [[Gary Garcia]] released in 1995 to "They're Cooking Up My Order" by [[Alfreda Gerald]] released in 2006. The co-founder [[Joe Rogers Jr.|Joe Rogers]] had high standards and said, "If it sounded like a commercial, it got the ax." If the song makes the cut it'll be recorded and make its way to Waffle House jukeboxes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/15/470554245/a-b-side-with-your-bacon-waffle-house-has-its-own-music-label|title=A B-Side With Your Bacon? Waffle House Has Its Own Music Label|website=NPR.org|language=en|access-date=2019-09-26}}</ref> The songs are on ordinary discs, which are produced for Waffle House and are not commercially sold, but the chain has made a CD of some of the songs available for sale.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wafflehouse.com/your-house/waffle-house-records|title=Waffle House Records|website=Waffle House|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521115645/http://www.wafflehouse.com/your-house/waffle-house-records|archive-date=2011-05-21|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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The company claims to be the world's leading seller of several of its [https://wafflehousemenus.com/ menu items]—the namesake waffles, ham, pork chops, grits, and T-bone steaks. It also claims that it serves 2% of all eggs in the U.S.<ref name="Wilson ESPN">{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=Dave |date=October 19, 2017 |title=Is this heaven? No, it's a Waffle House |url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/21067022/college-football-saturday-sec-country-waffle-house |access-date=October 19, 2017 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> |
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The servers use a proprietary version of [[diner lingo]] to call in orders, and the menu suggests some use of the same lingo when placing orders for [[Hash browns|hash brown potatoes]]: "scattered" (spread on the grill), "smothered" (with onions), "covered" (with cheese), "chunked" (with diced ham), "diced" (with diced tomatoes), "peppered" (with jalapeño peppers), "capped" (with mushrooms), "topped" (with chili), and "all the way" (with all available toppings). The option of "country" was added for hash browns with [[sausage gravy]] on them.<ref name="Wilson ESPN">{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/21067022/college-football-saturday-sec-country-waffle-house |title=Is this heaven? No, it's a Waffle House |first=Dave |last=Wilson |website=ESPN.com |date=October 19, 2017 |access-date=October 19, 2017}}</ref> Additionally, the company has a symbolic code by which grill operators are told the specific orders that go on each customer's plate; a 2017 ''[[ESPN.com]]'' story gave the following overview of this code: |
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<blockquote>Using accoutrements such as jelly packets, mayonnaise packets, pickles, cheese and hash brown pieces, grill operators are told what orders go on which plates. A jelly packet at the bottom of the plate signifies scrambled eggs. Raisin toast is signified by a packet of apple butter. A mustard packet facing up means a pork chop. Face-down means country ham. A pat of butter is a [[T-bone steak|T-bone]], and its place on the plate determines how the steak cooked, from well done at the top to rare at the bottom.<ref name="Wilson ESPN"/></blockquote> |
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The company claims to be the world's largest seller of several of its menu items—the namesake waffles, ham, pork chops, grits, and T-bone steaks. It also claims that it serves 2% of all eggs in the U.S.<ref name="Wilson ESPN"/> |
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In the 1960s, [[S. Truett Cathy]], the owner of a local diner called the Dwarf House, contracted with Waffle House to sell his proprietary [[chicken sandwich]], the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich. However, the Chick-fil-A sandwich quickly overtook Waffle House's own items in sales and Waffle House ended the deal, prompting Cathy to spin off [[Chick-fil-A]] into its own chain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g2919/waffle-house-facts/|title = 12 Things You Didn't Know About Waffle House|date = January 16, 2016}}</ref> |
In the 1960s, [[S. Truett Cathy]], the owner of a local diner called the Dwarf House, contracted with Waffle House to sell his proprietary [[chicken sandwich]], the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich. However, the Chick-fil-A sandwich quickly overtook Waffle House's own items in sales and Waffle House ended the deal, prompting Cathy to spin off [[Chick-fil-A]] into its own chain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g2919/waffle-house-facts/|title = 12 Things You Didn't Know About Waffle House|date = January 16, 2016}}</ref> |
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===Locations=== |
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[[File:Waffle House in Urbana, Maryland.jpg|thumb|The Waffle House in Urbana, Maryland]] |
