Georgia Waffle House Re-Opening Doors To Dine-In Customers

Photo credit: Waffle House

A number of Waffle Houses in Atlanta and throughout Georgia are re-opening in line with Gov. Brian Kemp’s plan for the state’s economy to get revived.

Speaking to WSB-TV, Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer said that all restaurant employeees will wear masks as they serve dine-in customers.  They will also practice social distancing and other health safeguards due to COVID-19.

Despite Pandemic, Georgia Waffle Houses Re-Opening To Diners

Although there are many critics of restaurants opening up, Ehmer said he will honor any employee who doesn’t want to come back to work — at the same time, he knows employees are hurting economically.

“I think it might make the difference between having a job and not having a job, and I know the unemployment system has been enhanced to help take care of the most vulnerable people, but people want to have jobs, and they want to have something to do and take care of their families,” Ehmer told the TV station. ” I think it’s going to give them some hope.”

Waffle House closed 419 of its restaurants across the nation as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Many restaurants, including Waffle House, have had to go to takeout orders only as the virus continues to spread across the nation.

One of the biggest critics of re-opening has been Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who has said repeatedly that the state — and Atlanta — is not ready, based on the increasing death counts.

Atlanta Mayor’s Message: Stay Home Save Lives

Lance Bottoms is firm in telling Atlantans not to go out, despite the fact that Kemp’s executive order trumps her local laws.

She added: “It’s a very confusing time for people, but the one thing where the messaging has been very clear, is to stay home to save lives.”

Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency. More definitive advice on health, please visit CDC.gov. Here are some helpful links:

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Tee Johnson: Tee Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AtlantaFi.com, Atlanta’s independent hyper-local publication focused on news, restaurants, events, jobs, neighborhoods, and lifestyle. A 15+ year Atlanta resident and longtime journalist and content creator, she covers Travel News, Events, Business, Hair Care, and Money with a practical, Atlanta-first lens. Before launching the site, Johnson worked as a substitute teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and later in corporate roles at Home Depot’s Vinings offices. A marketer by training with a degree in business management, she grew frustrated with the fragmented, hard-to-find information about what was actually happening in the city. That gap led her to create AtlantaFi as a curated, one-stop resource for the pulse of Atlanta—#ATLHAPS—without the national noise. Editorial decisions remain independent; the publication does not accept products, meals, or services in exchange for coverage. As Editor-in-Chief, she oversees original local reporting and curated practical guides that help residents, visitors, and businesses discover and engage with the city. Readers turn to her work for timely event roundups, dining and neighborhood insights, business and travel updates, and straightforward money and lifestyle coverage grounded in firsthand observation of Atlanta. A devoted lover of all things Atlanta, Tee enjoys pickleball, a good margarita or bourbon, and walking the Atlanta Beltline. She can be reached for editorial inquiries at tjohnson@atlantafi.com (serious inquiries only).
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