Free Restaurant Idea: Crepes & Waffles in the U.S.

Jumbo Shrimp in Yellow Curry and Spinach, Thai Chicken, Pepper Steak, French Connection, Mushroom Fondue, and over 40 other kinds of crepes. 

Crepes & Waffles was the most popular restaurant I found during my travels and a personal favorite. Opened in 1980 by two college students, Beatriz Fernández and Eduardo Macías, Crepes started Zona Rosa, the center of the ritzy restaurant and club scene of Bogota, Colombia. Now, it is an international chain with over 70 restaurants, most of them Colombia, in 7 Latin American countries and Spain.

I discovered this Colombian classic during my study abroad in Ecuador because it was my host family's favorite restaurant, and I developed an undying love for it in Colombia, where it was the only place with ice cream that reminded me of Handel's.

My mission for writing about Crepes is to find someone who can bring it to the U.S. Why it has yet to come to America is beyond me. It is just the kind of chain, like Cracker Barrel or Cheesecake Factory, that people love in this country. Comparing Crepes to other domestic chains with similarly priced food, it's easy to see why I'm sure of its would be success:


-   Better quality and more visually appealing than IHOP.

-   Does not remind you of a gas station bathroom like Waffle House.

-   Healthier and more diverse food than Denny's. No bacon sundaes here.

-   It has its own niche: CREPES! What other restaurant is known for crepes? Nobody. IHOP has mediocre pancakes, Cracker Barrel has country comfort food, Denny's has artery cloggers, Cheesecake Factory has rich cheesecakes, and Waffle House has prison food. But nobody has crepes!

However, crepes and waffles are only ½ the menu. The other ½ is filled with all the sweet treats your repressed 6 year old self dreams of: chocolate, fruits, syrups, and creams are the ingredients they combine into dozens of fantastic waffle and ice cream desserts, like Banana Flambe or Chocolate Fondue.

To get a visual, take a quick look at their website here to see some of the whimsical dishes. Also, take a look a these marvelous desserts here and here. 

I'll end with one last unique thing about Crepes: The majority of those who work in the restaurant are single mothers. In their own words:

"Crepes & Waffles believes in the responsibility that women have to the advancement of their homes, and considers fundamental, for the prepartion of foods, the touch of affection that women put in everything they make. Women at Crepes & Waffles are single mothers in its vast majority who see the organization as their second home."

Their website mentions that the owners had a special vision when creating the restaurant. In addition to making the most diverse and best tasting food in Colombia, I believe that putting a priority on employing single mothers, a group that in all countries has the most worries about work, was a part of that vision. 

If you have money and want to make a lot more, invest in Crepes & Waffles and find a way to bring it to the United States, and everyone can experience what I rave about.