In what year was the first Waffle House opened?

The first Waffle House opened in 1955.

The original restaurant opened over Labor Day weekend at 2719 East College Avenue in Avondale Estates, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. It was founded by Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner, who wanted to combine the speed of a short-order restaurant with the comfort of table service and a menu available around the clock.

The name came from the menu itself: waffles were reportedly the most profitable item among the restaurant’s original 16 offerings. Forkner suggested “Waffle House,” while Rogers helped shape the restaurant’s all-day, all-night operating model. Rogers had restaurant experience from his years with the Toddle House chain, where he had worked as a cook and later as a regional manager.

Waffle House did not immediately become a national chain. The fourth restaurant opened in 1960, and the company began franchising around that period. Its Southern breakfast menu, late-night hours, and resilience during severe weather later made it a regional institution. FEMA’s “Waffle House Index” even uses restaurant operations as an informal indicator of storm severity and recovery.