Waffle House While Pregnant: How to Order Eggs, Steak and Hashbrowns

There's something about pregnancy and Waffle House. Maybe it's the 24-hour opening, maybe it's the hashbrowns, or maybe it's that a 2 a.m. craving needs somewhere to go. The good news is that this is one of the simpler chains to navigate. There's no deli slicer, no sushi and no salad bar, and nearly every item is cooked hot on the grill while you watch.

What matters is how you ask for things to be cooked, because Waffle House cooks to order. Nutrition figures below come from Waffle House's own nutrition and allergen guide (August 2026).

The Three Things to Say When You Order

1. Eggs: "scrambled firm" or "over hard"

Waffle House eggs are cooked any way you like, which includes over easy and sunny side up. US eggs aren't pasteurized unless the carton says so, and the FDA's advice is that pregnant women should eat them only once the yolk has set as well as the white, because of Salmonella. So ask for scrambled eggs cooked firm, or fried eggs over hard. Omelets and the egg in biscuits and sandwiches are cooked through on the grill, but it never hurts to ask for them well done. Our runny eggs guide has the full reasoning.

2. Burgers: "well done"

The Angus burgers are ground beef, which needs to reach 160°F to be safe, according to the USDA. Ground meat can carry bacteria all the way through, not just on the surface, so a pink center isn't safe in pregnancy. Ask for your burger well done.

3. Steaks: "medium" or more

The T-Bone and Delmonico are USDA Choice steaks cooked to your order. Whole cuts of beef are safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest, which is roughly medium. Rare and medium-rare are below that, so order medium, medium-well or well done.

The Hashbrown Decoder

Hashbrowns are where Waffle House has its own language. The good news: every topping is cooked or heated on the grill, so any combination works in pregnancy.

"All the way" means every topping at once. It's safe, just very salty, which matters if you're dealing with swelling or high blood pressure.

Best Orders, by Craving

• Most protein: Steak & Eggs, a Delmonico steak with 2 eggs, has 53 g of protein for 480 calories. Order the steak medium or more and the eggs scrambled firm.
• Lean and filling: Chicken & Eggs, grilled chicken with 2 eggs, has 41 g of protein for 310 calories.
• A sandwich: the Grilled Chicken Sandwich Deluxe has 33 g of protein and 280 calories.
• Fiber, for once: a regular bowl of Bert's Chili has 8 g of fiber and 18 g of protein.
• The classic: an All-Star Special (waffle, eggs, toast or a biscuit, hashbrowns or grits, and bacon or sausage). Everything on it is cooked, so just ask for the eggs firm.

What to Watch

Salt

Waffle House food is salty. One slice of country ham alone has 2,110 mg of sodium, close to the 2,300 mg daily limit in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. A Sausage Egg & Cheese Hashbrown Bowl has 1,666 mg. That's not a safety issue, but it's worth knowing if your ankles are swelling or your blood pressure is being watched. City ham, grilled chicken and plain eggs are lower.

Sugar

A classic waffle has 15 g of sugar before syrup. A slice of Triple Chocolate Pie has 40 g and a slice of Southern Pecan Pie has 28 g. Both are fine as an occasional treat. With gestational diabetes, the eggs-and-meat breakfasts with grits or wheat toast are easier on blood sugar than a waffle with syrup.

Coffee refills

Coffee at Waffle House tends to be refilled before you've noticed your cup is empty. A typical 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee has about 95 mg of caffeine, so three refills can take you well past ACOG's 200 mg daily limit. Decaf is on the menu, and the iced tea has less caffeine than coffee, though it still counts. Our caffeine guide lists the amounts in common drinks.

Late-Night Waffle House and Heartburn

If the craving hits at midnight, the meal that's least likely to keep you up is a smaller one: eggs, toast and plain hashbrowns, rather than a hashbrown bowl smothered, covered, peppered and topped. Greasy, spicy and large meals close to bedtime are the classic reflux triggers. Our midnight snacks guide has more ideas for night hunger.

Looking for other breakfast spots? We've also covered IHOP and Denny's.

Waffle House recipes can differ from one restaurant to the next and change during the year. Check with your local Waffle House if you have allergies or specific dietary needs.