A few years back, I seriously contemplated taking my love of the Waffle House to the next level. I was not content to be simply scattered, smothered, covered, diced, topped and chunked. I needed more. Much more. So I investigated the franchising opportunities for Waffle House in NYC. It didn't work out, but I still dream of a New York Waffle House, preferably within walking distance of my apartment.
As anybody knows, part of the charm of the Haus is the slice of Southern life it provides to us curious Northerners. With this in mind, I read with horror that one of the mainstays of La Vie Waffleuse is in danger - the middle-aged lady with big hair smoking 100s (preferably menthol) at the counter.
Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Beverley Flynn says she's eaten her last meal at her favorite Waffle House in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. No longer can she smoke her Winston Lights 100 after the restaurant banned cigarettes in the hometown of their maker, Reynolds American Inc. `I'm old enough to be stubborn,'' says Flynn, 63, who refuses to step out for a puff under Waffle House's brown-and-yellow striped awning. ``I won't go anywhere I can't smoke.''
Tobacco Road in central North Carolina, where the four biggest U.S. tobacco companies, including Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA, crank out more than 200 billion cigarettes a year, is getting its first smoke-free Waffle House restaurants. Next week, franchisee Gary Fly will make permanent a smoking ban in four of his 37 outlets to give non-smokers an alternative.
My heart grieves for the South.
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4 comments:
I don't know what to say.
If non smokers have a problem with smoke, go breathe somewhere else! Or hold your breath! Or get a gas mask! Or...
I mean, come on. If you're eating in Waffle House your health is obviously not that important to you. One should be forced to smoke while in Waffle House. It'll make a man outta yah.
I agree.
Welcome to Waffle House. Smoking is MANDATORY.
"Excuse me sir, uh, you're going to have to either light up or leave."
Excuse my slight digression, but is anyone else hungry?
The biggest issues at the time were (1) supplies so far out of their normal area and (2) the lack of corporate support for start-ups. They didn't offer a lot of capital assistance to new franchisees. I guess they wanted to keep the riff raff out. Or in, as the case may be.
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