[[File:Waffle House in Urbana, Maryland.jpg|thumb|The Waffle House in Urbana, Maryland]] |
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According to Waffle House's website as of August 2022, its number of locations per state consists of the following:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Waffle House Store Locator |url=https://wafflehouse.com/history/ |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506232233/https://wafflehouse.com/history/ |archive-date=May 6, 2019 |access-date=May 6, 2019}}</ref> |
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⚫ | For years, Waffle House was known as "Waffle and Steak" in Indiana due to another chain of restaurants owning the rights to the Waffle House name in the state.<ref>[http://www.rumored.com/glossary/W.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060510151831/http://www.rumored.com/glossary/W.html|date=May 10, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.reddit.com/r/indianapolis/comments/145alu1/does_anyone_else_remember_the_old_indiana_waffle/ | title=Does anyone else remember the old Indiana Waffle Houses? | date=June 9, 2023 }}</ref> The original Indiana Waffle House chain has started using the name "Sunshine Cafe".<ref>[http://bomplist.xnet2.com/0208/msg02537.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929171030/http://bomplist.xnet2.com/0208/msg02537.html|date=September 29, 2007}}</ref> However, the [[d/b/a]] for "Sunshine Cafe" belongs to "Waffle House Greenwood Inc.", established in 1981. The oldest "Waffle House" entity listed with the Corporations office of the Indiana Secretary of State is "Waffle House of [[Bloomington, Indiana]], Inc." established in 1967, and like Waffle House Greenwood, it is still an active corporation.<ref name=search>{{cite web|url=https://secure.in.gov/sos/bus_service/online_corps/name_search.aspx |title=Secretary of State - Business Services Division |publisher=Secure.in.gov |access-date=2015-08-26}}</ref> The Bloomington operation, the city's second oldest restaurant, closed in 2013 and was demolished to make way for an apartment complex.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.idsnews.com/article/2013/10/the-end-of-the-waffle-house?id=94816|title=The end of the Waffle House |last=Contrera |first=Jessica |date=2013-10-21 |newspaper=[[Indiana Daily Student]] |access-date=2017-02-12}}</ref> (Many of the Waffle House corporations in Indiana have been dissolved.) "Waffle House Inc." of Norcross, Georgia, registered with Indiana in 1974. In 2005, the Waffle and Steak restaurants all adopted the "Waffle House" moniker, bringing the entire chain under the name.<ref name=search/> |
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{{div col|colwidth=15em}} |
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* [[Alabama]] – 153 |
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* [[Arizona]] – 15 |
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* [[Arkansas]] – 46 |
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* [[Colorado]] – 10 |
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* [[Delaware]] – 3 |
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* [[Florida]] – 184 |
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⚫ | |||
* [[Illinois]] – 2 |
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* [[Indiana]] – 24 |
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* [[Kansas]] – 4 |
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* [[Kentucky]] – 62 |
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* [[Louisiana]] – 99 |
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* [[Maryland]] – 12 |
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* [[Mississippi]] – 88 |
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* [[Missouri]] – 38 |
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* [[New Mexico]] – 2 |
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* [[North Carolina]] – 183 |
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* [[Ohio]] – 80 |
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* [[Oklahoma]] – 16 |
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* [[Pennsylvania]] – 10 |
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* [[South Carolina]] – 171 |
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* [[Tennessee]] – 134 |
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* [[Texas]] – 121 |
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* [[Virginia]] – 68 |
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* [[West Virginia]] – 5 |
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{{div col end}} |
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⚫ | |||
[[File:Waffle and Steak.jpg|thumb|A Waffle and Steak restaurant (2005)]] |
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⚫ | For years, Waffle House was known as "Waffle and Steak" in Indiana due to another chain of restaurants owning the rights to the Waffle House name in the state.<ref>[http://www.rumored.com/glossary/W.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060510151831/http://www.rumored.com/glossary/W.html|date=May 10, 2006}}</ref> |
