The Waffle House - Jacksonville, FL
I had a pretty interesting Super Bowl weekend down in Jacksonville, Florida. But, before I give you a recap, I thought I’d first share my Waffle House story. After DJing at the Alicia Keys event Saturday night, I decided to have breakfast with a couple of my boys, who happened to be down there for the weekend. Since the party ended around 3 a.m., our choices of restaurants were limited to McDonald’s and the Waffle House. We reluctantly selected the Waffle House.
It’s been at least 10 years since I’d last stepped foot into a Waffle House and by the looks of it, some things never change. The eatery was filled to capacity with impatient patrons waiting for their chance to order. There were no tables available so we grabbed a couple of seats at the end of the counter. These were actually the best seats in the house because it enabled us to have an unobstructed view of what was going on inside of the restaurant.
While sitting at the counter, I watched everyone that handled the food and I realized that this place was truly a breeding ground for ecoli and any other deadly form of bacteria. The first sign that this place was a health hazard was when the lanky old man refilled the lemonade dispenser with water carried in a dirty mop bucket. This was truly disturbing and I immediately transformed from “D-Nice, the hungry DJ,” into “D-Nice, the hungry undercover reporter!”
The second sign was that for at least an hour I never witnessed anyone behind the counter wash their hands.
Everyone that worked there seemed to have dual responsibilities. The same woman who worked at the cash register was also on waffle duty. After every single waffle was made, she would bare-handedly remove it from the waffle iron and toss it on a plate. Now, I already hate for my food to be fondled, but to have my food fondled by the money handler was a definite “No-No!” I watched another woman scratch her head and with the same hand she removed the toast from the toaster with, she placed it on someone’s plate.
The lanky old man, who happened to look like Randy Johnson of the New York Yankees, was solely responsible for some of the most disgusting things I’ve ever witnessed in a restaurant. For example, the dishwasher was positioned behind the counter from where I was seated. After the dishwashing cycle finished, he used the same filthy cloth that was already soiled with cheese, jelly, and any other table particles left behind by departed patrons, to dry off the dishes. After drying the dishes, he emptied the trash and then grabbed a bucket of sliced green peppers floating in a strange liquid and with his bare hand he scooped out a handful and placed them in a dish next to the stove. These same sliced green peppers were later used in someone’s omelet.
After seeing that, we immediately exited the Waffle House leaving behind our uneaten food, the check, and drove one mile down the road to the International House of Pancakes. At least there I couldn’t see the kitchen!
Comments
Is it true what Lisa Lampanelli says, that Flava Flav's nappy headed bitches look like the 3am shift at the Jacksonvillie, Florida, Waffle House....?
Posted by: Jazzi D | November 29, 2007 09:51 AM
I just started reading your archives. I am at work trying my hardest not to laugh out loud. Wben I read the one about the old lady and the broom stick I thought that was too much but when you put a spiders web on the open wound and it turned green I thought I would pee my pants. I always knew of you however I had no idea that you and KRS 1 were in a group together. I am a bit new to hip hop but becoming more and more enamered by it daily. My friends are finally giving me my credibility because I am impressing them. I thank you for sharing your life as well as with being an open black male. I need that in my life. I wish you the best and thanks again...peace
Posted by: Leah | August 29, 2006 05:25 PM
I have your cd D-NICE (Call me d-nice)1990 it's a classic i'm 15 years old and I love hip hop but I live in France I can't find your second album the 1991 (To the rescue)in the store if you can contact me extrafixomic@hotmail.com I make music with my friends we have a group ESCAMOTAGE thy members are me EXTRA FIXOMIC,PHILEAS PHOBE,METADESS,MISTA POPO
your journal is nice if you prepare something to comeback coming soon I wait it thanks for reading of my message
Posted by: extrafixomic | February 4, 2006 05:38 PM
Yo i just moved from ny to alt. that crap is the same everywhere you go after my first time i became a ihop man and whats up with the cash only is that all over or just atl. "somebody dippin"
Posted by: mike g | April 28, 2005 04:13 PM
D- the pics were absolutely lovely, but I feel you on the Waffle House tip. I do not eat there anymore. I've been to a lot of them in MD, VA, GA, TN, KY, IL, WV, NC, SC and in STL where I live now. Everyone I have ever been to was nasty! You gambling with your life f***in around with that place. You better off picking up something at the gas station than eating at that joint!
