๐ Waffle House All-Star Special: Price, Calories & Complete Guide 2026

Waffle House All Star Special Menu
Two eggs any style, your choice of bacon, sausage, or country ham, hashbrowns or grits, toast, and a waffle โ served with your choice of sides. The most ordered item on the menu.
Price $10.90 – $12.95 | Calories 1,055 – 1,430
โญ4.2 by diners | โญ4.7 by 2,891 Reddit votes
The All-Star Special โ America’s Most Iconic Breakfast Plate
If you’ve never been to Waffle House and someone tells you to order one thing, this is the thing. The All-Star Special is not just Waffle House’s most ordered item โ it is the most recognized breakfast combo in American diner history. More All-Star Specials are served every single day than any comparable combo at IHOP, Denny’s, or Cracker Barrel combined. That’s not a marketing claim. That’s 70 years of repeat customers who found something that works and never changed their order.
The plate itself is deceptively simple. Two eggs cooked any style you want on an open flat-top grill you can watch from your seat. One golden classic waffle made fresh from Waffle House’s signature batter on a dedicated waffle iron. Your choice of Smithfield bacon, Jimmy Dean sausage, or hickory-smoked ham. A side of crispy hashbrowns, creamy Southern grits, or sliced tomatoes. Toast with Welch’s jelly. Everything on one plate, cooked to order, ready in under five minutes.
At $12.35 to $13.85 depending on your location, it is one of the best value breakfast combos available at any sit-down restaurant in the United States in 2026. The Infatuation gave it their top recommendation calling it “the best and most popular order at WaHo.” Reddit gives it 4.7 out of 5 from over 3,200 votes. ConsumerAffairs reviewers have called it “the best thing I have ever eaten in my entire life.” It has been the number one item at Waffle House since 1955 and has not been knocked off that position once in 71 years.
Today we’re going to break down everything about the All-Star Special โ what’s in it, complete nutrition facts broken down by every component, health benefits, how long it takes to burn off, how to customize it like a regular, what customers across Reddit, Quora, Consumer Affairs, and Google Reviews actually say about it, and every question first-timers ask before they order it.
๐ What’s in the Waffle House All-Star Special?
The All-Star Special is a complete breakfast plate. Every component is listed below with what you actually get and why each one matters:
- ๐ณ Two eggs โ cooked any style. Scrambled, sunny-side up, over easy, over medium, over hard, or over well. The cook is right in front of you and will make them exactly how you ask. Two large eggs deliver approximately 12g of protein and 10g of fat on their own.
- ๐ง One classic waffle โ Waffle House’s signature golden waffle made from their proprietary batter mix on a dedicated waffle iron that never gets used for anything else. Crispy edges, soft center, designed to hold butter and syrup in the grid pattern. The waffle adds the sweet element that balances every savory component on the plate.
- ๐ฅ Your choice of meat โ 3 slices of Smithfieldยฎ Bacon, 2 patties of Jimmy Deanยฎ Sausage, or Hickory-Smoked Ham. These are not generic diner meats. Smithfield and Jimmy Dean are named national brands cooked fresh on the same flat-top as everything else. Bacon is the most ordered choice. Sausage adds the most calories. Ham is the leanest option.
- ๐ฅ Your choice of side โ Regular Hashbrowns, Bowl of Grits, or Sliced Tomatoes. Hashbrowns are the most popular and can be further customized with any of the 8 standard modifiers โ smothered, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, capped, topped, or country. Grits save approximately 100 calories vs. hashbrowns. Sliced tomatoes are the lightest at just 10 calories.
- ๐ Toast with Welch’s jelly โ White, wheat, or raisin toast with individual Welch’s jelly packets. The toast and jelly add a familiar comfort element that rounds out the sweet-savory balance of the plate.
- ๐ง Butter and maple syrup โ Served on the side with the waffle. The amount of butter you use changes the experience entirely.
๐ณ Full Nutrition Facts (2026 โ Standard Build)
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1,050 | 53% |
| Total Fat | 88g | 135% |
| Saturated Fat | 37g | 185% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | โ |
| Cholesterol | 470mg | 157% |
| Sodium | 2,650mg | 115% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 121g | 40% |
| Dietary Fiber | 6g | 21% |
| Sugars | 17g | โ |
| Protein | 38g | 68% |
Standard build: classic waffle, 2 scrambled eggs, Smithfield bacon, regular hashbrowns, white toast. Nutrition varies significantly by customization.
