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62-year-old Chad Barnes, local resident of Scranton, Pa. is beginning to think of the town’s Waffle House as his own waffle home. Sources say the man began to show up frequently at Waffle House which soon turned into a three-meals-a-day routine.
Barnes expressed that the Waffle House took some getting used to at first. “When I first came here a little over a year ago, I was always asking everyone where everything was—the bathroom, the ketchup, the extra silverware. But now things have gotten to be so comfortable. There’s nothing like having Alice’s Iced Tea in one of those cushy booth tables after a long day.”
Barnes noted how serene he feels at the Waffle House since his very first visit. "I think my favorite thing to do is sit at a window table on a rainy day, and just daydream. I love listening to the pattering of the rain as I sit in this cozy tiled room filled with the smells of piping hot coffee and sweet, delicious waffles.
“The guy is full of surprises,” said Vincent Giordano, head bus boy, who explained that Barnes has started to help with the dishes after meals. Barnes explained, “It’s only right to help clean up in a place that has given me so much hospitality through the years.”
The waitstaff at Waffle House no longer has to take Barnes’s order. For breakfast it’s the Double Waffle with blueberries, sausage, two eggs, and a cup of coffee. For lunch it’s the Texas Cheesesteak, and for dinner, the Original Angus Burger with a side of Bert’s Chili. Without fail, Barnes gets a waffle topped with whipped cream for dessert. Barnes describes himself as a “simple guy,” which is why he eats the same thing everyday. “It feels good getting that warm plate of food without having to ask for it. I’m just so grateful for this place,” said Barnes.
“There’s nothing like starting up a conversation with someone at the counter in those swivel chairs. So many people come through this place, from all walks of life. I like to treat them like my very own guests.”
Barnes has begun to greet some of the customers saying, "Hi, I’m Chad Barnes thanks so much for coming by!”
