The Classic Southern Breakfast Chain That's Been Family-Owned Since Its Start In 1955

If you want your chain restaurant to become a true classic, it helps to keep the operation family-owned. While the vast majority of major restaurant chains are no longer operated that way, brands that stand out for their high customer loyalty tend to be family-owned. For instance, Chick-fil-A has made the founding Cathy family the wealthiest family in fast food. Likewise, In-N-Out Burger remains owned by the Snyders. So, it shouldn't be a huge surprise that one of the most beloved chains in the country, Waffle House, has been run by the Rogers family from the start.

While the Rogers family has helped call the shots from the beginning, their role wasn't always as exclusive as it is now. In 1955, the first Waffle House opened in Avondale Estates, Georgia, and was founded by two partners, Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner. Rogers has been a World War II flight instructor and found work as a short order cook at a chain called "Toddle House." He went on to become a manager before going into business with Forkner, a real estate developer. Together, Rogers and Forkner used their combined strengths to make the business work.

Both the business and menu at Waffle House was clearly inspired by the 24/7 diner that Rogers' has previously worked at. The pair named the restaurant after the most profitable item on the menu, hoping to encourage customers to buy even more. It worked, and Waffle House grew from five locations at the start of the 1960s to over 400 by the end of the '70s.

The Rogers have owned (or co-owned) Waffle House ever since, although it nearly got away from them. Joe Rogers Jr., the son of the founder, took over the company in 1973, and is still chairman to this day. When he took over, the brand was still co-owned with the Forkner family, and it had expanded so rapidly through franchising. At one point, only 30% of Waffle House locations were actually owned by the company, and the chain was struggling with debt. Rogers Jr. set about buying back locations and gaining more ownership over the company for the family.

Today, when you're eating at Waffle House you are patronizing a business majority owned by the Rogers clan, although being a private company, the exact percentage is not clear. However, around 90% of the chain is now company owned, so the family exercises near-total control over the brand, which has grown to over 2,000 locations in 25 states. In fact, Waffle House no longer offers franchise opportunities to the public, and any franchises still in existence are legacy operations.

There is one wrinkle in this family-owned business though, and it's actually good for some employees. As a way of increasing retention, Waffle House managers are offered the opportunity to buy stock in the privately held company, making it partially employee owned as well. So, managers have a vested financial stake in how their locations (and the company) perform. Waffle House may be majority owned by the Rogers family, but the larger Waffle House family owns a piece as well.