I don’t know about you, but I’m mad.
I’m mad about Waffle House’s 50-cent-per-egg surcharge.
But as I thought about it, I’ve realized that the Waffle House experience has actually been declining for years.
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But why?
Well, I’ve got some theories…
Which basically boil down to: There are a bunch of things happening all at once.
Some of them are social trends way outside Waffle House’s control.
Some of them are very much within Waffle House’s control.
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So let’s dive right in on these trends that have made dining out at Waffle House worse than it used to be.
(Leave a comment and let me know what YOU think is mostly to blame. I’ve got some guesses but I’m curious what your observations are.)
And we’ll start with the most obvious one:
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Let’s get this one out of the way first.
The 50-cent-per-egg surcharge is dumb and terrible.
I cannot believe we have to pay for our eggs in addition to paying for the underlying meal.
Just ridiculous.
And of course it’s extra frustrating because…
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Waffle House already increased prices too!
So it’s just salt in the wound.
There was a time when Waffle House was one of the cheapest options out there.
Nowadays, honestly, there are some good and cheap alternatives (beyond Denny’s and IHOP).
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The other thing here is – I don’t mind paying up a little if the food’s good and the portion sizes are generous.
And the fact of the matter is that plenty of other chains really have stepped up their game – I’ll cite IHOP and Cracker Barrel as good examples – so the value proposition for Waffle House just isn’t there as much as it used to be.
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Your mileage may vary, but I’ve noticed that things seem to be getting a little smaller at my local Waffle House.
I’ve also read plenty of reports from others reporting similar stuff.
Doesn’t scream “hospitality” to me, but maybe that’s just me!
When combined with price increases (and surcharges), it’s just extra terrible.
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The overall restaurant industry has been taking its fair share of hits, with plenty of chains already announcing closures in 2025.
And while Waffle House’s restaurant count this year so far is stable, they’ve had their fair share of permanent closures over the last five years.
Every closed Waffle House means lots of people have to drive further for what’s, let’s face it, already not as great of an experience.
That’s a tough combination!
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I want to be very clear that this isn’t Waffle House’s fault – this is a societal shift.
Ever since the pandemic, loads of people have shifted over to takeout.
That means my local Waffle House is a lot emptier than it used to be.
Which makes it, just, let’s face it – a lot less fun to be there.
Crowded restaurants are fun! Half-empty restaurants are just kind of sad.
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Whenever I go to Waffle House these days, service feels really slow and pretty bad, to be honest.
Drinks don’t get refills until you ask (sometimes several times).
I know I’m not the only one.
It’s just not great.
Listen, I know I’m dining at a Waffle House. I’m not expecting the waitstaff to run around at my beck and call – but checking in a couple times during the meal doesn’t seem unreasonable.
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I’ve talked a lot about chains, but I think just about anywhere that’s anywhere has a couple of mom and pop diners or restaurants that serve broadly similar food…
That’s fresh, made locally, and probably just tastes a lot better.
They may be a little harder to find, but it’s worth it.
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I talked about parts of this with the service already, but fact is that loads of people have found themselves waiting a long time for food (which is sometimes cold when it’s delivered).
And I’ve heard from plenty of people who waited a while even to be seated in a half-empty restaurant!
It’s just not great, and it sounds like some Waffle Houses might not be staffing enough.
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Ok, I think we all already knew that you could make food at home (you go to a restaurant for the convenience).
But let’s face it –
– If it costs a bunch
– If the food is just “ok”
– If the service takes forever
Then the fact that you could easily make most of this stuff at home starts to matter.
(And hey, you won’t have to pay a 50-cent surcharge for every egg you use, too!)
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So there you have it – 10 reasons dining out at Waffle House isn’t as great as it used to be.
And again, I want to be clear here – I don’t blame Waffle House for all of them.
Some of them are very much outside Waffle House’s control.
But I think there’s also a lot Waffle House could be doing to change the game.
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But what do you think?
Which of these 10 reasons was most compelling to you?
Or do you have other theories for why the Waffle House experience has declined?
Let us know in the comments!
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