"Toddle House had everything that makes a proper diner. From the charming white-and-blue exterior that made it noticeable from afar to the functional counter-only interior that allowed for quick customer turnaround. With its breakfast-centered menu and affordable prices, Toddle House became an important pit stop for the regular working folk."
"The founder of Waffle House, Joe Rogers Sr., originally worked at Toddle House, which is where he learned to make the diner's special omelet. Once he opened his own diner, he brought the omelet recipe with him, believing it couldn't possibly be improved upon. And so, all omelets at Waffle House are still officially called Toddle House omelets."
"Toddle House was indeed a comforting place for many working Americans, but its original locations were also a painful reminder of racial inequality. Under segregation laws of the time, only white people were allowed to dine at Toddle House. That's why the diner opened a secondary chain called Harlem House, which operated with an identical concept and menu, except it welcomed black people."
Toddle House was a Southern diner chain that opened in the 1930s and established the foundational diner concept later adopted by Waffle House. The chain featured a distinctive white-and-blue exterior, counter-only seating for efficient service, affordable prices, and a breakfast-centered menu. Toddle House became known for its exceptional omelets. Joe Rogers Sr., founder of Waffle House, worked at Toddle House where he learned to make their special omelet recipe. He brought this recipe to his own diner, and Waffle House continues to serve these omelets under the original name. Despite its success, Toddle House operated under segregation, maintaining separate locations for Black customers called Harlem House. The chain declined during the 1960s.
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