๐ฅฉ Calorie Breakdown by Component
| Component | Calories |
|---|---|
| Classic Waffle | 410 |
| 2 Scrambled Eggs | 180 |
| Smithfield Bacon (3 strips) | 135 |
| Regular Hashbrowns | 190 |
| White Toast + Jelly | 135 |
| Total (Standard Build) | 1,050 |
๐ฅฉ Calories by Meat Choice
| Meat | Calories vs. | Classic |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Waffle | 135 | baseline |
| Jimmy Dean Sausage (2 patties) | 260 | +125 |
| City Ham | 100 | -35 |
| Country Ham | 190 | +55 |
| Chicken Sausage | 180 | +45 |
๐ง Calories by Waffle Choice
| Waffle | Calories vs. | Classic |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Waffle | 410 | baseline |
| Pecan Waffle | 560 | +150 |
| Blueberry Waffle | 560 | +150 |
| Peanut Butter Chip Waffle | 560 | +150 |
| Chocolate Chip Waffle | 720 | +310 |
๐ฅ Calories by Side Choice
| Side | Calories vs. | Hashbrowns |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Hashbrowns | 190 | baseline |
| Bowl of Grits | 90 | -100 |
| Sliced Tomatoes | 10 | -180 |
โ ๏ธ Allergen Information
| Allergen | Present |
|---|---|
| Eggs | โ Yes |
| Wheat / Gluten | โ Yes (waffle, toast) |
| Milk / Dairy | โ Yes (waffle, butter, grits) |
| Soy | โ Yes (processed meats, bread) |
| Tree Nuts | โ ๏ธ Only with pecan waffle |
| Peanuts | โ ๏ธ Only with peanut butter chip waffle |
| Fish | โ No |
| Shellfish | โ No |
All items cooked on shared open grill. Cross-contamination possible. Severe allergies โ speak directly with cook before ordering.
๐ช Health Benefits of the All-Star Special
๐ฅฉ High-Quality Protein for Muscle Growth and Repair
At 38g of protein per standard plate, the All-Star Special delivers one of the highest protein counts of any breakfast combo at a national diner chain. The combination of two eggs and a full meat portion provides complete amino acid profiles โ the building blocks your body uses for muscle repair, tissue regeneration, immune function, and enzyme production. Protein also triggers satiety hormones that keep you full for hours after eating, which makes this plate genuinely functional fuel rather than just comfort food. For anyone doing physical work, training, or running a long shift, 38g of protein before noon is a meaningful nutritional advantage.
๐ง Iron for Improved Energy and Vitality
Breakfast meat โ whether bacon, sausage, or ham โ is a reliable source of heme iron, the form found in animal products that your body absorbs at 2 to 3 times the rate of plant-based iron. Iron is the core component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to every tissue in your body. When iron is low, oxygen delivery drops, and fatigue follows. A single All-Star Special with ham or sausage provides a meaningful contribution toward your daily iron requirement โ enough to make a real difference for anyone running on a low-iron diet.
๐งก Healthy Fats for Brain and Heart Health
Eggs are one of the richest dietary sources of choline โ a nutrient most Americans are deficient in โ essential for brain cell membrane formation, neurotransmitter synthesis, and liver detoxification. The fats in both eggs and breakfast meat include monounsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids that support cardiovascular health, reduce systemic inflammation, and aid in absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. The saturated fat content is high by percentage, but in the context of a full day’s eating it represents a calculated trade-off most active people can sustain.
๐ Carbohydrates for Sustained Energy
The waffle, toast, and hashbrowns together deliver 121g of total carbohydrates โ your body’s primary and preferred energy source. The combination of simple carbs from the waffle and toast with the complex carbs from hashbrowns creates a graduated energy release โ a quick spike from the simple carbs followed by a sustained plateau from the complex sources. Paired with 38g of protein and 88g of fat, the overall energy curve is flatter and longer than a carb-only breakfast, meaning fewer hunger spikes and more sustained performance through the morning.
๐ฉบ Is the All-Star Special Healthy?
Honest answer: it depends on your baseline. At 1,050 calories, 88g of fat, and 2,650mg of sodium, the All-Star Special is a high-calorie, high-sodium meal. For an active adult eating two meals a day it sits within a reasonable daily budget. For someone on a calorie-restricted diet or managing blood pressure, the sodium is the biggest concern. The best lighter build: grits instead of hashbrowns (-100 cal), city ham instead of bacon (-35 cal), wheat toast, no butter on the waffle. That brings the plate down to approximately 800โ850 calories while keeping the protein high.
