The Restaurant Chain That Claimed To Be The Top Seller Of T-Bone Steaks

There's a line out the door at your favorite steakhouse on a Friday night, per usual. Reservations booked up weeks ago, and no matter how badly you're craving a thick piece of meat, you're not getting a seat at those white-linen tables any time soon. Your dream of picking up a steak knife doesn't need to be entirely squashed, though. You can hang up the fancy dress shirt, swap out the high heels for flip-flops, and head to Waffle House for a well-done T-bone steak — the very restaurant that claimed to serve the most T-bone steaks in the world.

In 2011, Waffle House put out (of all things) a Facebook status claiming to be the "world's leading server of T-bone steaks," which is a steak best served grilled, according to our guide to different cuts of steak. When you consider the fact that Waffle House is one of the only restaurants open so late (or often open all night) serving any kind of steak, sure, this claim doesn't seem all too outlandish. It's worth noting, though, that in the very same post that boasts its claim to fame, Waffle House also announced the retirement of the T-bone steak — which never happened. So, perhaps it's best to take this "fact" with a grain of salt. Or, should we say, with a grain of garlic salt.

Originally introduced in the 1960s, not long after the pecan waffle hit menus (aka the Waffle House order that won over Anthony Bourdain), Waffle House rolled out T-bone steaks almost by accident. For forty years, the T-bone steak became a fan favorite at the breakfast joint, until an announcement came abruptly in 2012 with an official press release that announced the departure of the steak. Even after the T-bone's yearlong "farewell tour," it never actually left Waffle House's menus, leaving fans to speculate what all the hoopla was about in the first place.

While there's no official record stating that Waffle House serves the most T-bone steak in the world, the chain certainly affirms so. It used to boast the title in its stores with signs on the walls and online with various social media posts and press releases. According to a WSBTV article from 2023, Waffle House does serve more than 10,000 T-bone steaks per day, or over 3.6 million per year, which is certainly a lot. Waffle House's T-bone steaks are still going steady, available in dinner format with two sides, but no one would judge you if you ordered steak first thing in the morning, among 10 other rules everyone should know for eating at Waffle House.