Fri, March 29, 2024

Business Lunch Review: Waffle House

Editor’s Note:
Wes Hennings never met a meal he walked away from and is an opinionated eater! Each Thursday he shares the results of a business lunch he’s had with a colleague as a way to advise our business community on the good, bad, and tasty across the CSRA. He doesn’t let ABD or the restaurant know where he is going and his opinions are his own. He grades the restaurants he visits on a 1-5 scale with “5” being outstanding. We call this our “Real Business Lunch Review”.

Food Quality: 4
Service: 4
Business Meeting: 3
Value: 5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

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Well, the time has come. You knew eventually we would need to sit down at one of the most ubiquitous restaurants in not only the CSRA but also the southern United States. As well known by its nicknames as its official legal name, the Awful Waffle-slash-WaHo-slash-Waffle House is one of those ever-present forces in our life.

And while you likely think of it as a breakfast or post-party locale, it actually provides a decent midday experience if you like things cheap and easy.

Unless you’re a Martian or a Yankee, you likely know about the atmosphere at any of our local Waffle Houses. It’s not a place to impress, but it is a great spot to eat breakfast any time of the day. And what time of day is inappropriate for breakfast? I was able to be sitting back down at my desk only a half hour after sitting down in the diner, so this was a meal for anyone pressed for time.

Typically, I enjoy ordering off the lunch and dinner menu for the taste of a patty melt or even a pork chop. But since this one was for print, I decided I needed the quintessential Waffle House meal, and that is the All-Star Breakfast.

They will slide down a waffle, breakfast meat, eggs, hash browns, and toast for a mere Hamilton ($10). It’s cooked to order and so today’s breakfast-for-lunch was fresh, tasty, and hot. Nothing to write home about, but it was everything I expected.

And the service? Well, honestly, I always feel like the Waffle House is dinner and a show. The servers are generally fun and have quite a southern flair. So be ready to get called ‘hun’ or ‘darlin.’ You also get to watch them cook the meal and the patrons often are worth your time in people-watching as well.

On this visit, my favorite character was the older server who sang along to every word of the country soundtrack playing too loudly in the background while she swept the floors.

I don’t think I’ve ever walked into a Waffle House and been impressed with the cleanliness. In fact, this one in downtown North Augusta was torn down and completely rebuilt a few years ago, yet somehow feels like it’s covered in the grease and conversations of decades gone by.

At the same time, they rarely feel dirty or like I’m in any danger from eating the food that they serve. Plus, there are more than 20 locations in the CSRA alone, including on both sides of almost every single I-20 exit.

Perhaps, that’s why today’s scores reflect a good but not great experience. You’re gonna get some good, carb-loaded food at the WaHo. It won’t be the best, but it won’t be the worst, and you can pretty much count on the consistency at a decent price.

And that’s probably the takeaway. In fact, it feels apropos to review the Waffle House this week as we watch for a hurricane to bear down on Florida and the South. Legend has it that emergency management officials gauge the scope of a disaster based on how many of the Waffle Houses have to close. And it appears this legend has some truth to it.

Yes, there is a Waffle House emergency center that determines when storms are bad enough to close restaurants, and the Federal government pays attention.

These pop-up breakfast spots reopen quickly after any kind of event if they even close at all. They even have drop teams to help local restaurants get back up and running.  So, you can always count on a tasty waffle no matter when you want it or what’s going on in the world around you. So maybe consider it for a lunch spot in the next few days instead of just the next time you have a few too many.

Waffle House
www.wafflehouse.com

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