All Shook Up… at Sarasota’s Waffle Stop
To commemorate the anniversary of Elvis’ passing, we take a road trip to Sarasota, where the King of Rock & Roll is still the thing to many of his fans
Photo of mugs (above) and “Elvis” (below) via Waffle Stop Facebook page
On the morning of February 21, 1956, a young man walked into the Waffle Stop on Sarasota’s South Washington Boulevard for breakfast. He ordered three eggs with bacon, three glasses of milk, pan-fried potatoes, and toast. Once he finished, he paid for his meal, leaving behind a 50₵ tip and an autographed picture of himself.
The waitress who served the young man, Edith Barr Dunn pocketed the tip and threw the picture in the trash. After all, she’d never before heard of this kid with the odd-sounding name. Months later, however, she saw that same young man on The Ed Sullivan Show. She never forgot the name Elvis Presley after that. In fact, Edith later owned the Waffle Stop and turned it into a kind of tribute to the time he stopped in. Still, she regretted throwing that picture away until her dying day at the age of 94 on February 3, 2015.
Eat Where Elvis Ate
Today, the restaurant still pays tribute to the young man who would become the King of Rock & Roll. “Elvis Ate Here!” is prominently displayed on the window outside. Inside, guests are greeted by a larger-than-life statue of Presley, and his pictures take up nearly every inch of wall space. Coffee is served in mugs with, well, Elvis’ mug and the words “Elvis dined here in 1956. Sarasota, Florida” printed on them. An