The Georgia Shark Tank Restaurant That Makes Waffles The Main Character
If you watched the episode of "Shark Tank" featuring Press Waffle Co., you probably got a glimpse of what it's like to run a business from brothers Bryan and Caleb Lewis. In 2019, the brothers appeared on "Shark Tank" as successful food truck owners in search of a Shark to take their business to the next level. When they negotiated with Barbara Corcoran for $300,000 for a 15% stake of the waffle business, they were hoping to spread their love of waffles all over their home state of Texas. And that's what Press Waffle Co. aims to do in its locations.
The idea for the company came when owner Bryan Lewis and his then fiancée were traveling through Europe and tried Liège waffles for the first time — not to be confused with Belgian (or Brussels) waffles, their close sibling. Instead of batter found in American waffles, Liège are made from a yeast dough with pearl sugar pieces, which caramelize once they hit the waffle iron. Press Waffle Co.'s menu consists of a variety of sweet waffles, like the Southern Belle, which is topped with lemon curd, blueberries, and housemade whipped cream. The brand also has savory waffles like The American, topped with bacon, eggs, and cheese, and waffle sandwiches like the bacon cheeseburger waffle. You can even customize your own Liège waffle by combining any of their over 30 toppings. May we suggest Giada De Laurentiis' unique waffle topping of whipped cream and cheddar cheese?
In addition to waffles, Press Waffle Co. is also a coffee shop, selling a range of lattes, espressos, and specialty drinks. It has a rotation of seasonal drinks like the Pumpkin Pie Chai and drinks named after employees like the Gabi's Pistachio Matcha, at the Oviedo, Florida, location.
How the business is doing?
When Press Waffle Co. appeared on "Shark Tank" in 2019, its goal was to expand its business throughout Texas and into the surrounding states. This looked achievable, seeing as after their episode aired, Bryan and Caleb Lewis claimed they received over 400 inquiries from people interested in opening their own franchise. Of those 400, the two decided to focus on the best 10 and not expand too rapidly. Despite this, the brand experienced a few closures near the end of 2023 for reasons that were undisclosed.
Even so, the waffle cafe kept growing slowly, and, like "Shark Tank" peer Sienna Sauce, it focused much of its attention on opening food hall locations. Like many new businesses, Press Waffle Co. prefers to open locations in food halls as opposed to brick-and-mortar stores to reduce overhead investment. The company's expansion hasn't been without hurdles; the company has since closed its locations in Colorado and Arkansas. At the time of writing, October 2025, the company website lists only four different locations, mostly food halls. No matter what direction Press Waffle Co. goes in, it's clear that Liège-style waffles have piqued the interest of people across America, as each remaining location is in a different state.