The Waffle House on Cherry Lane in Bethlehem is dark at night because it is currently only open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., due to a severe staffing shortage. For information about employment opportunities at this location, see below.
Once identified as one of the busiest restaurants in the entire chain, the Waffle House on Cherry Lane in Bethlehem is currently only open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, leaving some longtime customers asking “why?”
Located along busy Rt. 412 near the Hellertown on-ramp to I-78 east, the eatery is known for piping hot breakfasts served 24 hours a day to hungry travelers and locals alike.
Unfortunately, it isn’t currently possible for the Bethlehem Waffle House to remain open 24 hours a day due to serious staffing issues, franchisee Cathy Yildiran said Friday.
A sign affixed to the door of the Waffle House on Cherry Lane alerts customers to the modified hours under which it is operating. The franchisees who own the restaurant said they are unable to operate it 24 hours a day due to staffing issues.
“We have an employee issue,” said Yildiran, who co-owns two Lehigh Valley Waffle House locations with her husband, Ercan. “We just cannot find enough employees. We have so much business, but not enough employees to work all three shifts, and that’s why we’ve been closing for the second and overnight shifts.”
She theorized that the recent COVID-19 stimulus payments are impacting the job market by allowing potential job-seekers to postpone their employment search.
Yildiran said it’s been especially frustrating to know that motorists who can see the Waffle House sign from I-78 are exiting the highway to eat there, only to find it closed.
“We’re hoping to reopen, because that’s our policy, to be a 24-hour restaurant,” she said.
The other Waffle House the Yildirans operate on Airport Road in Allentown remains open 24 hours a day, she added.
Individuals interested in applying for a position at the Hellertown Waffle House can call franchisee Ercan Yildiran at 610-390-7521.
Yildiran said friendly servers and cooks with a solid work ethic are needed for all three shifts.
Thanks to tips they earn, “those servers make nice money,” she said.
The Waffle House is located at 2101 Cherry Lane, Bethlehem.
Online ordering is available from GrubHub and Postmates.
Additional information about Waffle House may be found online at WaffleHouse.com.
The Waffle House at Rt. 412 and Cherry Lane on the Bethlehem-Hellertown border is normally a popular breakfast spot, 24 hours a day. However, on a recent evening, the building sat dark due to an ongoing staffing shortage.