Waffle House will raise wages for tipped workers amid labor advocacy efforts
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The famed Waffle House fast-food franchise is increasing wages for its workforce of more than 40,000 employees. This move comes after a persistent year-long push from labor groups.
CEO Joe Rogers III, addressing Waffle House employees in a video, announced the chain is elevating its base pay to a minimum of $3 per hour starting this month. The company plans to incrementally raise its base hourly rate to $5.25 by June 2026. Rogers stated Waffle House is also rolling out wage boosts via tenure bonuses and shift premiums over the coming two to three years. Higher menu prices will pay for the wage increases, Rogers explained.
On. Nov. 8, Waffle House workers from Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina gathered outside the company's corporate office in Norcross, Georgia. (Service Employees International Union / Fox News)
These wage adjustments come after more than a year of public campaigning by The Union of Southern Service Workers, a labor group that advocates for low-wage service workers. The group applied pressure on Waffle House through strikes, letters, and petitions.
The Union of Southern Service Workers continues to campaign for a $25 hourly wage, 24/7 security for employees, and eliminating mandatory meal deductions. In March, the group filed a petition to the Labor Department requesting an investigation into the policy of deducting the cost of mandatory meals from employees' paychecks.
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The wage hike marks a significant new phase in Waffle House’s history. As Rogers put it, «This is the single largest additional investment in our workforce in the entire 68-year
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