Waffle House’s former CEO Walt Ehmer died Sunday, according to a press release from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. Ehmer, according to the Associated Press, was 58 and died following a long illness.
“[Ehmer’s] leadership, dedication and warmth touched the lives of many, both within the Waffle House family and beyond. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy,” Dickens wrote.
According to his LinkedIn, Ehmer started with the brand in 1992, rising through the ranks to become president and CEO in 2012, a role he held for more than a decade, before transitioning to CEO and chairman in 2022 and finally to chairman in 2023. Joe Rogers III succeeded Ehmer as CEO. The chain did not immediately respond to a request to clarify who would fill Ehmer’s role as chairman.
The 1,900-unit brand has faced pressure from workers with the Union of Southern Service Workers, who are demanding changes to operations and an end to automatic meal deductions. Earlier this year, Rogers announced a series of pay increases, which marked what he said was the brand’s largest-ever investment in its workforce.
