The Secret Method Waffle House Cooks Use To Remember Every Order
Have you ever been to a restaurant and wondered, "How in the world did they get my order right? They didn't even write it down!" Sometimes, it boils down to the server themselves being highly skilled and attentive. Other times, you're in a five-star restaurant where perfection is required. Most of the time, though, it's due to numerous tricks and methods that ensure the food is served correctly, every time.
According to Just Restaurant Supplies, there are three key aspects that servers use to remember orders. One is face association; because faces never change, employees are likely to remember which customer ordered which meal by paying close attention to facial details. Another effective method is clothing association, though this can be a tad difficult if a hoodie or jacket is removed mid-meal. The final common method is word association. Menu items can sometimes have unbelievably long names, and by shortening the names in their head, servers can render certain dishes more memorable.
Though these methods are proven to be effective, servers at Waffle House have an entirely different (and unique) way of remembering food orders.
It's all in the packets
As revealed on TikTok by a Waffle House cook, the breakfast establishment uses condiment packets, napkins, and pickles to remember food orders. When a packet of jelly is positioned horizontally at the top of a plate, for example, it means the customer wants an omelet with ham. A brown sugar packet positioned on top of a napkin indicates that the customer wants grits instead of oatmeal. A plate with two pickle slices at the bottom means the customer wants a sandwich with bacon. These tricks and many others are revealed during the training video for new employees.
"Yes, it's really a thing, and while it's secret like the Coca-Cola recipe, we hide it in plain sight," director of Waffle House public relations Njeri Boss confirmed, according to Kron4. "There really isn't a better system than what we do. It's fast. It's quite easy to learn."
Next time you're at a Waffle House, it might be fun to pay attention to the way things are placed. It could also come in handy in case you have to cook your own food at Waffle House someday.