When FIFA World Cup fans arrive in Atlanta this summer, Waffle House intends to offer them more than breakfast fare. The Norcross-based chain is adding branded merchandise including T-shirts and hats for international soccer supporters.
Waffle House has submitted plans to remodel its downtown Atlanta diner adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park. The renovation converts a display window into a retail storefront, featuring a glass roll-up door for sidewalk service along Andrew Young International Boulevard.
The retail space will be walled off from the rest of the restaurant so that "diners can enjoy their waffles and hash browns independently." The location sits directly across from "The Spectacular," the aluminum sculpture featuring the Olympic rings, and steps from the FIFA Fan Festival planned for June and July.
Waffle House, established in Avondale Estates in 1955, has become a cultural icon referenced in song lyrics and film. FEMA even uses Waffle House operational status as a weather event severity indicator — a testament to the chain's place in American culture.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