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==Food safety== |
==Food safety== |
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[[File:Waffle House in Oklahoma.jpg|thumb|Waffle House in Oklahoma]] |
[[File:Waffle House in Oklahoma.jpg|thumb|Waffle House in Oklahoma]] |
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⚫ | In 2004, in response to a serious ''[[Salmonella]]'' problem in 2003 at a [[Chili's]] location in [[Vernon Hills, Illinois]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb149095.htm |title=Marler Clark announces settlement of 49 Chili's Salmonella Claims |publisher=Prweb.com |date=2004-08-12 |access-date=2015-08-26 |archive-date=February 7, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207072008/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb149095.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak|and by four deaths]] in 1993 from ''[[Escherichia coli O157:H7|E. coli]]'' in undercooked [[hamburger]] at a [[Jack in the Box]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marlerclark.com/news/jackbox10.htm |title=Jack in the Box E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits - Western States (1993) |publisher=Marlerclark.com |access-date=2015-08-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121054519/http://www.marlerclark.com/news/jackbox10.htm |archive-date=2008-11-21 }}</ref> the television news magazine ''[[Dateline NBC]]'' investigated sanitation practices of popular American family restaurant chains, measuring the number of critical violations per inspection. The Waffle House averaged 1.6 critical violations per inspection.<ref name=MarlerClark>{{cite web |url=http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis22.htm |title=How safe are your favorite restaurants? |publisher=Marlerclark.com |access-date=2015-08-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020146/http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis22.htm |archive-date=2016-04-22 }}</ref> Waffle House's response to the study pointed out that they prepare all meals in an open kitchen, and consumers can readily observe their sanitation practices themselves.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6081409 |title=Restaurants respond to rankings - Dateline NBC - Consumer Alert |publisher=NBC News |date=2004-09-28 |access-date=2015-08-26}}</ref> |
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⚫ | On September 17, 2019, customers who ate at a Waffle House in [[Goose Creek, South Carolina|Goose Creek]], South Carolina, were exposed to [[Hepatitis A]]. One of the employees who had worked there tested positive for Hepatitis A. After upper management found out, they immediately shut down the Goose Creek Waffle House location to [[Disinfection|sanitize]] the facility. [[South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control|DHEC]] officials said they would be working with Waffle House to investigate possible exposures and provide guidance for preventive treatment for anyone who may be affected.<ref>{{cite web | access-date=2019-09-26 | url=https://www.live5news.com/2019/09/17/dhec-customers-who-ate-goose-creek-waffle-house-may-have-been-exposed-hepatitis/ | title=DHEC: Customers who ate at Goose Creek Waffle House may have been exposed to Hepatitis A | last=Rivera | first=Ray | language=en-US | website=live5news.com| date=September 18, 2019 }}</ref> |
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⚫ | In 2004, in response to a serious ''[[Salmonella]]'' problem in 2003 at a [[Chili's]] location in [[Vernon Hills, Illinois]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb149095.htm |title=Marler Clark announces settlement of 49 Chili's Salmonella Claims |publisher=Prweb.com |date=2004-08-12 |access-date=2015-08-26}}</ref> [[1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak|and by four deaths]] in 1993 from ''[[Escherichia coli O157:H7|E. coli]]'' in undercooked [[hamburger]] at a [[Jack in the Box]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marlerclark.com/news/jackbox10.htm |title=Jack in the Box E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits - Western States (1993) |publisher=Marlerclark.com |access-date=2015-08-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121054519/http://www.marlerclark.com/news/jackbox10.htm |archive-date=2008-11-21 }}</ref> the television news magazine ''[[Dateline NBC]]'' investigated sanitation practices of popular American family restaurant chains, measuring the number of critical violations per inspection. The Waffle House averaged 1.6 critical violations per inspection.<ref name=MarlerClark>{{cite web |url=http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis22.htm |title=How safe are your favorite restaurants? |publisher=Marlerclark.com |access-date=2015-08-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422020146/http://www.marlerclark.com/news/chilis22.htm |archive-date=2016-04-22 }}</ref> Waffle House's response to the study pointed out that they prepare all meals in an open kitchen, and consumers can readily observe their sanitation practices themselves.<ref>{{cite web |url= |
