Don’t Worry, Waffle House is Still Coming to Oxford

While new developments continue to pop up in Oxford Commons, breakfast food fans are still left waiting for the much-anticipated Waffle House.

However, while construction of the restaurant has not started, plans are still in the works. It might be another year or two before Oxonians can dig into waffles, but nevertheless, Waffle House is coming to Oxford.

On Monday, the Oxford Planning Commission approved two variances to allow the popular eatery to build in Oxford Commons, albeit in a different location than originally planned.

In 2019, Waffle House executives announced the restaurant would be built on a lot along Ed Perry Boulevard, north of Commonwealth Boulevard and north of the Malco Oxford Commons.

The new location is on the northeast corner of the roundabout at Sisk Avenue and Ed Perry Boulevard, adjacent to Highway 7 on the west side.

Waffle House requested a variance to allow more parking than the city’s Land Development Code allows for, which is 22 spaces based on the size of the restaurant (which will be about 1,800 square feet). Waffle House requested 29 spaces.

The commission approved the request with one dissenting vote.

Waffle House also asked for, and received unanimously, a special exception variance to allow the restaurant to place the building 77 feet from the front property line. The code allows for 58 feet from the property line.

Drew Joiner, with Waffle House, said in the request for the special exception, that the building is small and needs to be built further back on the lot to allow for parking.

The requests garnered one letter of opposition from Oxford resident Dick Dickerson who said the lot where Waffle House intends to build is not the best place for the restaurant.

Dickerson claimed that the site at Ed Perry Boulard and the Sisk Avenue roundabout is inappropriate, and other than being an eyesore and “tacky” as one drives into the Oxford Commons development, it is too small for their admitted needs.