Thursday, July 11, 2019

[CHOPPED] Waffle House Slices Decades-Old Doraville Location

Waffle House has closed its location at 5467 Buford Highway in Doraville.  The restaurant, which a company representative confirmed opened August 16, 1984, closed as of July 1.  No explanation was given for the closure but its location in a shared space with another business and across I-285 from another, newer Waffle House which opened in 2008, were likely contributing factors in the decision to close the nearly 35 year old location.
Norcross-based Waffle House got its start in Avondale Estates in 1955 with location number one.  After selling the restaurant in the 1970s and after it was a series of other restaurants, the company repurchased the restaurant in 2007 and restored it.  Used primarily to host private company events, the Waffle House Museum is open to the public occasionally, especially on Wednesdays, but by appointment only.

Despite operating more than 2,000 locations nationwide - some 400 or so in Georgia - there are still dozens of former Waffle House restaurants spread across metro Atlanta and other markets in which the chain operates. 

The Waffle House website provides a link dedicated to "Surplus Property"  where the company offers "real estate sites available for sale that will no longer be used as Waffle House restaurants."

When a Waffle House restaurant closes, it's never reopened as a Waffle House although the company may ultimately decide to open another restaurant nearby, next door, across the street or in the same general area as a closed restaurant.

The one sort of exception to this rule is the Waffle House on Chamblee Tucker Road just off I-85 which while it is closed to the public, and a new location was built literally right next door, the old location continues to operate as a catering facility and provides food for the company's food truck.
The closure in Doraville continues a trend by the chain in limiting the instances where it operates restaurants on both sides of a highway.  The chain previously closed locations on both Clairmont Road near I-85 and Lawrenceville Highway near I-285 where it had corresponding locations on the opposite sides of the highways.  The chain also previously closed a location on Buckeye Road, just off Chamblee Tucker Road, where it shared a building with another business.  Both the Buckeye Road and Buford Highway restaurants appear to have opened at about the same time, as they look nearly identical.

The Waffle House closure in Doraville follows the February 2018 closure of a McDonald's nearby which was the first to ever open in Georgia and closed after more than 56 years in business.  The building has since been demolished with nothing having been built in its place.  

Are you surprised that Waffle House closed in Doraville?  What would you like to see open in place of Waffle House in Doraville? What has become of your former Waffle House?

Please share your thoughts below

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not real surprised given that the one by the Buhi is much newer and 'shinier'. I'd like to see someone buy it, get a couple of surplus letters from WH corporate, and reboot it as Felafel House, a middle eastern diner type of place.

Anonymous said...

@ 10:49 AM Travel to Egypt if you want authentic Middle Eastern food.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 1:12PM - I think the first Anon was being funny. But your comment is rather odd. If I want Italian, do I need to go to Italy? Sushi go to Japan? I have no doubt that Egypt has great middle eastern food, but places in America can have it too!

Anonymous said...

Replace it with a KFC, Cook Out, Captain D's or a locally owned Chinese buffet.

Disneypal said...

I live near there and mostly go to the newer Waffle House because it is bigger and nicer. This Waffle House is pretty tight and was in serious need of a remodel. I did like having the choice though, sometimes one would be crowded and you could go to the other - they are both very busy Waffle House locations but considering they are so close together, I can understand the closer of the older location.

Anonymous said...

Isn't this the Waffle House where Kid Rock had his altercation about 10 years ago?

Anonymous said...

That WaHo almost fell into a sinkhole that ate the parking lot and dumpsters behind it a few years ago.

Anonymous said...

You're eating Americanized crap not authentic Egyptian, Italian etc. cuisine in the US. These people (immigrants) move here to make money off you people that don't travel internationally. The Buford Highway corridor eateries are laughing all the way to the bank feeding you junk they would never prepare for themselves.

Anonymous said...

"Egypt is in Africa, not the Middle East ya fracking idiot."
_______________________________________________________________

The Middle East is a transcontinental region centered on Western Asia, Turkey, and Egypt. Saudi Arabia is geographically the largest Middle Eastern nation while Bahrain is the smallest.

via Wikipedia ... Bless Your Heart

NEZ3000 said...

Forget that I'm just amazed that was the first ever McDonald's in the whole state period. And it was renovated not to long ago to b close torn down. Buford Highway is revitalizing slowly. That Kmart is closing and been close 5years nothing there yet either.

Anonymous said...

good place for an 'Offal House', or maybe an Ale House...

Anonymous said...

I experienced racism at this Waffle House. I was the only person of a particular race here at like 12:30am, nosey dudes next to me (I was there first) attempted to provoke an altercation, overhearing a conversation I was having with the waitress. I left her a large tip, simply because I knew the persons next to me, and probably most of the patrons, were not tipping. Glad I never went back.

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