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⚫ | On September 17, 2019, customers who ate at a Waffle House in [[Goose Creek, South Carolina|Goose Creek]], South Carolina, were exposed to [[Hepatitis A]]. One of the employees who had worked there tested positive for Hepatitis A. After upper management found out, they immediately shut down the Goose Creek Waffle House location to [[Disinfection|sanitize]] the facility. [[South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control|DHEC]] officials said they would be working with Waffle House to investigate possible exposures and provide guidance for preventive treatment for anyone who may be affected.<ref>{{cite web | access-date=2019-09-26 | url=https://www.live5news.com/2019/09/17/dhec-customers-who-ate-goose-creek-waffle-house-may-have-been-exposed-hepatitis/ | title=DHEC: Customers who ate at Goose Creek Waffle House may have been exposed to Hepatitis A | last=Rivera | first=Ray | language=en-US | website=live5news.com}}</ref> |
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==Cultural icon== |
==Cultural icon== |
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[[File:WaffleHouseClarksvilleTN.jpg|right|thumb|A Waffle House near [[Clarksville, Tennessee]].]] |
[[File:WaffleHouseClarksvilleTN.jpg|right|thumb|A Waffle House near [[Clarksville, Tennessee]].]] |
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Waffle House has developed into a cultural icon. Part of Waffle House's fame is that they are prominent along [[Interstate Highway System|Interstate highways]] in the South.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Paige |date=2007-12-01 |title=How Waffle House became a cultural icon |url=https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/waffle-house-became-cultural-icon/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=Atlanta Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> A now defunct [[Geocities]] website, The Waffle House Shrine, hosted employee and customer comments about their experiences with Waffle House.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-10-26 |title=The Waffle House Shrine |url=http://geocities.com/waffleshrine/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026214054/http://geocities.com/waffleshrine/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-10-26 |access-date=2024-06-11 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Waffle House: A Strange American Dream {{!}} Kate Williams {{!}} The Hypocrite Reader |url=http://hypocritereader.com/60/waffle-house |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=Hypocrite Reader |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> In January 2023, YouTuber JonnyRaZer asked his viewers to post the phrase "Waffle House Has Found Its New Host" on every video they watched, becoming an [[Internet meme]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spearman |first=Kahron |date=2023-12-16 |title=The meaning behind the 'Waffle House Has Found Its New Host' meme |url=https://www.dailydot.com/news/the-waffle-house-new-host-meme/ |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 'Waffle House has a new host' meme explained {{!}} indy100 |url=https://www.indy100.com/viral/waffle-house-new-host-meme |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=www.indy100.com |language=en}}</ref> |
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As with other open-all-night eateries (including [[White Castle (restaurant)|White Castle]], [[Krystal (restaurant)|Krystal]], [[Denny's]], [[Steak 'n Shake]], [[IHOP]] and [[Krispy Kreme]], as well as [[convenience store]] chain [[Sheetz]]), Waffle House has developed into a cultural icon. Part of their fame is that they are so prominent along [[Interstate Highway System|Interstate highways]] in the South. |
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Waffle House is called the "low-rent roadside cafe featuring [[waffle]]s" in the 1996 [[romantic comedy]] [[movie]] ''[[Tin Cup]]''.<ref name=script>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/Tin_Cup.pdf#search=%22%22tin%20cup%22%20%22waffle%20house%22%22 |title=Tin Cup |publisher=Dailyscript.com |access-date=2015-08-26}}</ref> It is also shown in the 2006 film ''[[ATL (film)|ATL]]'', the 2018 film ''[[Love, Simon]]'', and the movie ''[[Due Date]].'' A Waffle House in Nashville was the setting for a routine by the stand-up comedian [[Bill Hicks]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/bill-hicks-10-classic-jokes-20-years-on-its-always-funny-until-someone-gets-hurt-then-its-just-hilarious-9155097.html |title=Bill Hicks quotes: 10 classic jokes 20 years on 'It's always funny until someone gets hurt. Then it's just hilarious'|last1=Selby |first1=Jenn |date=26 February 2014 |website=[[The Independent]] |location=London |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref> |
