RELIGION

At the time of my writing this article, when I Google “waffle house,” all the top news stories are about various shootings in or outside Waffle Houses. Entire articles are dedicated to analyzing why Waffle Houses are the sites of so much crime. Some news-reporting agencies have termed Waffle House the “most dangerous restaurant chain in America.” And yet, we keep going back. Perhaps, it is because all the “good” aspects of Waffle House are two-sided coins, with the tail side cleverly weighed down to avoid difficult conversations and examinations of our values. For each thing that we love about Waffle House, there is a down- side that is often glossed over.

Late-night Waffle House escapades are only made possible by those who commit to working through the night at minimum wage. Is it Christmas?

Thanksgiving? It doesn’t matter — Waffle House’s staff will be there to serve you and to keep the wheels of capitalism churning while the rest of the country spends the holidays with their families.

It is perfectly acceptable to show up to Waffle House with uncombed hair, in your sweatpants, with mascara streaming down your face. But maybe something else, something unchangeable, like the color of your skin, could be an issue.

In many ways, Waffle House is a reflection of America.

The restaurant brings together people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. It is a place where you can brush shoulders with future CEOs, construction teams and college students, all over a chocolate-chip waffle. It is a place where ideas as large as Reddit can be born and post-basketball games can be celebrated, and it is a place where lives can be quickly and brutally taken and prejudice can continue to manifest itself.

It is yet another institution whose flaws and injustices we have collectively chosen to overlook in favor of convenience and a two-egg breakfast combo.

“In many ways, Waffle House is a reflection of America.”

(Photo sourced from: Pexels)