Smothered and Covered: Waffle House and the Southern Imaginary

by Ty Matejowsky

A critical meditation of the iconic 24-7 roadside chain and its place in the southern imaginary
 
Waffle House has long been touted as an icon of the American South. The restaurant’s consistent foregrounding as a resonant symbol of regional character proves relevant for understanding much about the people, events, and foodways shaping the sociopolitical contours of today’s Bible Belt. Whether approached as a comedic punchline on the Internet, television, and other popular media or elevated as a genuine touchstone of messy American modernity, Waffle House, its employees, and everyday clientele do much to transcend such one-dimensional characterizations, earning distinction in ways that regularly go unsung.

Smothered and Waffle House and the Southern Imaginary is the first book to socioculturally assess the chain within the field of contemporary food studies. In this groundbreaking work, Ty Matejowsky argues that Waffle House’s often beleaguered public persona is informed by various complexities and contradictions. Critically unpacking the iconic eatery from a less reductive perspective offers readers a more realistic and nuanced portrait of Waffle House, shedding light on how it both reflects and influences a prevailing southern imaginary—an amorphous and sometimes conflicting collection of images, ideas, attitudes, practices, linguistic accents, histories, and fantasies that frames understandings about a vibrant if also paradoxical geographic region.

Matejowsky discusses Waffle House’s roots in established southern foodways and traces the chain’s development from a lunch-counter restaurant that emerged across the South. He also considers Waffle House’s place in American and southern popular culture, highlighting its myriad depictions in music, television, film, fiction, stand-up comedy, and sports. Altogether, Matejowsky deftly and persuasively demonstrates how Waffle House serves as a microcosm of today’s South with all the accolades and criticisms this distinction entails.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Food

232 pages, Hardcover

First published December 13, 2022

Reviews

[Joe Bullock · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author of "Smothered and Covered" demonstrates impressive narrative skill, weaving a story that's as engaging as it is well-written. His ability to capture the essence of his experiences with Waffle House through vivid writing is undeniable. However, as someone with a deep appreciation for the South, including considering New Orleans a second home, I found the portrayal of Waffle House as a quintessential Southern institution to be unconvincing. The narrative seems restricted by a regional viewpoint that doesn't entirely capture how Waffle House is perceived outside the South.

Moreover, while the historical context of diners was intriguing, the frequent shifts to discuss contemporary social issues, specifically the dynamics of race, felt somewhat disjointed. The last part of the book heavily focuses on these themes, which, though important, seemed to overshadow the broader narrative about the cultural and communal role of Waffle House.

In essence, while the writing is excellent, the thematic execution felt uneven, focusing heavily on specific social issues rather than the purported subject of the book. This approach might not resonate with everyone, especially those looking for a lighter or more focused culinary and cultural exploration.

[Chloe' Barger · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was DNF for me. I tried so hard to finish it, but I couldn’t. This book is written like an academic who couldn’t get published and wanted the world to know how smart he was. There felt like so many correlation / causation issues that had zero reason to be discussed. The author’s over generalization of the South was painful. The concept of wanting to tie Waffle House into different issues with the culture seemed interesting but it felt more like we were being pelted with “please tell me I’m smart.”

[Valeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not everyday you get to read a book about the workings of a Waffle House. While repetitive at some points, this was overall an enjoyable read. I was a little disappointed with how political the writing got in chapter 4, however I particularly liked chapters 1 & 2 which is the history of Waffle House and chapter 5 which is Waffle House just pop culture. I thoroughly appreciated the shout out to the “Waffle Hut”. Solid read if you are into this subject matter.

Also, Go Knights! #iykyk

[Alan Razee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is obviously written by an academic—vocabulary, argument structure, mode of explaining, etc. This isn’t a criticism; I’m an academic, too, and I enjoy reading this kind of book. But what is funny is the irony of talking about a food institution that embodies a non-elite, working class vibe, in the rarified discourse of academia. 🤣

[Donald Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matejowsky has succeeded in writing an engaging, entertaining, and deeply thoughtful academic book on the great southern icon—not, to be sure, to glorify or vilify it, but to set it squarely in its position within the cultural milieu of the ever-elusive South, rife as it is with “complexities and contradictions.” Notably, Waffle House emerges as having an important contradiction of its own: being deeply southern yet not being deeply identified with being southern, its identity so tightly intertwined with that of its home region. By way of a thorough consideration of the chain’s historical development and current manifestation, and roles in regional economy, business environments, race and civil rights, and the general popular culture, the author succeeds in avoiding a binary thought pitfall, allowing the reader a clear view of Waffle House that goes beyond seeing it as a mirror of both the “good” and the “bad” of today’s Bible Belt. Looking forward to more from this author.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very in depth and thorough, almost to the point of excess. So much of the book referred to other parts of it that I felt like maybe just the introduction was necessary. I enjoyed the anecdotes about Waffle House in pop culture and the actual history of the business was interesting, but the history of all WH type eateries almost lost me. With awareness that it's an academic book, it was fine.

[Chris M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like it. The book starts off strong, but quickly loses steam. It felt like I was reading an academic paper for the majority of the time. The strongest part of the book is the chapter on third shift. The remainder of the book is either boring or veers off course to topics that make the reader lose interest.

[Rene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative.

[Allegra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down