I was on vacation down South last month, and we had a great time!  We took the kids to a Waffle House Restaurant  on National Waffle Day (March 21, according to my son) for breakfast.  Are you familiar with Waffle Houses?   Ubiquitous and delicious along the highways and byways on the road-trips of my childhood. 

     Looking at the Waffle House now, though, as a mom and Professional Organizer, I admire them as a model of efficiency!   My experience in food service is limited to a summer job when I was 16, and, well, the 3 meals a day every day I have made and served for my family over the last 15 years.  But I love looking at restaurant kitchens, and at a Waffle House, there are not interior walls, so it is all out there for everyone to see.

      Spatially speaking, all the seating and tables are on one side of a half wall, and are accessible from the service / kitchen area by just reaching across the wall.  The staff can clean the table, re-set it, take orders and serve orders all without ever leaving the service / kitchen area. 

      The use of vertical space in the kitchen was great.  There was a cook space and counter space.  There was also a clever shelf above the counter and toasters, sloped inwardly towards the wall, to line up the various loaves of bread for easy access to pop slices into toasters. 

      Spices, seasonings and additions were in labeled bins above the cook surface.  Any cook working the current shift can see what is available, and what needs re-stocked.  The beverage center had a soda fountain with flavored syrups on a shelf above, coffee and a stand-up glass fronted cooler for the rest, all grouped together.

      The menu is not a broad menu, though you can get any menu item 24/7.  The Waffle House has figured out what it does well, and sticks with making just that.  My youngest son asked for a grilled cheese (why not?) and fries. The waitress said yes to the grilled cheese, but said “No Fries – how about hash browns?”  He was dubious, but turns out he loves hash browns!  The kitchen has a grill surface but no fry oil or oven.  So, hash browns it is!

      So, the morals of this story:

1. Being organized lets you make the best use of what you have. 
2. Use your vertical space.  Flat space is often at a premium, so use your vertical space to greatly increase your usable work space.
3. Label things, especially if you want people to be able to help you and to put things away.
4. Specialize, and stick with doing what you are really good at doing.
5. You can learn from any experience, if you just pay attention.
6. Waffles are good any day, not just on National Waffle Day.  Grilled cheese is good any time.

     And the last thing I learned?  If you order an egg white omelet in a Waffle House, you have to expect a kind smile and the label of “Yankee”.