Waffle House was founded in Avondale Estates, Georgia, in 1955 by Joe Rogers and Tom Forkner.
Rogers and Forkner were neighbors in the Atlanta suburb of Avondale Estates. They opened the first Waffle House on Labor Day in 1955, creating a small restaurant centered on waffles, breakfast foods, and quick service.
The chain’s restaurants became known for operating around the clock and for using an open kitchen layout. Its menu later expanded, but breakfast remains central to the brand’s identity. Waffle House restaurants are especially associated with the southeastern United States.
Waffle House is often confused with IHOP because both are major breakfast-oriented chains. They have different founders and origins: Waffle House began in Georgia in 1955, while IHOP was founded in California in 1958 by Al Lapin Jr., Jerry Lapin, and Albert Kallis.