Solar waffles!

The Waffle House in Norcross at 5900 Jimmy Carter Blvd is the first to have solar hot water collectors installed on its roof. So, now when giving directions in Gwinnett you can be a little more specific. Instead of saying, “Turn right at the Waffle House,” you can say, “Turn right at the Waffle House with the solar panels on top.”

Seriously, if Waffle House’s marketing team ever thought about making a green television commercial, now would be a good time to write a slogan and ride it all the way to the bank. “Scattered, smothered, and solar?” Or, how about, “Our eggs are always sunny-side up even when they’re scrambled?” They could possibly hire Dr. Seuss and revamp the classic “Green Eggs and Ham.” Get it? Green – as in environmentally friendly – eggs and ham? They could put a little music to it and throw it on the jukebox.

Waffle House is no mere restaurant – it’s a cultural icon. Waffle House locations are their own billboard, and in Gwinnett there’s one on every corner. Starbucks might even be jealous of Waffle House down here. It all started in 1955 in Avondale Estates, Georgia and not much has changed since then. No matter which of the 1,500+ stores you go into, there will be a jukebox capable of making the staff hate you for selecting a song like “There Are Raisins in My Toast.”

It’s true. Waffle House has inspired songs and comedy routines, but when it comes to over-night eateries, there is really no competition. Local customers know the staff, and the staff knows them. Waffle House is as close as you’re gonna get to a small town diner where everyone knows both your name and how you like your hash browns.

And, while all this is wonderful, the only thing “going green” at Waffle House so far has been the drunken guy that stumbles in at about 3 a.m. and heads straight to the bathroom. But not anymore.

“We believe clean energy solutions make sense both for the environment and as a way to keep our energy costs down,” said Ben Aune, Waffle House vice president, “Keeping energy costs down helps us pass along those savings to our customers.”