MAN, 84, SUES WAFFLE HOUSE OVER DISTRACTING WINDOW ADS
A Florida couple’s Waffle House lawsuit claims that window ads for the chain’s Strawberry Shortcake Waffle distracted Edward Bowlds, then 84, so he tripped over a curb outside a restaurant in Bartow. Edward and his wife, Dorothy, 82, sued Waffle House and franchisee East Coast Waffles, Inc. over the alleged fall on April 17, 2025, and are seeking more than $50,000.
According to FindLaw, the couple visited the Waffle House in Polk County that day. The complaint said Edward was walking from the parking lot toward the entrance when he went down.
The complaint said he was “distracted by the advertisements [in the Waffle House window], and he unknowingly tripped and fell over the curb which resulted in severe and permanent injuries,” PEOPLE reported. The injuries listed include a torn rotator cuff.
The curb and the ads
The Bowldses described the curb as “abnormally high,” poorly maintained and hard to tell apart from the parking lot. They alleged it had no paint, markings or warning signs to show the change in height.
The signs in the window promoted Waffle House’s limited-edition Strawberry Shortcake Waffle, and the lawsuit made them a central piece of the case.
“The size, placement and orientation of these window advertisements posed a distraction to customers,” the complaint said, Florida Record reported.
It added that the ads “capture the attention of customers approaching the sidewalk and divert their attention away from the trip hazard posed by the curb.”
The couple argued that the curb, the missing markings and the advertising together created an unreasonably dangerous condition. They brought claims of premises-liability negligence and general negligence.
Beyond the medical expenses, the complaint listed pain and suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement and mental anguish. The couple also asked for interest, costs and attorneys’ fees, and requested a jury trial.
The case moves to federal court
Before any suit was filed, a demand letter reportedly offered to settle for $300,000, The Independent reported. The outlet said Waffle House declined.
The couple first filed in Florida state court in February 2026. In March 2026, Waffle House, Inc. had the case moved to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, according to FindLaw.
An amended complaint filed April 1, 2026, names Waffle House, Inc. and East Coast Waffles, Inc. as defendants.
On April 15, 2026, both companies filed an answer denying liability. They said “the premises are maintained in a reasonably safe condition.” PEOPLE reported that they also argued Edward failed to use reasonable care to protect himself and described the alleged condition as “open and obvious.”
The claims remain allegations. FindLaw reported that the federal court entered a case-management and scheduling order on June 29, 2026. In an update on October 27, 2026, FindLaw said the trial is scheduled to begin November 1, 2027.
