Waffle House Observation....

[Kronx]

It was one of those mornings where I woke up and I was busy from that moment and for another three hours -- and I still had an hour before I even had to be at work at 9am.

So on the way to work, I decide to have a little breakfast and stop by the local Waffle House. There's not many of them in St. Louis, but I grew up in south Mississippi where there are literally three Waffle Houses within a mile of each other on Highway 49 and all three busy 24/7.

If you haven't been to one, it's basically a diner. There's no wireless headsets or touch screen registers. The waitresses takes your order on a yellow ticket and then barks the order to the line cook just a few feet away. And your witness to this whole process. While they're preparing your order, another waitress is barking her order from another customer. The cook has no LCD monitor tracking your order -- he's just keeping track of it in his/her head.They've got their own lingo... they've got their own system. And you know what? It ******* works. That's what struck me this morning more than anything... it ******* works.

We've all eaten at fast food places that have the assembly lines and systems that pretty much hold the hands of the workers back there in terms of keeping track of what the hell they're supposed to be doing. And I have no doubt you've had the same experience I've had... that you probably double check your order when they hand it to you because you've had them mess up your order not once... or twice... but you've probably experienced it several times. Over the course of history with fast food.

And when I think of all the times I've eaten at a Waffle House -- and at one point when I was a bouncer it was pretty much every night after the honky tonk closed -- I've never once recalled getting a wrong order from Waffle House. Im sure it happens because humans **** up. But I bet the ratio of it happening in a Waffle House compared to any fast food joint or hell even like a chain dine in like TGIFs or Applebees or a Steak and Shake is really significant.

It was sort of a refreshing thought as I ate my Texas Patty Burger and hashbrowns covered, chunked, and peppered with a cup of coffee. Love me some Waffle House.

 

[johnpclynch]

The problem with fast food chains is that they're designed to be operated by monkies, therefore they usually end up hiring monkies but they can't even follow the on-screen instructions

 

[alorio1]

Yes, Kronx, I love to eat at Waffel house and have many times. The many times I have eaten there they have yet to get my order wrong. They have a working system that actually works and I have yet to figure it out. The cook can't have a memory to store all the orders that are barked at him from the waitress. I have noticed the waitress stands in a marked tile, one to the left and one to the right of the cook where she barks out the order to the cook. If any one knows the system, please share it.......

 

[Redbone]

Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhhlCz9AJC4

I miss having a waffle house near me! The food is made to order, is quick getting to you, and I have never had a wrong order that I can remember, I've eaten at them over a hundred times (guessing) in all the years I travelled and lived in South.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

When I was single and hitting the bars the local IHOP was the after hours club.....good memories and good food

 

[m-cman]

I remember when they had the all you can eat for $3.69 or $3.99 some years ago. I would go in and pig out. Guess that wound up losing money....

Used to go in late after clubs closed for a carb boost. Been a while though.

 

[tothemax93]

I hit the Waffle house whenever I go to Florida. Usually early morning before they're to busy. I get to shoot the balogna with the waitress. It seems like theres always a waitress like flo from Mels diner. For those of you that are old enough to remember.

 

[Kronx]

"Mel....Kiss my grits!"

 

[alorio1]

Thanks Redbone, so now I know............

 

[PATMAX]

I luv me some WH too. When I was traveling I-75 between Ohio and FL and the initial
post is dead on in all accounts. I'll drive an extra hour and pass up places to hit the next WH.
My story is, one time with some buddies sitting at the counter, I casually mentioned "I had just about everything here". Flo quipped in without hesitation and said "ya ain't had me!"
Well I turned about three shades of red and a shut right up.
Yeah I luv me sum WH.

 

[texas-ss-tornado]

Does anyone remember when Waffle House was basically all you could eat? I lived in Ohio back in the 80's and can remember this, but my wife says it's never been that way? Anybody else remember or was I just drunk back then and "thought" it was all you could eat???

