Waffle House, a staple of late-night and early-morning outings across the Southeast and Midwest, is planning to leverage its downtown Atlanta location for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Waffle House plans to attach a retail store to its existing restaurant at 137 Andrew Young International Blvd., according to a building permit application submitted to the city of Atlanta. The eatery is next to Centennial Olympic Park, an outdoor gathering place that may host tens of thousands of soccer fans expected to descend on Atlanta in June.
The company’s permit application did not indicate what type of merchandise will be sold, but it’s possible some items will include words Waffle House uses for one of its most-popular items: “scattered, smothered and covered” hash browns. That order is spread on the grill and served with a layer of melted cheese topped with onions.
Waffle House estimates the cost of the 200-square-foot expansion at $28,450, according to the permit application.
Some Waffle House locations are franchised but it’s unclear from the building permit application whether the restaurant set for the retail expansion is a franchisee’s location. Waffle House, based in the Atlanta area, did not respond to a request for comment.
Privately owned Waffle House was established in 1955 in Avondale Estates, Georgia, and now has about 2,000 locations, primarily in Sun Belt and Midwestern cities and small towns. Many Waffle House locations are near interstate highway exit ramps and are easily seen because of the buildings’ bright-yellow trim and distinctive signage.