Peace sexy,
Vanna
Posted by: DJ Vanna Spice | March 16, 2005 03:06 PM
This is de je vu. I had the exact same experience at The Waffle House in Maryland and I took pictures too, I wish I could post them. That was my first and last time going to any Waffle House.
Posted by: Starr | March 10, 2005 05:55 PM
Doing Waffle House here in St Louis is a no-no. You're better off hitting the 24 hr Walgreens up and cooking at the crib. Hey that might actually work!? Just have er'body over to the crib for breakfast. Thanks D!!!!
Posted by: Isis Mustardseed Jones | February 8, 2005 03:36 PM
Hey DJ, that sounds like a really nasty experience! But on the real, I ate at a Waffle House not too long ago in Houston, TX and one of the booths by the window had ants crawling all over it. Nevertheless, I still ordered from another table and the waffles were too light for my taste, half done if you ask me. Yet and still, i don't know what keeps me going back cuz none of those Waffle House workers ever wear gloves, and they are always dirty, but they have the best cheese eggs and grits you can find at 3am after the club! I will say, after reading all these posts and your story, I will definitely think twice about going again, but I can't promise I won't eat there. LOL! Hey, the pics you took, except the one of the waffle irons (what a mess!), make that place look like Mr. Chows! The pics look really nice. (I know thats not the effect you were going for...LOL, oh well.)
Posted by: KT | February 8, 2005 02:49 PM
About 15 years ago, I ate in a Waffle House in Orlando, Florida; two years in Pensacola, Florida. I ended up with a stomach virus each time! The places looked just like your pictures; NASTY! No more for me since then! Besides, isn't Waffle House the "trailor park trash" equivalent to Denny's?
Posted by: Ms. Oldskool | February 8, 2005 01:38 AM
When will your book (or visual journal) be ready for purchase.
Posted by: Kristen | February 7, 2005 10:14 PM
Even though you had a bad experience, your pics are great. The pictures don't match the story! I had a very similar experience at a Waffle House in Virginia. I think I'm gonna have to leave that place alone.
Posted by: Kay | February 7, 2005 07:12 PM
I am so disturb by this email the group that I manage(Footsteps) and I drove to NC to do a Safe Sex tour for quite a few high schools. While we were down there for five days we ate there almost everyday. One day when we left the waffle house one of the guys got so sick we had to pull over and find a rest room quick. I will never eat at the Waffle house again as long as I live. I have to send this email to all the guys they are gonna die.
Tray
Posted by: Tray | February 7, 2005 07:04 PM
The Waffle house Dee is talking about was the absolute worst!!! You had to be there to really understand. Yo But on the other hand, Dee, You really did your thing this weekend at the Alicia Keys Jam!! Holla at you this week for Thursday!!
Posted by: Darryl AKA The O.V.(Original Violator) | February 7, 2005 06:43 PM
Also, Thanks for everything duke! You killed it on Friday and Saturday
Posted by: Darryl aka The original O.V. (Original Violator) | February 7, 2005 06:25 PM
Yo Dee, That is the worst Waffle house I have ever seen!! I rather take my chances in China town! That is how bad that place is!! See u thursday duke!!!
Posted by: Darryl aka The original O.V. (Original Violator) | February 7, 2005 06:23 PM
hI D-nIcE,
I rEmEmBa u fRoM bacK iN dA daY! LMAO. AnyWaYs, u is HOT. kIsseS.
LaShonda.
