Does Waffle House Serve Pancakes?

Last Updated on September 6, 2021 By Emma W. Thomas

Waffle House does not serve pancakes to its customers. Yet, they have pancakes on their menu. This creates obvious confusion among waffle house customers. This discrepancy can be seen at some outlets, whereas other outlets have removed pancakes from their menu to avoid further confusion. 

Waffle House outlets usually do not serve pancakes as they take up lots of room inside the grill surface and slow down their production. This goes against their motto of serving good fast food. That is why they prefer not serving pancakes during busy hours. 

However, a few outlets will bring you a pancake if there isn’t much rush from the customers. But then if someone sees your pancake being served and asks for one, it can lead to snowballing, and hence they might refuse. As the waffle batter is thicker and they have pockets for collecting the syrup and butter, many regard it to be similar to pancakes, if not better. Hence the waffle house isn’t all in for them.

Waffle House And Its Popularity

When we talk about American authenticity, few restaurants are revered as much as Waffle House. Known especially for its simplistic menu, lower prices, and continuous 24×7 operability, waffle house has become the go-to place for the majority of the population for a long time. The food chain has been in service in 25 states at over 2100 locations. They provide home-styled, pocket-friendly meals with friendlier servicing and in a short amount of time. Their hash browns have become the stuff of legends, along with a lot of other delicious items on their menu. Waffle House shows no signs of aging out and degrading and, in fact, seems stronger than ever. 

Let us go through a few facts about Waffle House that are unknown to many Wa Ho aficionados.  

Things That Make You Go Wa-Ho!!

1. Two Neighbors Founded Them

Like most US corporations of the 20^th century, Waffle House started quite small in 1955 when two neighbors in Avondale Estates, Georgia named Tom Forkner and Joe Rogers Sr. opened a restaurant and named it Waffle House. During the first two years of their services, they couldn’t get any more plants to extend their restaurant chain. In 1957 they finally purchased a second outlet, and in the next five years, it extended to four more outlets. During the later part of the century, their expansion occurred slowly but surely, making that bright yellow logo so recognizable and popular. The founding neighbors both passed away in 2017, but their lineage is shining brighter than ever.

2. Never Resting Services

Waffle House is known to be open 24×7 every day of the week. This means they claim to serve non-stop without any interruption, and to date, they have lived up to their claims. Moreover, their menu is also relevant and available throughout the day. So no matter when you head there for your favorite meal, you’ll get it served at your table. They do not boast of any separate hours for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have a single menu with two sides, which is available at all hours hence relieving you of all worries to get up early to catch that hot steak at breakfast.

3. The Hash Browns

Their Hash browns have a lingo of their own. Traditions at Waffle House center around the large variety of options available for your hash browns. They come in covered, chunked, smothered, diced, capped, topped, and country. All these options weren’t available from the beginning. In fact, back then, hash browns were only served smothered in onions or scattered on the grill. They have hence customized their toppings largely during the 1980s. This speaks highly of the innovation on behalf of restaurant management.

4. They Have Their Own Music Label

Waffle House jukeboxes do not usually boast off music selections that are anything beyond the standard. But few of these songs aren’t ones we can find on a regular jukebox. In fact, they were produced by their own record label. In 1980 Joe Rogers Sr. had an idea of creating music inspired by the food at Waffle House. Since then, Waffle House has produced some favorites such as Waffle House is for you and me, Raisins in my toast, special Lady, etc. These tunes are especially nostalgic in nature and absurd at the same time. Waffle House music label is still known to be operational.

5. Mind-Boggling Amounts Of Waffles

Waffles might not be the most in-demand item on their menu, but they certainly are the most profitable ones. Waffle House sells an insane amount of waffles, which has earned them their name. In every minute, Waffle House is known to sell around 150 Waffles. The next best is bacon, coming in at 341 strips per minute, and hash browns at 238 orders per minute. Stats indicate if you lay out all the bacon they have served annually, it can wrap around the earth near the equator. Now that is insane.

6. Their First Outlet Is Now A Museum

The original Waffle House is no longer serving your favorite food. Instead, it has been converted into a museum. Visitors can buy themselves a tour of the restaurant and see waffle house artifacts showcased in a building next door. Old dishwashers, uniforms, and other souvenirs are housed inside. Two other businesses, a Chinese restaurant, and a tire company used to occupy that building after the original outlet shut down. Waffle House then bought back the building and converted it into a museum once they realized its historical significance.

Things Not So Great About Wa-Ho

1. Executives Have To Work On Holidays

The burden of keeping their services open throughout comes with a heavy price. Some of the executives working there have to carry on shifts during holidays as well. As the holiday season ensues, more footfalls in Waffle House outlets, the staff requirement also reaches a peak. That is why executives are not granted holidays and have to serve their shifts accordingly. Weekends and holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s are such instances when they do not get a day off, although they deserve to. But the same thing is applicable to all hierarchy levels as even the co-founders have to show up on New Year’s Eve and not enjoy a holiday.

2. Workers Having Terrible Experiences

Waffle House has been claiming for a long time to be the country’s prime workplace and that they are in the people’s business, not food. Yet, some of their workers have shared terrible work experience that contradicts such high claims. Their policies aren’t much friendly for the workers, and their experiences seem to convey just that. Employees have to sign an agreement that would prevent them from taking any legal action against the company. Workers have to spend a considerable amount of their time doing non-tipped tasks such as washing and cleaning, which devoid them of the valuable tips they rely upon dearly. Some outlets even deduct a sum of $4 whenever their employees have a meal during their shift. On top of that, they aren’t excused even in cases of bad weather and hazardous traveling conditions, preventing them from coming to work.

3. S**xual Assault Charges

4. Acts Of Racism

Southern hospitality is not the only thing you might get served at Waffle House. Apparently, some outlets also churn out a dose of racism as well, if you are unfortunate enough. Patrons have sued some outlets multiple times as they experienced racist behavior from many Waffle House employees over a long time. In 2005, four lawsuits were filed separately where black people were denied service and then served unhealthy food along with slurs of insults at separate outlets. Asian and Hispanic customers were also subject to such racism at some restaurants. Waffle House, of course, denies any such claims and terms them baseless.

Waffle Yay	Waffle Nay
Best Hash Browns you’ll get. Large varieties of toppings	Sexual assault charge on ex-CEO
A record number of waffles sold.	Charges of Racism for a prolonged period
24×7, seven days a week services	No holidays for executives
Turned their first outlet into a museum	Terrible work experience for many

Conclusion

With their business going as steady as ever, Waffle House has emerged as one of the American brands that have stood the test of time and are continuing to serve great food around the clock and on the go. Staying true to their motto of good fast food, Wa Ho is the go-to place for hash browns and waffles for a lot of people. Although pancakes are not ideally their preferred item and they do not usually serve them even though they might have it on their menu.