Waffle House, Inc. Statement in Response to Washington Lawyers' Committee Charges

    NORCROSS, Ga., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The goal of Waffle House
 restaurants is to ensure each of our annual 160 million customers enjoys a
 pleasant and rewarding dining experience. This is achieved, due in part to,
 the fact that Waffle House, Inc. trains its employees to fulfill the
 customers' needs, regardless of race, color, religion, age, gender, national
 origin or disability. Waffle House, Inc. has no tolerance for discrimination
 in our restaurants, and we react swiftly and decisively if we find a violation
 of our anti-discrimination policies. Waffle House restaurants have the
 policies and systems in place to train our associates to treat all customers
 equally. We strive not to disappoint any customer.
     In response to the recent, highly inflammatory accusations made through
 the Washington Lawyers' Committee in its third press conference in just over
 one year, we will not respond to the specifics of each case through the press,
 but instead will continue to defend our proud and diverse employee-owners
 through the courts.
     We are confident the courts and juries will continue to favorably assess
 our systemic efforts and our actions in preventing discrimination, as they
 have in the two cases that have already been presented to a jury.
 
      * In both cases, the jury quickly and unanimously found no acts of
        discrimination occurred at Waffle House restaurants as asserted by the
        plaintiffs, and relieved Waffle House, Inc. from any liability
        whatsoever.
 
      * In the first case, the court ordered the plaintiff to reimburse Waffle
        House certain defense costs. Waffle House will present a second bill of
        costs in these cases in the next several days and expects the court
        will again order plaintiffs to reimburse Waffle House for certain
        costs.
 
     While pleased with the outcome of these cases, the company continues to
 review its anti-discrimination policies, the training of these policies and
 the enforcement of these policies on an ongoing basis, always looking for ways
 to better serve our diverse customer base, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
     If customers have any concerns about Waffle House, please contact our
 Customer Hotline at 1-877-9-WAFFLE (992-3353)
 
 

SOURCE  Waffle House, Inc.