 

[Rollie]

WH is all over Atlanta and the Metro area . I usually wind up there when we have a disagreement at home and I just " walk away " . She knows where I'm going , gives me a 20 minute start , time for a cup of Joe , and shows up to share dinner , lunch or breakfast depending on the time of the disagreement. I'm glad to see her 'cause she still looks hot , she's glad to see me 'cause the waitress isn't sitting on my knee , and we work it out over said meal. Luv me some Waffle Waffle House too.

 

[82ndCowboy]

I eat at WH all the time too. I eat at the one in Punta Gorda and Ocala a lot. I choose it first over anything else. Simply because they don't use powdered eggs and processed pre made ****. It's just real food cooked to order.
Now if more of them would expand thier parking lots so I could get in with a 70 ft truck.

LIVE! From tiny buttons on my tapatalk. HEEEEAR'S COWBOY.

 

[jwood]

The Pork Chops at WH are the best!

Sent by the Verizon 4G Data Network

 

[m-cman]

Does anyone remember when Waffle House was basically all you could eat? I lived in Ohio back in the 80's and can remember this, but my wife says it's never been that way? Anybody else remember or was I just drunk back then and "thought" it was all you could eat???

See post #6 :biglaugh:

 

[lawman504]

Hate to be the odd ball here guys....but i will never, let me repeat NEVER eat at a Waffle House again. Growing up i at at a few of them and loved it! However, about 12 years ago i was tryin to order my drunken snack at 2am at one in Harrisonburg Va, when in the back corner there was a dude giving another dude a ******** under one of the tables. When brought to "Flo's" attention, she didnt seem to care and told me that was where alot of gays hung out late night. To each thier own, i got no quarrel with a gay guy until im tryin to eat breakfast and i've gotta watch a ******** take place in the corner. Thats reason 1.

Reason 2....jumped off the big road at one off 95 south of Richmond and when i got done, i stacked our plates at the edge of the table like i do everywhere to help the under-paid waitresses out. This 70 year old bitty came to collect the plates and threw a fit because i stacked them. She said "dont u understand this creates extra work for us? Now we have to wash BOTH sides of the plates!" Now i was waiting for the "haha". Nope, her face got red, she slammed our check down on the table and walked away.

At least one person has had a bad experience at everyplace. This place i had 2. I'll take IHOP or Bob Evans anyday over one of these slop holes. Just my humble lonely opinion.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

 

[tothemax93]

Hate to be the odd ball here guys....but i will never, let me repeat NEVER eat at a Waffle House again. Growing up i at at a few of them and loved it! However, about 12 years ago i was tryin to order my drunken snack at 2am at one in Harrisonburg Va, when in the back corner there was a dude giving another dude a ******** under one of the tables. When brought to "Flo's" attention, she didnt seem to care and told me that was where alot of gays hung out late night. To each thier own, i got no quarrel with a gay guy until im tryin to eat breakfast and i've gotta watch a ******** take place in the corner. Thats reason 1.

Reason 2....jumped off the big road at one off 95 south of Richmond and when i got done, i stacked our plates at the edge of the table like i do everywhere to help the under-paid waitresses out. This 70 year old bitty came to collect the plates and threw a fit because i stacked them. She said "dont u understand this creates extra work for us? Now we have to wash BOTH sides of the plates!" Now i was waiting for the "haha". Nope, her face got red, she slammed our check down on the table and walked away.

At least one person has had a bad experience at everyplace. This place i had 2. I'll take IHOP or Bob Evans anyday over one of these slop holes. Just my humble lonely opinion.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

Really, Any restaurant is only as good as the people working there. I'd never step foot in that first restaurant again.uke:

 

[marsmax85]

Hey Lawman thanks for the heads up !!:rofl_200: I won't be stopping there at all might slip on some spit out .. THAT'S JUST NASTY

 

[PATMAX]

Wow, Lawman, I don't know where to go with that story! Must not have been one of the more "respectable" WHs.
Hey Cowboy, do you make a regular run to Punta Gorda. That's my backyard!
I'll still eat there but stay away from Lawmans locale.

 

[dannymax]

Wow, Lawman, I don't know where to go with that story! Must not have been one of the more "respectable" WHs.

Agreed! I can usually muster up some smart *** remark but this one has even me stymied......:wkwk: uke:uke:uke: