So, whats your deal with Waffle House?

In the last 5 years, I have travelled over 80,000 miles going to NCRS and other Corvette events learning how to be a better teacher for my NCRS chapter.  Travelling with a truck and trailer creates a whole set of issues for finding a restaurant to have a hot meal.  Waffle Houses are usually located right off interstate exits and are easy to get in and out of and are open 24 hours.  What I found is that you will find the hardest working, "salt of the earth" people working at Waffle House.  

And here is where it hits my soft spot.  No one sets out to have a "career" at Waffle House.  If you ended up working at WH, it probably wasn't by design, it's out of necessity.  Thusly, WH is filled with people that have a multitude of problems, far worse than most of us can comprehend.  Substance abuse, physical abuse, horrible home life, and worse.  Many times I have seen little kids sitting in a corner booth coloring while their mom was working her shift.  YET, each person working at WH fought off their demons and got up and came to work when it would have been far easier to crawl back in bed, back in the bottle or worse.  And that is where I come in and can make a small difference in someone's day.  

I walk in and am always greeted with a "welcome to waffle house!".  I order my hashbrowns, toast and coffee.  On my way out, I leave my server a $50, sometimes a $100 bill.  I always also give my cook a nice tip as well.  Now, this is not about me being a "big spender".  It is about making a difference in someone's life where a $50 is a big deal.  Its making them feel appreciated for doing a dirty job and letting them know they are special and loved.  I have had servers run out the door, hug me, ask to pray with me, be in tears saying that now they can pay a late bill or buy something nice for their child.  

I post on facebook about going to Waffle House and sometimes I share stories of my interactions with the people of WH to inspire you to do the same thing for someone that is down on their luck and needs just a little glimmer of hope.  A $50 dollar bill doesn't mean much to many of us, but it may be life changing for the next person you meet.  If I can help make a random stranger feel better and have a good day, then thats a win for both them and me.  And if I post about it and that inspires you to do the same thing, it is even better.  I always ask myself, what can I do to make someone's day better?

 Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these children of mine, you did for me.  Matthew 25:40