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[[Reddit]] co-founder [[Alexis Ohanian]] had an [[Epiphany (feeling)|epiphany]] at Waffle House after his attempts at being an immigration lawyer failed. This epiphany was what led Ohanian to help create Reddit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://readwrite.com/2013/10/14/building-the-front-page-of-the-internet-reddits-alexis-ohanian/|title=Building The Front Page Of The Internet: Reddit's Alexis Ohanian|date=2013-10-14|website=ReadWrite|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-26}}</ref> |
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Waffle House is referenced in popular music, as in the songs "[[The Bad Touch]]" by the [[Bloodhound Gang]], "[[24 Hours (TeeFlii song)|24 Hours]]" by [[TeeFlii]] and "[[Big Amount]]" by [[2 Chainz]], "Alley Oop" by [[Yung Gravy]] featuring [[Lil Baby]],<ref>{{Citation|title=Yung Gravy (Ft. Lil Baby) – Alley Oop|url=https://genius.com/Yung-gravy-alley-oop-lyrics|language=en|access-date=2019-02-19}}</ref> in the title of the [[Hootie & the Blowfish]] album ''[[Scattered, Smothered and Covered]]'', and in "[[Welcome to Atlanta]]" by [[Jermaine Dupri]]. Country singer [[Alan Jackson]] mentions Waffle House in his song "[[Good Time (Alan Jackson song)|Good Time]]". |
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==Disaster recovery== |
==Disaster recovery== |
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{{main|1=Waffle House Index}} |
{{main|1=Waffle House Index}} |
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⚫ | According to the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA), Waffle House is one of the top four corporations, along with [[Walmart]], [[The Home Depot]], and [[Lowe's]], for disaster response.<ref name="WSJ">{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111904716604576542460736605364|title=How to Measure a Storm's Fury One Breakfast at a Time |newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=September 1, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popsci.com/article/science/how-waffle-house-became-disaster-indicator-fema|title=How Waffle House Became A Disaster Indicator For FEMA|website=Popular Science|date=March 18, 2019|access-date=May 6, 2019}}</ref> Waffle House has an extensive disaster management plan with on-site and portable generators and positions food and ice ahead of severe weather events such as a [[hurricane]]. This helps mitigate the effects of a storm on the power grid and the supply chains.<ref name="EHS">{{cite news|url=http://ehstoday.com/fire_emergencyresponse/disaster-planning/waffles-risk-management-0706/|title=What Do Waffles Have to Do with Risk Management?|publisher=EHS Today|date=July 6, 2011}}</ref> The company prepares "jump teams" of recovery staff and supplies, brought in from outside disaster-affected areas, so local staff can focus on helping their own homes and families. The ability of a Waffle House to remain open after a severe storm, possibly with a limited menu, is used by FEMA as a measure of disaster recovery known as the [[Waffle House Index|Waffle House index]].<ref name="WSJ"/><ref>[http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/if-waffle-house-is-closed-its-time-to-panic/?ex_cid=538twitter If Waffle House Is Closed, It's Time to Panic] By Maryn McKenna for ''[[FiveThirtyEight]]'' December 6, 2016</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/when-disaster-strikes-fema-turns-to-waffle-house|title=When disaster strikes, FEMA turns to{{nbsp}}... Waffle House|first=Garrett|last=Tenney|date=March 26, 2015|website=Fox News|access-date=May 6, 2019}}</ref> |
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⚫ | According to the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]], Waffle House is one of the top four corporations, along with [[Walmart]], [[The Home Depot]], and [[Lowe's]], for disaster response.<ref name="WSJ">{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111904716604576542460736605364|title=How to Measure a Storm's Fury One Breakfast at a Time |newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=September 1, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popsci.com/article/science/how-waffle-house-became-disaster-indicator-fema|title=How Waffle House Became A Disaster Indicator For FEMA|website=Popular Science|date=March 18, 2019|access-date=May 6, 2019}}</ref> Waffle House has an extensive disaster management plan with on-site and portable generators and |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=000&invol=99-1823 ''EEOC vs. Waffle House, Inc.''] |
*[http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=000&invol=99-1823 ''EEOC vs. Waffle House, Inc.''] |
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*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/dekalb/the-waffle-house Waffle House] historical marker |
*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/dekalb/the-waffle-house Waffle House] historical marker |
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*[https:// |
