This Waffle House Location Has A Six-Month Waitlist For A Very Nostalgic Reason

A Waffle House on the site of the first diner’s location in Decatur, Georgia, is in high demand all year round as people wait for as long as six months to get in. Interestingly, the spot does not serve food and is simply a recreation of the 1955-style restaurant.

While there is nothing to it, those lucky to get in can have fun playing pretend as servers with their staffer’s hat or get served while they wait at the countertop and take in the ambiance. It is also an opportunity to listen to recordings from the establishment’s founders on how they built the restaurant chain.

Waffle House rules

The location runs at specific hours and receives only 20 people per day once a week. This explains the long line of people waiting their turns to get in on a lucky Wednesday. Although the diner replica is fully booked for private tours, there is an open house offering from September 7th to December for three hours each day.

Slots sell out so quickly that those hoping for the experience in 2025 have to book their tickets this December. This Waffle House is not just another attraction center, but also a glimpse into what getting breakfast was like in the ‘50s, complete with the vintage utensils, furniture and menu.

Establishing Waffle House

The Waffle House in Georgia was founded by Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner on Labor Day in 1955 and has since expanded to about 1,900 locations in 25 U.S. states. Rogers was more familiar with the kitchen business, and his goal was to blend speed and constant availability. Tom was into real estate, but he suggested the name for the outlet.

The duo met when Tom sold a house in Avondale Estates to Rogers, who was working as a regional manager for the Toddle House chain at the time. They both kept their former jobs until they mutually resolved to focus on Waffle House full-time in 1960. They remained partners until their death in 2017, just two months apart.