The leaders of Waffle House, NCR and Air Tran recently talked to Chamber members and partners about employee retention, moving a Fortune 500 company to metro Atlanta and operating a low-cost airline.
During three separate conversations with Sam A. Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Joe Rogers, Jr., chairman and CEO of Waffle House; Bill Nuti, chairman and CEO of NCR; and Bob Fornaro, chairman, president and CEO of AirTran Airways, shared their secrets to success.
Joe Rogers, Jr. worked as the first window washer for his father at the first Waffle House restaurant in Avondale Estates, Ga. He later worked behind the counter. In the early 1970s, he took over from his father Joe Rogers, Sr., and became the Waffle House CEO.
Joe Rogers, Sr. and Tom Forkner opened the first Waffle House in Avondale Estates on Labor Day 1955. Their dream became a reality–and an icon was born. They leased the building for $150 a month.
After Unit 1 opened there were no plans for another restaurant, but the first restaurant established the Waffle House tradition of providing the friendliest service in town. Customer loyalty developed, and the business grew steadily. In 1957, Unit 2 was acquired and by 1961, there were four restaurants. Today, Waffle House is one of the most successful and recognizable restaurant chains in the country.
The company began to expand and new units were built in Georgia and neighboring states. The "yellow sign" soon became a familiar landmark along city streets and interstate highways across the Southeast. Under the guiding philosophy of "better before bigger," Waffle House restaurants continued to grow in both new and existing markets.
Since day one, each Waffle House restaurant has provided guests with a unique and comfortable dining experience. At every restaurant, the bright yellow sign greets customers like an old friend, the jukebox plays a variety of the now famous Waffle House songs and associates give customers a heartfelt greeting as they walk through the door. In addition, each restaurant is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, inspiring urban myths such as "Waffle House doors have no locks."