*[https://wafflehousemenus.com/waffle-house-locations/ Waffle House] Waffle House Locations In USA |
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{{Fast-food chains of the United States}} |
{{Fast-food chains of the United States}} |
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[[Category:Restaurants established in 1955]] |
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1955]] |
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[[Category:Restaurant chains in the United States]] |
[[Category:Restaurant chains in the United States]] |
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[[Category:1955 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]] |
[[Category:1955 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]] |
Latest revision as of 19:16, 23 August 2024
![]() | |
Waffle House | |
Company type | Private |
Industry | Restaurants |
Genre | Casual dining |
Founded | September 5, 1955 Avondale Estates, Georgia, United States |
Founders | Joe Rogers Tom Forkner |
Headquarters | 5986 Financial Drive, , United States |
Number of locations | 2,010[1] (July 2024) |
Area served | 25 U.S. states |
Key people | Walter G. Ehmer (president and CEO) |
Products | Waffles, breakfast food, sandwiches |
Revenue | ![]() |
Number of employees | 40,000[3] |
Subsidiaries | WH Capital, L.L.C. |
Website | wafflehouse |
Waffle House, Inc. is an American restaurant chain with over 1,900 locations in 25 states in the United States.[4] The bulk of the locations are in the Midwest and the South, where the chain is a regional cultural icon.[5] The menu consists mainly of Southern breakfast food.[6] Waffle House is headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, in the Atlanta metropolitan area.[7]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Waffle_House_History_Plaque.jpg/220px-Waffle_House_History_Plaque.jpg)
History
Founding
The first Waffle House opened on Labor Day weekend in 1955 at 2719 East College Avenue in Avondale Estates, Georgia.[8][9] That restaurant was conceived and founded by Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner.[10][9][11] Rogers started in the restaurant business as a short-order cook in 1947 at the Toddle House in New Haven, Connecticut.[12] By 1949, he became a regional manager[5] with the now-defunct Memphis-based Toddle House chain, then he moved to Atlanta. He met Tom Forkner while buying a house from him in Avondale Estates.[4]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Waffle_House_Museum_Exterior.jpg/220px-Waffle_House_Museum_Exterior.jpg)
Rogers's concept was to combine the speed of fast food with table service with around-the-clock availability.[5] Forkner suggested naming the restaurant "Waffle House", as waffles were the most profitable item on the 16-item menu.[5] Rogers continued to work with Toddle House, and to avoid conflict of interest, sold his interest to Forkner in 1956.
1960s-1990s
In 1960, when Rogers asked to buy into Toddle House, and they refused, he moved back to Atlanta and rejoined Waffle House, now a chain of three restaurants, to run restaurant operations.[12] Shortly after Joe returned full-time, Tom followed suit and left Ben S. Forkner Realty.
After opening a fourth restaurant in 1960, the company began franchising its restaurants and slowly grew to 27 stores by the late 1960s, before growth accelerated.
Since 2000
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/A_Waffle_House_restaurant_in_Jasper%2C_Georgia%2C_US.jpg/220px-A_Waffle_House_restaurant_in_Jasper%2C_Georgia%2C_US.jpg)
In 2007, Waffle House repurchased the original restaurant, which had been sold by the chain in the early 1970s. The company restored it using original blueprints for use as a private company museum. The museum is used primarily for internal corporate events and tours.[13][14]
In 2008, one of the biggest Waffle House franchises in the southeast, North Lake Foods, was bought out by Waffle House, Inc. North Lake Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and closed some stores. Waffle House, Inc. plans to rehabilitate the franchise. In early 2009, East Coast Waffles bought North Lake Foods to become a new franchise.[15]
The founders of the Waffle House brand died in 2017 within two months of each other: Joe Rogers Sr. died on March 3 and Tom Forkner on April 26.[16]
Operations
Each Waffle House location is open 24 hours daily. This schedule has inspired the urban myth that "Waffle House doors have no locks".[17] The chain's restaurants almost always have jukeboxes, which have traditionally played 45-rpm singles[18] and, in some cases, CDs. Waffle House has released music through its own record label, Waffle Records. It has released songs from "Saturday Night At My Place" by Gary Garcia released in 1995 to "They're Cooking Up My Order" by Alfreda Gerald released in 2006. The co-founder Joe Rogers had high standards and said, "If it sounded like a commercial, it got the ax." If the song makes the cut it'll be recorded and make its way to Waffle House jukeboxes.[19] The songs are on ordinary discs, which are produced for Waffle House and are not commercially sold, but the chain has made a CD of some of the songs available for sale.[20] Other artists that recorded for Waffle Records include Eddie Middleton who recorded "Good Food Fast" bw "Waffle Doo-Wop" which was composed and produced by Jerry Buckner.[21][22]