Posted by: LaShonda | February 7, 2005 05:56 PM
Dee!!! you know you gotta do better than that. The waffle house kid? You were asking for it. that's like eating at that diner on 23rd and 7th when its late night. If you not gonna close your eyes and grin and bear it you know its a roll of the dice. But the flicks are classic. thanks for the laugh. Drew
Posted by: Drew | February 7, 2005 05:06 PM
My Super Bowl Sunday was an EXTREMELY beautiful experience. I am visiting the island of Oahu, HI and yesterday...I TIED THE KNOT!! Oh, it was a beautifully simple wedding on the tropical beach...then we went back to the house and gathered with a few friends to watch the game. I almost fell asleep at halftime...I liked the Beatles, but even I couldn't withstand the slow grooves of Paul McCartney...I needed some crunk juice at that point.
OKAY...back to the subject at hand.
Hey, I know!! I went to a waffle house 2 years ago in ATL during the NBA all star weekend because I was with other friends who had been brainwashed to think that because Outkast n'em had mentioned this place in a song or two...that the food must be good. Good lord!! I was just talking bad about this place two days ago...still haven't QUITE gotten over it. The bathrooms are nasty, too, but when ya gotta go, ya gotta go...and we went to one outside the city limits cuz the lines in the city for that nasty a$$ food made you think they were giving something away free...maybe it was that gov'ment cheese they use for the eggs. Well, I guess I am spoiled or just too good a cook to fall for that place. I heard Outkast mention the Cheesecake Factory, too. I see that they have one here in Hawaii~down by Waikiki beach. I might have to check it out, either that or quit getting my DINING advice from Hip Hop songs:)
Posted by: jacqueline | February 7, 2005 04:22 PM
I was happy in my ignorance, thanks for ruining that. haha
Posted by: JtothaI | February 7, 2005 04:03 PM
you know, i used to really like those waffles!!!!
Posted by: mike | February 7, 2005 03:18 PM
The Waffle House is the truth when you are trying to get that late night snack. D the pictures take me back when I was at a waffle house in Roanoke VA. About a year ago, the place is real dirty but the food the bananz (meaning good to some folks).
The Waffle House reminds me of the Dirty kitchen on 142nd in Lenox ave.
I remember when I was at the joint one of the cooks looked like the lunch lady when I went to school back in the 80's. That’s scary, let me found out the broad of education recruits them to cook for our kids. Now that I’m thinking about it, the food did taste like summer school lunch.
da ignorant know it all. ONE!
Posted by: Da Ignorant Know It All | February 7, 2005 03:06 PM
D-nice the pictures are crazy, it reminds me when i'm down south chilling somewhere, cause you wont find one here in NYC. and some of those cooks look like my old lunchroom teachers. the place may look dirty but the food is bananaz (meaning good to some folks). a late night meal would be great at IHOP, but the truth at The Waffle House
da ignorant know it all
Posted by: Da Ignorant Know It All | February 7, 2005 02:43 PM
Damn,I just left one in St.Louis!
Posted by: Bryce Wilson | February 7, 2005 02:42 PM
The Waffle house is the greatest, you gotta love it. when you cant find that IHOP in the area and you cant eat anything else, Like Mc Donalds or Wendy's, The Waffle house is the place to go. It's on and cracking when you happen to be on the road traveling from venue to venue. I think Red Alert said it better WWWWWWAAAAAAAFFFFFLLLLEEEEESSSS!
one other thing, you will find the sexiest chicks in at the Waffle House.
Posted by: Dhanraj | February 7, 2005 02:34 PM
Hey man,
We've all had terrible eatery moments and we've all eaten other peoples germs in our efforts to find a decent meal. Its scary to think we pay good and hard earned money for lousy service and unhealthy food. At some point, we'll start staying in hotels that come with fully stocked kitchens, and when we leave these parties or events with or without company and filled with Liquor or what have you, we'll still have the energy and strength to get back to our resting place and throw down in the kitchen for 15 minutes, even though we know that eating at those horrible times of the night is why we have Ballys, NY Sports clubs, Crunch and Dolphin taking all of our money. Long sentence about a long drawn out story which is our life!! Great shots D, as always! God bless bruh!
Later,
Tuffy
Posted by: tuffy | February 7, 2005 12:51 PM