Walt Ehmer, CEO of the Waffle House diner chain since 2012, died on Friday at age 58.
An obituary aired by Ehmer's family indicated that he died from an adverse reaction to an alternative therapy for pancreatic cancer, which he'd been battling since 2023.
Ehmer had joined the Atlanta-based chain of 1,900 24-hour restaurants in 1992, just three years after graduating from Georgia Institute of Technology, with which he maintained an active involvement as an alumnus until his death. He would rise through the company’s finance department to become president of the quirky restaurant operation in 2006. He held that post along with the CEO’s title until his death.
His successor as CEO has not been named.
Ehmer, like Waffle House, maintained a low profile in the restaurant business despite leading one of the trade’s standout successes. Yet his death drew public statements of condolences from local parties ranging from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickson to Georgia Tech to the Atlanta Police Foundation.
Paul Brown, CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings parent Inspire Brands, described Ehmer on LinkedIn as one of the restaurant industry's "greatest and most gracious leaders," adding that the CEO had a gift for making people laugh.
"I have lost one of my closest and most admired friends," Brown wrote.
“His leadership, dedication and warmth touched the lives of many, both within the Waffle House family and beyond,” Mayor Dickson said in a statement released by his office. “He leaves behind a remarkable legacy.”
The law enforcement association praised Ehmer for his community service and efforts to safeguard the city, a quest of considerable importance to Waffle House. Being open ‘round the clock has made the concept a frequent target of criminals, according to the Union of Southern Service Workers, a cross-employer labor group aggressively trying to recruit Waffle House employees.
Employees lauded Ehmer during the pandemic for voluntarily cutting his pay in half while rank-and-file employees were under financial duress.
The chain was started in 1955. It now operates in 25 states.
Update: Information about the cause of Ehmer's death has been added.
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