The company claims to be the world's leading seller of several of its menu items—the namesake waffles, ham, pork chops, grits, and T-bone steaks. It also claims that it serves 2% of all eggs in the U.S.[23]
In the 1960s, S. Truett Cathy, the owner of a local diner called the Dwarf House, contracted with Waffle House to sell his proprietary chicken sandwich, the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich. However, the Chick-fil-A sandwich quickly overtook Waffle House's own items in sales and Waffle House ended the deal, prompting Cathy to spin off Chick-fil-A into its own chain.[24]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Waffle_House_in_Urbana%2C_Maryland.jpg/220px-Waffle_House_in_Urbana%2C_Maryland.jpg)
Waffle and Steak
For years, Waffle House was known as "Waffle and Steak" in Indiana due to another chain of restaurants owning the rights to the Waffle House name in the state.[25][26] The original Indiana Waffle House chain has started using the name "Sunshine Cafe".[27] However, the d/b/a for "Sunshine Cafe" belongs to "Waffle House Greenwood Inc.", established in 1981. The oldest "Waffle House" entity listed with the Corporations office of the Indiana Secretary of State is "Waffle House of Bloomington, Indiana, Inc." established in 1967, and like Waffle House Greenwood, it is still an active corporation.[28] The Bloomington operation, the city's second oldest restaurant, closed in 2013 and was demolished to make way for an apartment complex.[29] (Many of the Waffle House corporations in Indiana have been dissolved.) "Waffle House Inc." of Norcross, Georgia, registered with Indiana in 1974. In 2005, the Waffle and Steak restaurants all adopted the "Waffle House" moniker, bringing the entire chain under the name.[28]
Food safety
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Waffle_House_in_Oklahoma.jpg/220px-Waffle_House_in_Oklahoma.jpg)
In 2004, in response to a serious Salmonella problem in 2003 at a Chili's location in Vernon Hills, Illinois,[30] and by four deaths in 1993 from E. coli in undercooked hamburger at a Jack in the Box,[31] the television news magazine Dateline NBC investigated sanitation practices of popular American family restaurant chains, measuring the number of critical violations per inspection. The Waffle House averaged 1.6 critical violations per inspection.[32] Waffle House's response to the study pointed out that they prepare all meals in an open kitchen, and consumers can readily observe their sanitation practices themselves.[33]
On September 17, 2019, customers who ate at a Waffle House in Goose Creek, South Carolina, were exposed to Hepatitis A. One of the employees who had worked there tested positive for Hepatitis A. After upper management found out, they immediately shut down the Goose Creek Waffle House location to sanitize the facility. DHEC officials said they would be working with Waffle House to investigate possible exposures and provide guidance for preventive treatment for anyone who may be affected.[34]
Cultural icon
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fa/WaffleHouseClarksvilleTN.jpg/220px-WaffleHouseClarksvilleTN.jpg)
Waffle House has developed into a cultural icon. Part of Waffle House's fame is that they are prominent along Interstate highways in the South.[35] A now defunct Geocities website, The Waffle House Shrine, hosted employee and customer comments about their experiences with Waffle House.[36][37][35] In January 2023, YouTuber JonnyRaZer asked his viewers to post the phrase "Waffle House Has Found Its New Host" on every video they watched, becoming an Internet meme.[38][39]
Disaster recovery
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Waffle House is one of the top four corporations, along with Walmart, The Home Depot, and Lowe's, for disaster response.[40][41] Waffle House has an extensive disaster management plan with on-site and portable generators and positions food and ice ahead of severe weather events such as a hurricane. This helps mitigate the effects of a storm on the power grid and the supply chains.[42] The company prepares "jump teams" of recovery staff and supplies, brought in from outside disaster-affected areas, so local staff can focus on helping their own homes and families. The ability of a Waffle House to remain open after a severe storm, possibly with a limited menu, is used by FEMA as a measure of disaster recovery known as the Waffle House index.[40][43][44]
See also
References
- ^ "How many Waffle House stores are there in the United States". ScreapHero. March 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
- ^ "Waffle House Chairman Joe Rogers Jr. Debuts as a Billionaire as Restaurant Industry Digs Out from Wreckage". Forbes.
