It was supposed to be a regular day, or so I thought, until Donna, the store manager at Unit 1058—my workplace for the next 24 hours straight—at 3016 Piedmont Road NE, pointed out, “You forgot to shave.” During my brief training session the day before, she mentioned the shaving policy or the less appealing alternative, a beard net. Thinking I could get away with it, I was quickly proven wrong. There I was, in the Waffle House bathroom, hastily shaving, channeling my inner Harrison Ford from The Fugitive. Anything was better than a beard net, whatever that even was. This was already proving to be an immersive experience in the world of Fast Food Open 24 Hours.
Diving into the Breakfast Rush at a 24 Hour Diner
7:10 A.M.
Talk about jumping right into the deep end. My first and only day, and I was already running late. The place was buzzing; the breakfast crowd, clearly regulars, filled every seat. Donna introduced me to one of them, Randy. I consider myself a Waffle House enthusiast, having enjoyed their meals countless times. But Randy? He’s in a different league. He’s been a loyal customer, eating there once, sometimes twice, daily since 1970. Do the math – that’s dedication to 24/7 fast food culture. His usual breakfast: a cheese omelet, wheat toast, tomatoes, hold the grits. Lunch often consists of a burger or chicken sandwich. And surprisingly, Randy maintains a trim physique at six feet tall and 155 pounds. It’s a testament to how even fast food restaurants open 24 hours can become a part of a balanced lifestyle for some.
7:15 A.M.
I was introduced to Brandon, the head grill operator, for my first shift – and his second, as he was pulling a double. Everyone called him Shorty. Despite being maybe four foot six and needing a milk crate to reach the grill and plates, he was a grill master. I also met Jerome, in management training, a newbie of just three weeks, but his grill skills were still developing. Then there was Sherrie, a server (or “salesperson” in Waffle House lingo). Immediately, her sweet and patient demeanor was apparent – exactly the kind of person you’d want serving you at 1 a.m. after a long night. Fifteen years she’d been here. I was surrounded by seasoned pros in this 24 hour fast food establishment.
7:20 A.M.
Brandon, or Shorty, asked if I was ready to take on a couple of orders. My honest answer? Absolutely not. He started me off with hash browns, Waffle House’s iconic menu item. The variety of ways to have them is mind-boggling: scattered (loose, not in a ring), smothered (onions), covered (cheese), chunked (ham), diced (tomatoes), peppered (jalapeño), capped (mushrooms), topped (chili), or country (sausage gravy). For the truly adventurous, there’s “all the way,” meaning everything. Think of it as a Southern take on poutine. These hash browns arrive in supersized milk cartons, dehydrated. Just soak them in water for two hours and you have ready-to-cook potato sticks. Making an order sounded straightforward: a ladle of liquid vegetable shortening (the lifeblood of Waffle House’s fast-paced kitchen) on the grill, topped with a scoop of potatoes. After a short sizzle (always order them well-done, trust me), add toppings and flip. I can manage pancakes on a relaxed Sunday morning at home, but under the pressure of a real 24 hour fast food kitchen, performing for an audience, it’s a different story. My attempt resulted in a hash brown disaster, half of it scattered across the grill, a mix of undercooked and burnt shreds. Shorty swiftly stepped in to rescue the situation. It was a humbling, but enlightening, start to my 24-hour immersion into the world of fast food that’s open 24 hours.
