Waffle House has 'secret' plate-marking system for tracking orders: report

A Waffle House official claims the system is 'quite easy to learn,' but TikTok users expressed some doubts about that

You've probably heard that some restaurant chains have secret menus or diner lingo when ordering, but have you heard of ‘plate marking’?

It's a special process that has been uncovered at Waffle House restaurants. – and it helps grill operators keep track of your orders, according to Nexstar.

Basically, Waffle House employees use a type of shorthand involving plates, condiment packets, utensils and pieces of food, according to the report.

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 Waffle House is an iconic diner in the Southern U.S. that is popular for both breakfast and late night dining. (iStock)

The system came to the attention of TikTok by one of the restaurant’s cooks, eliciting equal parts awe and utter confusion from viewers. But for Waffle House’s long-time grill operators, the marking system is apparently second nature.

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"Yes, it’s really a thing, and while it’s secret like the Coca-Cola recipe, we hide it in plain sight," said Njeri Boss, director of public relations for Waffle House, in a statement shared with Nexstar.

Corey Brooks, right, orders food at a Waffle House restaurant in Savannah, Georgia. (Associated Press)

Waffle House’s grill operators are instructed to strategically place condiments or ingredients (jelly packets, butter packets, bits of shredded potato, etc.) on each plate as the order is called. The placement indicates what was ordered and how it should be prepared.

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For instance, a jelly packet placed vertically at the bottom of a plate means the customer wants scrambled eggs. The same packet, placed at the top of the plate, means the eggs should be cooked sunny-side up. 

Depending on the positioning of a jelly packet on top of a mustard packet means the customer wants an extra egg or means the customer wants an omelet with ham.

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Thje system may sound complicated, but Boss claims "it's quite easy to learn," according to Nexstar.

Some TikTok users, however, expressed some doubts.

"I would be fired in the [first] hour," one commenter joked, according to the report.