I was in my fifties the first time I ate at a Waffle House. Until then, Waffle House, to me, was a place where addicts, the homeless, and the down-and-out ate. I know that doesn’t make sense. Heck, generally speaking, the homeless don’t normally eat their meals in restaurants. I don’t mean to besmirch anyone. I just didn’t think Waffle House restaurants were for me. Boy, was I wrong.
I love breakfast food, and Waffle House is all about breakfast food. Eggs any way you want. Bacon cooked to order. Sausage patties AND sausage links. Giant waffles. And best of all, hash browns.
Waffle House hash browns are like a super food. After eating them, I feel like what Popeye must feel like after eating spinach. The thing that makes Waffle House hash browns so special is the numerous ways you can order them. According to Waffle House, there are at least 768 different combinations available. So, if you’re not educated on the many options you have when you order your hash browns, you could miss out on a magical (okay, quasi-magical) experience.
Your first, and most basic, option is to order your hash browns plain. You’ll get grilled, crispy, golden, julienned potatoes with no adornments. They’ll be good, but you’ll be missing out on all of the great toppings Waffle House offers. But before you consider the many topping options, it’s important to learn the unique Waffle House lingo. For instance:
- Smothered — Sautéed onions grilled in butter.
- Covered — Melted American cheese.
- Chuncked — Grilled diced hickory smoked ham.
- Diced — Grilled diced tomatoes.
- Peppered — Spicy jalapeno peppers.
- Capped — Button mushrooms sautéed in butter.
- Topped — Bert’s Chili, a combination of chili beans, Jimmy Dean sausage, tomatoes, and onions.
- Country — Sausage gravy.
- All the Way — All eight topping choices.
I’ll be ordering my Waffle House hash browns smothered, capped, and covered. How about you?
