[1raider1]

There may be some confusion here. For many years the Waffle Houses with the yellow and black sign were called Waffle & Steak in Indiana due to another, now defunct, in state chain that used the Waffle House name. This is the restaurant the article is about.

[thefactor]

Regardless, brought back some good memories.

[Wingy]

I had a friend that, for a time, was on the crew that built Waffle House Restaurants. When the building was finished, and the parking lot was being paved, a small ceremony was held and the keys to the doors would be tossed onto the parking lot to be paved over. This signified that the doors would never be locked as Waffle Houses are open 24/7/365.

That the Waffle House in the story closed for Christmas clued me in that this was not the chain, but a (slightly) different establishment.