- ^ "Our Story".
- ^ a b "History". Waffle House. August 21, 2015. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Waffle House still dishin' diner food at 50 - Business - US business - Food Inc". NBC News. Associated Press. August 15, 2005. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ Maxwell, Samantha (May 18, 2021). "Popular Waffle House Menu Items, Ranked Worst To Best". Mashed. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ "Contact us". www.wafflehouse.com. Norcross, GA: Waffle House. 2019. Archived from the original on February 16, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
- ^ "A State of Innovation: Waffle House". Georgia Historical Society. July 20, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
- ^ a b "TODAY IN HISTORY: Waffle House opened its doors 68 years ago in metro Atlanta". WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta. September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Sharpe, Joshua (April 27, 2017). "Waffle House co-founder dies at 98, a month after business partner". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
- ^ "Waffle House's 1955 menu offered this ritzy dish for just $1.50". WJBF. August 6, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Osinski, Bill (December 24, 2004). "The Cornerstone of Waffle House". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018.
- ^ "Waffle House Museum, Decatur, Georgia". RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ Chopra, Sonia (July 18, 2013). "A Look at the First-Ever Waffle House, Now the World's Only Waffle House Museum". Eater Atlanta. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ Collier, Joe Guy (August 5, 2009). "Bankrupt Waffle House franchisee draws bids". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on June 13, 2019.
- ^ Sharpe, Joshua (April 27, 2017). "Waffle House co-founder dies a month after his business partner". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019.
- ^ Howard, Mike. "People business". Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
- ^ "People business". Waffle House. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
- ^ "A B-Side With Your Bacon? Waffle House Has Its Own Music Label". NPR.org. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ^ "Waffle House Records". Waffle House. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011.
- ^ 45Cat - Eddie Middleton - Discography
- ^ Popsike - WAFFLE HOUSE RECORDS--EDDIE MIDDLETON--"GOOD FOOD FAST"
- ^ Wilson, Dave (October 19, 2017). "Is this heaven? No, it's a Waffle House". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ "12 Things You Didn't Know About Waffle House". January 16, 2016.
- ^ [1] Archived May 10, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Does anyone else remember the old Indiana Waffle Houses?". June 9, 2023.
- ^ [2] Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Secretary of State - Business Services Division". Secure.in.gov. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ Contrera, Jessica (October 21, 2013). "The end of the Waffle House". Indiana Daily Student. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ "Marler Clark announces settlement of 49 Chili's Salmonella Claims". Prweb.com. August 12, 2004. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ "Jack in the Box E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits - Western States (1993)". Marlerclark.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ "How safe are your favorite restaurants?". Marlerclark.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ "Restaurants respond to rankings - Dateline NBC - Consumer Alert". NBC News. September 28, 2004. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^ Rivera, Ray (September 18, 2019). "DHEC: Customers who ate at Goose Creek Waffle House may have been exposed to Hepatitis A". live5news.com. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ^ a b Williams, Paige (December 1, 2007). "How Waffle House became a cultural icon". Atlanta Magazine. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ "The Waffle House Shrine". October 26, 2009. Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ "Waffle House: A Strange American Dream | Kate Williams | The Hypocrite Reader". Hypocrite Reader. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ Spearman, Kahron (December 16, 2023). "The meaning behind the 'Waffle House Has Found Its New Host' meme". The Daily Dot. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ "The 'Waffle House has a new host' meme explained | indy100". www.indy100.com. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ a b "How to Measure a Storm's Fury One Breakfast at a Time". Wall Street Journal. September 1, 2011.
- ^ "How Waffle House Became A Disaster Indicator For FEMA". Popular Science. March 18, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
- ^ "What Do Waffles Have to Do with Risk Management?". EHS Today. July 6, 2011.
- ^ If Waffle House Is Closed, It's Time to Panic By Maryn McKenna for FiveThirtyEight December 6, 2016
- ^ Tenney, Garrett (March 26, 2015). "When disaster strikes, FEMA turns to ... Waffle House". Fox News. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- The first Waffle House restaurant as seen in a then/now photo.
- EEOC vs. Waffle House, Inc.
- Waffle House historical marker
- Waffle House Waffle House Locations In USA