[Fox5Atlanta] The Brief
- Waffle House opened its first restaurant on Sept. 5, 1955, in Avondale Estates, Georgia.
- The chain now has nearly 2,000 locations in 25 states, with its first diner preserved as the Waffle House Museum.
- Known for hash browns and all-night service, Waffle House is even part of FEMA’s "Waffle House Index" for disaster response.
On Sept. 5, 1955, a small yellow-signed diner opened its doors in Avondale Estates, Georgia. Seventy years later, that single Waffle House has grown into a cultural institution with nearly 2,000 restaurants across 25 states.
WHAT WE KNOW:
- Founded by Joe Rogers Sr., a restaurant manager, and Tom Forkner, a real estate agent, the chain built its reputation on serving hearty food 24 hours a day, seven days a week. While waffles gave the restaurant its name, it was the hash browns — served "scattered, smothered, covered" and beyond — that cemented Waffle House in the Southern food tradition.
- Over the decades, Waffle House became more than a restaurant. The Federal Emergency Management Agency even adopted the "Waffle House Index" as an informal measure of disaster severity: if a Waffle House is closed after a storm, conditions are dire.
- Its cultural reach has extended into music, late-night comedy, and road-trip lore, making the diner a backdrop for both everyday meals and unforgettable moments. The chain’s first restaurant is now preserved as the Waffle House Museum, celebrating its roots and memorabilia from the brand’s seven decades
- As the company celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2025, Waffle House remains a gathering spot for shift workers, college students, families, and travelers. The recipe for success has stayed simple: hot coffee, a warm grill, and a place that never turns off the lights.
- Waffle House Fast Facts
- 70 years since the first diner opened on Sept. 5, 1955
- 1,900+ restaurants across 25 states
- Employs more than 40,000 people
- It was named after its most expensive item on the menu when it opened
- Atlanta has the most Waffle Houses of any city
- 124 waffles served yearly
- 85 million strips of bacon cooked yearly
- 153 million hashbrown orders taken each year
- 272 million eggs used each year
- 58 million cups of coffee poured each year
- 10 million chicken breasts cooked each year
- Has grilled more than 134 million T-bone steaks since 1955
- Once sold Chick-fil-A sandwiches
- 272 orders of hash browns per minute scattered, smothered, and covered
- Has its own record label that creates breakfast-themed music, including "There Are Raisins In My Toast"
- Referenced in popular music such as Jermaine Dupri's "Welcome to Atlanta" and Hootie & Blowfish album "Scattered, Smothered and Covered"
- 10,000+ employees company-wide
- Open 24/7 365 days of the year
- 1 museum: the original 1955 Avondale Estates restaurant, now the Waffle House Museum
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