Joe Rogers, Sr.
Joe Rogers, Sr., is an American businessman. He is co-founder and former CEO of the Waffle House franchise restaurant chain, which began business in 1955 in Georgia, and has grown to over 1,700 locations in 25 states.
Early years
A native of Tennessee, Rogers started in the restaurant business as a short-order cook in 1947, at the Toddle House in New Haven, Connecticut.[1] By 1949, he had become a regional manager with the now-defunct Memphis-based restaurant chain, and moved to Atlanta.[2] There he met Tom Forkner, when he bought a house from him in the Atlanta suburb of Avondale Estates.[3][4][5]
Forkner petitioned Rogers to go into business together for a quick-service, sit-down restaurant.[5] Rogers told Forkner, "You build a restaurant and I’ll show you how to run it,"’ recalls Tom Forkner.[2] Forkner suggested a Toddle House, but Rogers felt the chain wasn't proper for the market.[4] After Forkner secured the property,[4] the pair developed the concept of the Waffle House together; Forkner proposed the name, while Rogers suggested keeping a 24-hour schedule.[6]
Waffle House
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The first Waffle House opened on Labor Day weekend, 1955 at 2719 East College Avenue in Avondale Estates, Georgia.[3] The restaurant was named after the most profitable item on the 16-item menu.[2] The fragile nature of waffles also made the point that it was a dine-in, not a carry-out, restaurant, but it confused patrons as to meal availability other than breakfast.[2]
Rogers continued to work with Toddle House, and to avoid conflict of interest sold his interest to Forkner in 1956.[1] In 1960, when Rogers asked to buy into Toddle House, and they refused, he moved back to Atlanta and rejoined Waffle House, now a chain of three restaurants, to run restaurant operations.[1] Shortly after Rogers returned full-time, Forkner followed suit and left Ben S. Forkner Realty.
After opening a fourth restaurant in 1960, the company began franchising its restaurants[2] and slowly grew to 27 stores by the late 1960s, before growth accelerated.[2] As of 2013, there were over 1700 locations in 25 states. The company is privately held and doesn’t disclose annual sales figures, but says they serve 2% of the eggs used in the nation's food service industry.[2] The founders limit their involvement in management, Joe Rogers, Jr. is Chairman, and Walt Ehmer is President and CEO.
References
- 1 2 3 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 24, 2004
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Waffle House still dishin’ diner food at 50
- 1 2 Waffle House history
- 1 2 3 Auchmutey, Jim (September 2, 2008). "Waffle House history a recipe for museum success". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- 1 2 Schemmel, William (2007). You Know You're in Georgia When...: 101 Quintessential Places, People, Events, Customs, Lingo, and Eats of the Peach State. Globe Pequot. p. 99. ISBN 0-7627-4131-7.
- ↑ AP (2005-08-12). "Waffle House turns 50, but goods still going like hotcakes". USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-02-27.