Waffle House Co-Founder Joseph Rogers, Sr. dies
ATLANTA - Waffle House Co-Founder Joseph "Joe" Wilson Rogers, Sr., passed away Friday evening at the age of 97, the chain announced Monday.
A memorial service and celebration of life will be held Wednesday, March 8, at 1:30 p.m. at the Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center, 800 Spring Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30308.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Giving Kitchen, which provides assistance to Atlanta area restaurant workers (thegivingkitchen.org), or the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation (callawaygardens.com).
On Labor Day in 1955, Joe Rogers Sr. and his neighbor, Tom Forkner, now 99-years-old, opened the first Waffle House restaurant in Avondale Estates, Georgia. Known for providing the “friendliest service in town,” the chain quickly grew to include more than 40,000 associates across the country.