History of Waffle House in Timeline

Waffle House is a prominent American restaurant chain, boasting over 2,000 locations across 25 states, primarily concentrated in the Midwest and South. It's become a regional cultural icon. Known for its Southern breakfast-focused menu, Waffle House is headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, within the Atlanta metropolitan area.

1947: Rogers Starts in Restaurant Business

In 1947, Joe Rogers Sr. began his career in the restaurant industry as a short-order cook at the Toddle House in New Haven, Connecticut.

1949: Rogers Becomes Regional Manager

In 1949, Joe Rogers Sr. was promoted to regional manager at the Toddle House chain based in Memphis.

1955: First Waffle House Opens

In 1955, the first Waffle House restaurant was opened on Labor Day weekend at 2719 East College Avenue in Avondale Estates, Georgia by Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner.

1956: Rogers Sells Interest in Waffle House

In 1956, to avoid a conflict of interest with his work at Toddle House, Joe Rogers sold his stake in Waffle House to Tom Forkner.

1960: Waffle House Begins Franchising

After opening its fourth restaurant in 1960, Waffle House started franchising its restaurants.

1960: Rogers Rejoins Waffle House

In 1960, Joe Rogers was refused when he asked to buy into Toddle House. Subsequently, Rogers moved back to Atlanta and rejoined Waffle House full-time to manage restaurant operations.

1967: Waffle House of Bloomington, Indiana, Inc. Established

In 1967, "Waffle House of Bloomington, Indiana, Inc." was established and is still an active corporation.

1974: Waffle House Inc. Registered in Indiana

In 1974, "Waffle House Inc." of Norcross, Georgia, registered with Indiana.

1981: Waffle House Greenwood Inc. Established

In 1981, the d/b/a for "Sunshine Cafe" belonged to "Waffle House Greenwood Inc.".

1993: E. coli Deaths at Jack in the Box

In 1993, four deaths occurred from E. coli in undercooked hamburger at a Jack in the Box restaurant.

1995: Waffle Records Releases 'Saturday Night At My Place'

In 1995, Waffle Records released the song "Saturday Night At My Place" by Gary Garcia.

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2003: Salmonella Problem at Chili's

In 2003, a serious Salmonella problem occurred at a Chili's location in Vernon Hills, Illinois.

2004: Dateline NBC Investigates Restaurant Sanitation

In 2004, Dateline NBC investigated sanitation practices of popular restaurant chains and found that Waffle House averaged 1.6 critical violations per inspection.

2005: Waffle and Steak Adopt 'Waffle House' Moniker

In 2005, all of the Waffle and Steak restaurants in Indiana adopted the name "Waffle House".

2006: Waffle Records Releases 'They're Cooking Up My Order'

In 2006, Waffle Records released the song "They're Cooking Up My Order" by Alfreda Gerald.

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2007: Waffle House Repurchases Original Restaurant

In 2007, Waffle House repurchased its original restaurant and restored it using original blueprints to serve as a private company museum.

2008: Waffle House Buys Out North Lake Foods

In 2008, Waffle House, Inc. bought out North Lake Foods, one of its biggest franchises in the southeast, after North Lake Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

2009: East Coast Waffles Buys North Lake Foods

In early 2009, East Coast Waffles acquired North Lake Foods, becoming a new Waffle House franchise.

2012: Walter G. Ehmer oversees Waffle House

Since 2012, Walter G. Ehmer oversaw Waffle House. On September 8, 2024, it was reported that Walter G. Ehmer had died.

2013: Bloomington Operation Closes

In 2013, the Waffle House Bloomington operation closed and was demolished.

2017: Founders of Waffle House Die

In 2017, the founders of Waffle House, Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner, died within two months of each other. Joe Rogers Sr. died on March 3 and Tom Forkner died on April 26.

September 17, 2019: Hepatitis A Exposure at Goose Creek Waffle House

On September 17, 2019, customers who ate at a Waffle House in Goose Creek, South Carolina, were exposed to Hepatitis A after an employee tested positive. The location was immediately shut down and sanitized.