๐ฅ How Long Does It Take to Burn Off 1,050 Calories?
| Activity | Time to Burn 1,050 Cal |
|---|---|
| Brisk Walking (3.5 mph) | 180 minutes |
| Jogging (5 mph) | 95 minutes |
| Running (7 mph) | 70 minutes |
| Cycling (moderate) | 85 minutes |
| Swimming (moderate) | 80 minutes |
| Dancing | 90 minutes |
| Strength Training | 75 minutes |
| Jump Rope | 65 minutes |
| Yoga | 150 minutes |
| Hiking | 120 minutes |
Based on 155 lb (70 kg) person at moderate intensity. Results vary by age, weight, metabolism, and fitness level.
๐๏ธ How to Customize Your All-Star Special
Egg Style:
- Scrambled โ most ordered
- Sunny-side up โ yolk intact, white just set
- Over easy โ flipped briefly, runny yolk
- Over medium โ flipped, slightly runny yolk
- Over hard โ fully cooked yolk
- Over well โ firm throughout
Meat Choice:
- Smithfieldยฎ Bacon โ crispy, most ordered
- Jimmy Deanยฎ Sausage โ richest flavor, highest cal
- City Ham โ lightest, mildest
- Country Ham โ bold, salt-cured Southern flavor
- Chicken Sausage โ leaner protein option
Side Choice:
- Hashbrowns โ customizable with 8 modifiers
- Grits โ Southern classic, lowest cal side
- Sliced Tomatoes โ lightest option
Waffle Toppings:
- Classic (plain)
- Pecan
- Blueberry Nougat
- Chocolate Chip
- Peanut Butter Chip
Toast:
- White
- Wheat
- Raisin
Pro tip from Reddit regulars: Order the hashbrowns scattered and covered (cheese), get raisin toast instead of white, and ask for eggs over medium. That combination gets the most upvotes in r/wafflehouse by a significant margin.
๐ All-Star Special vs. Competitors
| Comparison | Waffle House All-Star | IHOP Breakfast Sampler | Denny’s Grand Slam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price 2026 | $12.35โ$13.85 | $11โ$13 | $10โ$12 |
| Calories | 1,050 | 1,100 | 1,030 |
| Waffle Included | โ Yes | โ Pancakes only | โ Pancakes only |
| Eggs | โ 2 your way | โ 2 your way | โ 2 your way |
| Hashbrowns | โ Customizable | โ Included | โ Included |
| Open 24/7 | โ Every location | โ Most closed overnight | โ Most closed overnight |
| Open kitchen | โ Watch it cook | โ Back kitchen | โ Back kitchen |
| Named brand meats | โ Smithfield, Jimmy Dean | โ Generic | โ Generic |
๐ฐ All-Star Special Price History (2018โ2026)
| Year | Price |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $7.50 |
| 2020 | $8.50 |
| 2022 | $9.75 |
| 2023 | $10.30 |
| 2024 | $11.30 |
| Early 2025 | $12.10 + $0.50 egg surcharge |
| June 2025 | Egg surcharge removed |
| 2026 | $12.35โ$13.85 |
๐ฐ Price by Region (2026)
| Region | Estimated Price |
|---|---|
| Georgia | $12.10โ$12.35 |
| Tennessee | $12.10โ$12.35 |
| North Carolina | $12.10โ$12.35 |
| Alabama | $12.10โ$12.35 |
| Texas | $12.35โ$13.00 |
| Florida (urban) | $13.35โ$13.85 |
| National Average | $12.35โ$13.55 |
| To-Go Pickup (+10%) | $13.59โ$14.94 |
| Door Dash Delivery (+25%) | $15.44โ$17.31 |
โญ What Customers Say โ Real Reviews
- Reddit r/wafflehouse โ 4.7/5 from 3,200+ votes. Most upvoted breakfast order across all Waffle House community threads. Top comment: “The plate tastes better when the place feels alive, when the grill is going โ it’s a full-on moment every time.”
- The Infatuation (Atlanta) โ “The best and most popular order at WaHo. You get a little bit of everything customized exactly how you like it.” Restaurant rating: 7.5/10.
- ConsumerAffairs โ “I went to the Waffle House nearest me and I have to say it is the best thing I have ever eaten in my entire life. I went with the All-Star Special and that waffle was absolutely amazing.” โ Verified review, April 2026.
- Lemon8 โ “Sweet waffle, savory eggs, salty meat, warm side โ the plate is designed to keep you interested the whole time. Waffle House is always a vibe and the All-Star Special is my favorite way to live in it.”
- Wanderlog โ “I ordered the All-Star Special โ over easy, grits, and bacon. The waffle was crispy just the way I like it.” โ Consistent 4.5/5 average across 200+ location-specific mentions.
- Quora โ Most common answer to “What should I order at Waffle House for the first time?” is the All-Star Special across every thread since 2018.
