Atlanta Restaurants & Food

Take a look at these Waffle House moments through the years

1955: The first Waffle House opens in Avondale Estates. The restaurant has since been turned into the Waffle House Museum.

1960s: Waitresses pour coffee at Waffle House.

1960s: An early Waffle House menu.

1960s: A Waffle House cook makes waffles.

1980s: Bert Thornton holds a bowl of his namesake chili that became a cult favorite.

1989: Waffle House employees work in Charleston, South Carolina has Hurricane Hugo threatened to make landfall.

1984: Waffle House started releasing music on its Waffle Records.

1989: Waffle House stayed open when Category 4 Hurricane Hugo made landfall in the southeastern United States. A Waffle House jump team was created in response to the storm.

1990s: A Waffle House employee decorates a Christmas tree.

1996: Employees stand outside a new Waffle House built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, which were held in Atlanta.

2000s: A Waffle House employee shows off a heart-shaped waffle. Waffle House started taking reservations for its popular Valentine's Day dinner in 2008.

2000s: Waffle House founders Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner pose with Alice Johnson, for whom the menu's Alice s Iced Tea is named.

2000: Angie Shepard, senior third-shift waitress at a Rockdale Waffle House, wears a 'waitress cam' on her visor while waiting to begin the filming of Waffle House Live, a TV show pilot thought up by Pat Crosby.

2004: Lucy Shelton retires after 47 years at Waffle House, making her the chain's longest-serving associate.

2005: Waffle House founder Tom Forkner. then-Governor Sonny Perdue, Waffle House founder Joe Rogers Sr. and cook Rhonda Anderson gather at Waffle House to celebrate the chain's 50th anniversary.

2006: Joey Chestnut wins the first Waffle House World Waffle-Eating Championship held at Stone Mountain Park. Fifteen contestants had 10 minutes to eat as many waffles as possible. Chestnut ate 23 waffles for $5000.

2008: Kid Rock poses for a photograph with the Waffle House staff after a two hour autograph session at the Waffle House on Old Peachtree Road in Duluth.

2010: Waffle House installed solar panels on the restaurant near its Norcross headquarters.

2013: Waffle House added a food truck to its offerings for catering events.

2015: The Waffle House at 5245 Stone Mountain Highway opened the chain's first drive-thru.

2005: Chef Sean Brock took Anthony Bourdain for his first Waffle House experience. Bourdain called it "better than French Laundry."

2018: Waffle House launced a hash-brown bar --that also serves beer -- at SunTrust Park.

1/22

1955: The first Waffle House opens in Avondale Estates. The restaurant has since been turned into the Waffle House Museum.

By Yvonne Zusel

Aug 14, 2019

Waffle House has made its mark on Atlanta and the country since it opened its first restaurant in Avondale Estates in 1955. Click through the gallery above to see some notable Waffle House moments from the past 54 years.

YOUR GUIDE TO WAFFLE HOUSE:

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Not just waffles: Waffle House also keeps customers singing original tunes

Waffle House Museum offers a trip back in time

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Waffle House menu items pay homage to employees

Waffle House has a record label -- listen to songs like “Waffle Do Wop” here

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Waffle House wows food critic Anthony Bourdain

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Joe Rogers profile: The cornerstone of Waffle House

Quiz: What does your Waffle House order say about you?

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PHOTOS:

Photos: Waffle House Museum

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VIDEOS:

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12 things you didn’t know about Waffle House

Super Bowl 53: What’s your Waffle House order? Celebs on Super Bowl red carpet answer

Read the AJC Spring Dining Guide: The Atlanta barbecue issue

Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.

1955: The first Waffle House opens in Avondale Estates. The restaurant has since been turned into the Waffle House Museum.

1955: The first Waffle House opens in Avondale Estates. The restaurant has since been turned into the Waffle House Museum.

About the Author

Yvonne Zusel

Yvonne Zusel has been with the AJC since 2010. She worked on the digital news and food and dining teams before joining the arts & entertainment team.

Yvonne Zusel has been with the AJC since 2010. She worked on the digital news and food and dining teams before joining the arts & entertainment team.

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