Are There Any Waffle House Locations in New York State?

Waffle House is a popular and iconic restaurant chain, particularly amongst its customers in the American south.

The franchise is known primarily for its Southern breakfast options, that are offered in an atmosphere that is "cheap, quick, and nostalgic", according Mashed. But one of many peoples' favorite things about Waffle House is that their restaurants are always open 24/7. In fact, the franchise is so reliable that there is even something called the Waffle House Index.

Wikipedia defines the index based on Waffle House's reputation for having good disaster preparedness and staying open during extreme weather or reopening quickly afterwards. The index has become such a factor for communities during bad storms, that it's even received recognition from FEMA.

But while most of their over 2,000 locations are centered in the south and midwest, why don't we hear about any Waffle House spots in New York State?

Are There Any Waffle Houses Locations in New York State?

The Waffle House location indicator says that the closest restaurants to New York state are in Scranton, Bethlehem, Allentown, and Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.

See Also: How Many Hooters Restaurants Are Left in New York State?

The possible reason(s) for no Waffle Houses in the Empire State? Mashed reports that New York's state taxes "could increase the chain's operating costs", which goes against their low prices that they've built a reputation on.

But while Waffle House may offer customers cheap food, they're not known for paying their own staff too well. Recently, Waffle House CEO Joe Rogers III said they're making its "single largest additional investment in our workforce" by raising base pay for servers to three dollars an hour, according to News 19.

Waffle House's base pay (without tips) will go up to at least $5.25 an hour for all of the company's 2,000 locations by June 2026, continues Rogers.

And with recent increases in minimum wage for many employees here in New York, the company would be forced to raise menu costs even higher than they already plan to, reports CBS News.

So, for now, the answer is no. There are no Waffle Houses in New York.

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