Slice O Americana for Breakfast

Anna, enjoying her first Waffle House experience.

“Waffle House!” Wayne exclaimed, pointing out the first of many distinctive yellow with black-letter signs.

It was August 2010.  We landed in Atlanta Georgia, and hit the road, heading off to where Wayne was considering our future home, in Charleston South Carolina.  With 1700 Waffle House restaurants there seemed to be one at every freeway exit on our road trip. 

“Have you ever eaten at one?” my honey inquired.

Ahhh, no.  Turns out I was a Waffle House virgin.  Wayne happily provided initiation rites. 

Grouper pecan, another fabulous meal

with Anna; this one at Neptune Beach.

When my best friend Anna arrived for a visit while we were moored in Jacksonville, it was time to WaffleHouse it forward.  Smithfield ham, grits, WaffleHouse-branded waffle, eggs-over-easy… Anna broke her normally rigorous diet for a full-meal family style taste-test.  She heartily approved.

Waffle House signs are nearly everywhere in the Southwest.

Cheap, fast, friendly and filling; not a bad way to feed the world.

While the Waffle House experience is unfamiliar to most West Coasters, they first opened in 1955, as a 24-hour restaurant.  For trivia fans, here’s a few fun-facts (from WaffleHouse’s website, www.wafflehouse.com) -- serving stats spouting from the bumblebee-colored-sign

Waffles                        877+           million

Cups of coffee            1.2+             billion cups

Grits                            1.3+             billion servings

Hash browns               1.6+             billion bacon strips

Eggs                            2.5+             billion*

*Almost enough for 2 eggs for every man, woman and child in China (based on US Census data).

Another Southern comfort meal with Anna, shrimp grits

at the Greek Restaurant in St. Mary’s, Southern Georgia.

Not sure what breakfasts await us as we prepare to push off into international waters, but expect someday to rejoice over a homecoming meal at a Waffle House somewhere. Just not sure when, or where.

Wherever you are, may your day start sunny side up, and end over easy.