Joe Rogers (businessman)

Joe Rogers
Born Joseph Wilson Rogers
November 30, 1919
Jackson, Tennessee, U.S.
Died March 3, 2017 (aged 97)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation Businessman
Known for co-founder and former CEO of Waffle House
Spouse(s) Ruth Jolley Rogers
Children 4, including Joe Rogers Jr.

Joseph Wilson Rogers (November 30, 1919 – March 3, 2017) was an American businessman. He was co-founder and former CEO of the Waffle House franchise restaurant chain, which began business in 1955 in Georgia, and has grown to over 1,700 locations in 25 states.

Early years

Born in 1919 at Jackson, Tennessee,[1] He grew up there at 291 W. Deaderick Street, and graduated from Jackson High School in 1938.[2]

Rogers started in the restaurant business as a short-order cook in 1947, at the Toddle House in New Haven, Connecticut.[3] By 1949, he had become a regional manager with the now-defunct Memphis-based restaurant chain, and moved to Atlanta.[4] There he met Tom Forkner, when he bought a house from him in the Atlanta suburb of Avondale Estates.[5][6][7]

Forkner petitioned Rogers to go into business together for a quick-service, sit-down restaurant.[7] Rogers told Forkner, "You build a restaurant and I’ll show you how to run it,"’ recalls Tom Forkner.[4] Forkner suggested a Toddle House, but Rogers felt the chain wasn't proper for the market.[6] After Forkner secured the property,[6] the pair developed the concept of the Waffle House together; Forkner proposed the name, while Rogers suggested keeping a 24-hour schedule.[8]

Waffle House

This Waffle House in Fort Worth, Texas, is near the Texas Motor Speedway

The first Waffle House opened on Labor Day weekend, 1955 at 2719 East College Avenue in Avondale Estates, Georgia.[5] The restaurant was named after the most profitable item on the 16-item menu.[4] The fragile nature of waffles also made the point that it was a dine-in, not a carry-out, restaurant, but it confused patrons as to meal availability other than breakfast.[4]

Rogers continued to work with Toddle House, and to avoid conflict of interest sold his interest to Forkner in 1956.[3] In 1960, when Rogers asked to buy into Toddle House, and they refused, he moved back to Atlanta and rejoined Waffle House, now a chain of three restaurants, to run restaurant operations.[3] Shortly after Rogers returned full-time, Forkner followed suit and left Ben S. Forkner Realty.

After opening a fourth restaurant in 1960, the company began franchising its restaurants[4] and slowly grew to 27 stores by the late 1960s, before growth accelerated.[4] As of 2017, there are over 2,100 locations in 25 states. The company is privately held and doesn’t disclose annual sales figures, but says they serve 2% of the eggs used in the nation's food service industry.[4] The founders limit their involvement in management, Joe Rogers Jr. is Chairman, and Walt Ehmer is President and CEO.

Personal life

He was married to Ruth Jolley Rogers for 74 years, and she survived him.[9] They had four children, two girls and two boys, and their eldest son, Joe Rogers Jr. became CEO of Waffle House in 1973.[2]

Death

Rogers died on March 3, 2017 at the age of 97 in Atlanta.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "Waffle House co-founder Joe Rogers dead at 97". ajc.com. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  2. 1 2 "Jackson is home to co-founder of Waffle House". jacksonsun.com. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 |title=Joe Rogers profile: The cornerstone of Waffle House |publisher=ajc.com |date=2004-12-24 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 24, 2004
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Waffle House still dishin' diner food at 50". 15 August 2005.
  5. 1 2 Waffle House history Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. 1 2 3 Auchmutey, Jim (September 2, 2008). "Waffle House history a recipe for museum success". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
  7. 1 2 Schemmel, William (2007). You Know You're in Georgia When...: 101 Quintessential Places, People, Events, Customs, Lingo, and Eats of the Peach State. Globe Pequot. p. 99. ISBN 0-7627-4131-7.
  8. ↑ "Waffle House turns 50, but goods still going like hotcakes". USA Today. Associated Press. 2005-08-12. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
  9. ↑ Press, Associated. "Waffle House co-founder Joe Rogers Sr. dies at 97". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
  10. ↑ Stephen Miller (2017-03-06). "Joe Rogers, Who Built Waffle House Chain With Grits, Dies at 97". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  11. ↑ "Joseph W. Rogers, a Founder of Waffle House, Dies at 97". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
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