We went to Waffle House — the American highway staple beloved by truckers — and discovered why Anthony Bourdain and chefs are obsessed with it
Waffle House is a late-night legend, beckoning to tired truckers and drunken revelers along interstates across the southern United States.
The chain's shabby and unassuming exteriors do little to instill confidence in the culinary abilities therein. However, despite Waffle House's reputation as a late-night haunt of those who are not of sober minds, it is increasingly receiving recognition from more prestigious sources.
"It is indeed marvelous — an irony-free zone where everything is beautiful and nothing hurts; where everybody regardless of race, creed, color or degree of inebriation is welcomed," Anthony Bourdain described Waffle House after visiting with Sean Brock, a James Beard-winning chef based in Charleston, South Carolina who is a devoted fan of the chain.
On a recent trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, we decided to stop by Waffle House to see how it managed to win over everyone who stepped through its unassuming doors.
Waffle House was founded in 1955 by Tom Forkner and Joe Rogers in Atlanta, Georgia. Today, the chain has over 1,800 locations in 25 states. As with most Waffle Houses, the outside appearance wasn't much to look at — but we were more interested in what's inside.
Inside, Waffle House has a classic diner feel. Subway tiles, vinyl booths, and the ubiquitous jukebox lend a comforting timelessness. The chain avoids jumping on the latest dining trends — no raw wood or industrial lighting fixtures here.
The walls are dotted with greasy-spoon-style diner decor, with signs hawking the chain's titular menu item.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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