Waffle House, the breakfast chain popular south of the Mason-Dixon Line, is known for being open 24/7 under any circumstances. Christmas is no exception. It's actually one of the company's busiest days of the year.
Some families build traditions around going to Waffle House on Christmas. Each of Waffle House's 1,800-plus locations has its own Christmas personality. One classic Waffle House episode: In 2014, a pastor and his daughter in Griffin, Georgia, pitched in and took up positions at the front doors as greeters all day, Waffle House spokesman Pat Warner told Atlanta magazine.
Employees often hear this company motto: "We work when others play and we play when others work." It's worked for Waffle House--for 61 straight years.
Holiday staffing is typically easy, says Waffle House president and CEO Walt Ehmer. He admits it helps that Waffle House is often one of the only restaurants open on Christmas, and that working on holidays is a service industry standard."I've had small children, and I've struggled, like practically all our folks have, in leaving small children at home on Christmas Day," Ehmer says. "But the moment you walk into that restaurant, something really magical happens."

"It always warms your heart that there are such really good people out there in the world that just want to do something nice for somebody else," Ehmer adds.Tips are often extra generous, and gifts from regulars aren't uncommon. For example, at an Atlanta-area Waffle House last year, a customer bought breakfast for everyone in the restaurant--a $300 tab--and added a $300 tip for all the employees. "I know of a lady in South Carolina that sews aprons for her Waffle House crew," says Warner.
Employees earn time and a half on Christmas. Server pay varies by location, but the company fills the gap for those who don't make minimum wage with base plus tips, Warner says. A single-store manager earns $45,000 to $59,000 a year, depending on the restaurant's performance.
Waffle House bills itself as "America's place to work." Fans laud the company's retirement plan, for example, which includes company stock.
Workplace reviews on employer-rating websites don't fully support this tagline. On Indeed.com, Waffle House has a 3.6 (of 5) rating from 2,700 reviews. On Glassdoor, the chain has a 3.2 (of 5) rating on 860 reviews.
To be sure, working on Christmas isn't for everyone. Waffle House's top-rated negative comment on Glassdoor reads: "Must work all holidays & at times a day off can be interrupted by issues at work that result in a full day's work."
Ehmer says the company makes an effort to offer the staff time with their families, either early or late in the day or on the following day. "That's just as important," he say