Need last-minute Valentine’s plans? You can get a table at Lexington Waffle House
What could be a more romantic place to spend Valentine’s Day than Waffle House?
The ubiquitous Southern eatery is getting into the spirit of the holiday Friday by taking reservations for a Feb. 14 dinner with your sweetheart. The casual restaurant is taking reservations at almost 200 Waffle House locations around the country, including the South Lake Drive Waffle House in Lexington.
The Lexington location is one of 16 in South Carolina taking part in the Valentine’s Day promotion, and the only one in the Midlands, according to the restaurant’s website.
Manager Dianne Lee has been taking Valentine’s reservations here for 12 years, and has built up a regular date-night crowd for the promotion.
“We pull down the shades, cut the lighting as much as we can and try to make it dark and romantic,” Lee said. The Lexington Waffle House will have flowers, candles and white linen tablecloths over the usual Formica tables.
The Waffle House is taking reservations from 4 to 9 p.m., and Lee said the restaurant was about three-quarters booked as of Tuesday.
“People start asking me about it two days after Christmas,” she said.
In addition to the romantic atmosphere, the staff will wear special red and white aprons for the occasion. With soft music playing in the background, diners can even take a photo with a special backdrop to mark their holiday dinner.
Over the years, the dinner has attracted some loyal customers. This year, one couple is traveling back to Lexington from West Palm Beach, Fla., to mark Valentine’s Day at Waffle House, Lee said. Another table of four widows makes a regular reservation for the night.
“One year, I thought about not doing it, and my customers said, ‘What? You’re not gonna do it?’” Lee said. ‘I said, ‘Well, I’d like to take a vacation,’ and they said, ‘No!’”
If you’re thinking of getting a table this Friday, you might want to hurry. Lee says she’s seen an uptick in reservation requests this year.
“I don’t advertise it. It usually just spreads by word of mouth,” Lee said. “But this year I’ve had new people calling in before my regulars.”
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