Waffle House reached a Georgia milestone this Labor Day weekend: 71 years since the doors opened at its first restaurant in Avondale Estates.
Neighbors Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner founded the company and opened that original location on Sept. 5, 1955. Their idea paired around-the-clock service with the kind of familiar, open-kitchen diner experience that would become part of the brand’s identity.
From Avondale Estates to a regional institution
The chain now operates more than 2,000 restaurants across 25 states, according to the company. Its yellow sign, jukeboxes and hash-brown shorthand have become especially recognizable across Georgia and the Southeast.
The original building at 2719 East College Avenue is now the Waffle House Museum. It has been restored to evoke the 1955 restaurant, while an adjacent former location displays memorabilia tracing the company’s growth.
Visiting the museum
Waffle House says the museum’s guided tours are booked for the rest of 2026, but an open house is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12. Visitors should check the company’s museum page for current hours and event details before making the trip.
Sources: Waffle House Museum and WSB-TV.
